Ney Rosauro has been universally recognised as one of the leading figures in the percussion world for more than two decades. He’s probably best known for his first Concerto for Marimba which was written in 1986. Since then he has written a further seven concerto works including Concerto for Marimba No. 2, Concerto for Vibraphone and Concerto for Timpani. However his orchestral output accounts for only a small proportion of the works he has written which include pieces for percussion ensemble, unaccompanied marimba & vibraphone solos and a number of duets involving other instruments including saxophone and guitar.

Landscapes is a double disc set and includes a wide range of Rosauro’s music. Disc one concentrates on the smaller scale works and disc two is devoted to live performances of three of his orchestral concertos.

The album opens with Two Reflections for Solo Vibraphone which works well as an introduction to Rosauro’s sound-world. Brazilian Landscape, the first movement, is a purely original composition whereas the second, Reflections on the New World, is a mellow jazz-influenced interpretation of the main theme from Dvorak’s New World Symphony.

Toccata and Divertimento has become a popular duet since it was published in 2001 and I recorded the version for Vibraphone and Marimba on my album Rhythmic Renaissance back in 2007. This album features the original version and it makes a refreshing change to hear the instrumentation of Vibraphone and Guitar. Rosauro has chosen his musical partner well and guitarist Douglas Lora gives an outstanding performance in what is a real highlight of the disc.

Following Toccata is another of Rosauro’s duo works, this time for two marimbas. Brazilian Fantasy (Bach in Brazil) aims to conjure up an image of Bach travelling to Brazil and making music with traditional Brazilian composers.

Next up is the first studio recording of Rosauro’s latest concerto, Serenata for Marimba/Vibraphone and String Orchestra, albeit in a reduced version with piano accompaniment. This recent work finds the composer at his most accessible in a four-movement suite with strong rhythmic drive, instantly familiar melodies and genuine emotional writing. This is most prevalent in the stunning second movement, written as a tribute to the composer’s late mother.

Finishing off disc one is a relatively unknown work that only recently received its premiere in 2007. Cancao Da Despedida is an unusual concert piece for vibraphone, accordion and string orchestra in a noticeably different style from the composer’s other output. It’s a relatively grand affair and provides a suitable finale to the first disc.

For many listeners the highlight of this album will be disc two, featuring live orchestral performances of three of the composer’s major orchestral concertos. First off is Rosauro’s Concerto for Marimba No. 2, written in 2001. Whereas his first concerto was scored for 4.3 octave marimba and string orchestra, the second calls for 5 octave marimba and full orchestra. The inclusion of so many different sounds and colours really brings the work to life and the brass section makes a particularly strong contribution.

Rosauro’s Concerto for Vibraphone was written for Evelyn Glennie in the mid-90s and has enjoyed regular performances since. As with all of the composer’s large-scale works there are moments of light and shade in equal measure. The middle movement is particularly effective with a real dark character in places. Accompanying the soloist in this recording is the Orquestra do Theatro Sao Pedro and the vibraphone blends well with the ensemble, always being heard.

The final piece on the album is Rhapsody, a half-hour epic and in my opinion well worth saving until last. Rhapsody was composed between 1991 and 1992 for Rosauro’s final DMA recital at the University of Miami. Unlike the majority of his solo works this calls for a whole arsenal of percussion instruments including vibraphone, toms, snare drum, cymbals, temple blocks, wood blocks, cowbells, castanets, guiro, triangle, bird whistles and tuned water glasses. It was previously recorded with piano accompaniment on the album Rhapsodia but hearing it in its full orchestral version brings far more life to the piece. It may not be Rosauro’s best known composition but Rhapsodia really is a hidden gem and it’s the perfect ending to a large-scale disc.

The CDs are nicely presented in a folding cardboard case and a full biography of the composer is included. The only possible negative is that there are no programme notes for the pieces on the album but there is full information available from Ney Rosauro’s website (www.neyrosauro.com) so it’s not a problem. On the whole this is a very enjoyable high-quality release from one of the percussion world’s biggest names.