Joly Braga Santos - Encruzilhada (Crossroads), Ballet in one act

José Manuel Joly Braga Santos (1924-1988)

Encruzilhada (Crossroads), Ballet in one act (1967)

I. General dance [00:00]
II. Pantomine [03:02]
III. Dance in a quarter of Lisbon [07:24]
IV. Pas de deux [09:54]
V. General dance [12:50]

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Álvaro Cassuto

"Les Chantiers", Maria Helena Vieira da Silva

"Encruzilhada (Crossroads) is a ballet composed in 1967 for the Gulbenkian Ballet Company in Lisbon. It is based on a quite simple and innocent story: in a village, peasants celebrate the engagement of a young couple. Suddenly some city dwellers appear. To amuse themselves, they persuade the bride to accompany them. She falls into the hands of rioters and women who want to lead her away from a more reputable life. She escapes and returns to her village and to the arms of her lover.
The composer uses clearly identifiable folklore, such as popular dances from different origins. He enriches the music, however, by a polytonal treatment which creates a strong expressionistic atmosphere, precisely because he believed that all kinds of influence converge, and can be found in the urban folklore of all countries.
The five movements of this ballet follow the formal scheme of the Baroque orchestral suite. Yet, the composer's primary goal was to compose music specifically suited for dancing.
The first movement (Dance) is based on the Italian tarantella. It is very vivid and fast. The second movement (Pantomine) is based on a variety of short sections, starting and ending in a slow tempo. The third movement (Dance in a quarter of Lisbon) is based on the Portuguese (and Andaluzian) fandango. The fourth movement is based on a Portuguese folk-song with an accented 5/4 rhythmic accompaniment, while the last movement (General Dance) features a highly engaging tune, which the composer recommends to be played "like a folk-song" and ends in a brilliant, più mosso coda.
The music is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, two timpani, two percussionists, harp and six first and six second violins, four violas, three cellos and two basses."