Saudades do Brasil

Milhaud's suite of twelve dances for piano, Op. 67 (1920–1921), is his most beloved piano work and a landmark in the French piano repertoire of the 20th century. Each of the twelve short pieces bears the name of a neighbourhood or beauty spot in Rio de Janeiro, evoking the saudade — the Portuguese word for a bittersweet longing for an absent person, place, or time — that Milhaud felt for Brazil after his return to France. The twelve pieces are all in duple time with syncopated rhythms drawn from the Brazilian choro and maxixe, and all use Milhaud's characteristic bitonality. Among the most frequently performed are Botafogo (No. 2, languid and nostalgic), Copacabana (No. 4, bright and energetic), Ipanema (No. 5, wistful), and Corcovado (No. 7, the most lyrical and heartfelt of the set).

Each of the twelve pieces should have a clearly characterised Brazilian dance rhythm — the 2/4 should swing, not march. The syncopations are written exactly but require a physical ease and suppleness to sound natural rather than mechanical. The bitonality should shimmer rather than clash: use a light, transparent touch that allows both keys to be heard simultaneously rather than one overwhelming the other. The pieces are short and lose their charm if played too slowly; keep the tempos moderate to vivace and allow the rhythmic character to carry the expression.