Score and parts for hire

Faber Music Ltd. is the sole agent for Bermel works published by Peermusic Classical in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

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When I first encountered the work of the great Portuguese poet Eugénio de Andrade (José Fontinhas), I was struck by the direct lyricism of his language, his bold depictions of the natural world's sensuality. Andrade's translator of 25 years, Alexis Levitin, introduced me to his heir Gervásio Oliveira Moura, who generously approved my use of the poems. Throughout the daunting and humbling task of setting Andrade's work, it was comforting to know that the songs would be performed by Luciana Souza, Jeffrey Kahane, and the wonderful musicians of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. I wish to express special thanks to Luciana for her sensitivity and attention to detail; the collaboration with her has been nothing short of joyful. I would also like to thank many people who helped along the way, including Junia Flavia d'Affonseca, Clarice Assad, Jeff Myers, Andreia Pinto-Correia, Rafael Montes, Wendy S. Walters, and Mark Statman, as well as the Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores, the Sacatar Foundation, the Institute for Advanced Study, Peermusic Classical, and of course Andrea Laguni and the wonderful LACO staff. Derek Bermel, April 2011

Mark Swed, LATimes Blogs, May 16, 2011: “Mar de Setembro” is a short set of five songs to texts by the late Portuguese poet Eugénio de Andrade and written for the Brazilian jazz singer Luciana Souza. Bermel, who is LACO’s composer in residence, has produced a small gem. The poetic imagery focuses on sweet lips and kisses: the moon’s “golden kiss,” the September sea’s luminous “sky, lips, sand” and the water nightingale’s “memory of lips.” In the fourth song, “Hidden Waters,” lips are “Thirsty still for other lips.” From the last song, “Fruit,” spill "peaches, pears, oranges, strawberry’s cherries, figs, apples, melon and honey dew," which are, for De Andrade, “music of my senses” and “pure pleasures of the tongue.” Bermel takes De Andrade at his word, with dreamy music of the senses and pure pleasures for Souza’s tongue. The orchestra laps like waves of the ocean. The Brazilian singer, amplified and unusually laid back (she was said to have been ill on Sunday) handled irresistible melodies with easy flowing grace and unerring musicality. The first song, “What Moonlit Voice,” was sung in the dark, with only an aquaphone (water-filled and mellow) as accompaniment. In the third song, “Song,” Souza's chesty, wine-red lower register was nudged by a tickling xylophone expanding on exuberant bird song. “Fruit” hints at tango and fado. A violin cadenza tumbles from high to low, and then to the tempo of a distant waltz, Souza sang in low and swaying melody, “oh, tangerines, oh, tangerines,” that you could all be taste.'