South America has a knack of producing a particular breed of fiery woman pianist with technique to burn – from Theresa Carreño in the 19th century to Martha Argerich today. Perhaps it’s their passionate Latin temperament.

The wonderful Brazilian Guiomar Novaes certainly fitted this mould. Described by her teacher Isidore Philipp as "by far the best pupil I have ever nursed to the concert stage", Novaes shot to fame as a teenager and immediately became a star pianist, particularly in the USA where she settled.

She recorded well into the LP era but by common consent her greatest recordings are considered to be the 78-rpm discs she made in her youth. Here, for the first time, all are reissued together. As befits 78s, many are encore style pieces, which incidentally perfectly suit Novaes’ gifts, but there is also a good selection of her compatriot’s music, much of it written for her.

Contents:
CD 1
Victor Talking Machine Company CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, 1919–1927 (73.02)
1. GOTTSCHALK Grande fantaisie triomphale sur l’hymne national brésilien Op.69 (1923 version)
2. GLUCK/FRIEDMAN The Dance of the Blessed Spirits
3. GLUCK/BRAHMS Gavotte in A
4. BEETHOVEN/RUBINSTEIN Turkish March
5. RUBINSTEIN Nocturne in G Op.75 No.8
6. MOSZKOWSKI Guitarre Op.45 No.2
7. La Jongleuse Op.52 No.4
8. PADEREWSKI Nocturne in B flat Op.16 No.4
9. CHOPIN Mazurka in D Op.33 No.2
10. MENDELSSOHN Song Without Words Op.62 No.6 (Spring Song)
11. LISZT Gnomenreigen S145 No.2
12. Waldesrauschen S145 No.1
13. MacDOWELL Hexentanz Op.17 No.2
14. ISIDOR PHILIPP Feux-Follets Op.24 No.3
15. ALEXANDRE LEVY Tango Brasileiro
16. ALBÉNIZ/GODOWSKY Tango in D Op.165 No.2
17. STRAUSS/GODOWSKY Ständchen Op.17 No.2
18. VILLA-LOBOS O Polichinelo
19. IBERT The Little White Donkey
20. GOTTSCHALK Grande fantaisie triomphale sur l’hymne national brésilien Op.69 (1927 version)

CD 2
Columbia Recording Corporation NEW YORK, 1940–1947 (76.40)
1. ISIDOR PHILIPP Feux-Follets Op.24 No.3
2. MOMPOU Jeunes filles au jardin
3. SCARLATTI Sonata in G minor Kk450 (L338)
4. Sonata in G major Kk125 (L487)
5. FRANÇOIS COUPERIN La tendre Nanette
6. LOUIS-CLAUDE DAQUIN L’Hirondelle
7. BACH Toccata in D major BWV912
8. MOZART Rondo in A minor K511
9. CHOPIN Ballade No.3 in A flat major Op.47
10. GLUCK/SAINT-SAËNS Caprice sur les airs de ballet d’Alceste
11-19. VILLA-LOBOS/NOVAES Popular Brazilian Children’s Songs
20-22. VILLA-LOBOS As três Marias
23-25. Prole do Bebê Book 1 — excerpts
26-30. OCTAVIO PINTO Scenas Infantis
31. CAMARGO GUARNIERI Toccata
32. ALBÉNIZ Evocación
33. Triana