The last movement of Darius Milhaud’s partly bi- and polytonal suite for piano Saudades do Brasil (1920), and the middle movement of L’automne (1932), both performed by Marguerite Long for Columbia in 1935.
The former is called Paysandú, which must be a place in Brazil. The second is called Alfama, in his words “one of the ancient popular quarters of Lisbon”.
Paysandú, with its feeling of departure, is the end of a commemoration of a long official stay in Rio during the First World War.
Alfama, with its moment, at the end, of antique Portuguese grace, commemorates a shorter visit to Portugal.
