Today, September 7, is the bicentenary of Brazilian Independence, and to help mark the occasion we're delighted to bring you a playlist reflecting the diversity of classical music from the country.

The recordings are all taken from Naxos's ongoing 'Music of Brazil' series - which itself marks the bicentenary with two more editions - and has been compiled by the series's curator, Gustavo de Sá. Below the playlist, which you can enjoy via Apple Music, he introduces his choices.

 1. Nepomuceno Prelude to O Garatuja (1904)

This bustling and joyous piece was meant to be the prelude to a comic opera set in Rio de Janeiro of the 18th century. Unfortunately, Nepomuceno only completed the prelude and the first act (which he didn’t even orchestrate). The prelude is tuneful and full of wit, and makes one wonder what the whole opera could have sounded like.

 2. Guarnieri Flor de Tremembé (1937)

Guarnieri’s wife, born in the city of Tremembé, is the 'flower' to whom he dedicated this short piece for a very unusual ensemble of 15 instruments – including baritone saxophone, ukulele, piano, harp and Brazilian percussion – which is seven minutes of pure listening fun inspired by Brazilian street music.

 3. Santoro Symphony No 7, 'Brasília', first movement (1960)

Brazil’s greatest symphonist, Claudio Santoro wrote his Seventh Symphony inspired by the construction of Brazil’s new capital. This monumental and prophetic piece is very evocative of a special moment in the history of the country and its expectations about the future. One can almost see the buildings rising from the ground in the vast landscapes of central Brazil.

 4. Almeida Prado Concerto Fribourgeois, Arioso (1985)

A very personal tribute to Bach on the year of his 300th anniversary, the Concerto Fribourgeois for piano and strings connects baroque forms and modern compositional techniques. The 'Arioso' is a perfect example of Almeida Prado’s inventive harmonic language, piano writing and melodic inspiration.

 5. Guerra-Peixe Roda de Amigos, fourth movement (1979)

This delightful piece for woodwind quartet and strings is a musical portrait of four friends of the composer, themselves wind players. The fourth movement, 'O Travesso' ('The mischievous one') features the flute as soloist and is full with humorous effects and engaging melodies.

 6. Nepomuceno Symphony in G minor, third movement (1893)

One of the first symphonies written in Brazil and still regularly played there, it shows the composer’s absolute technical mastery of form, structure and orchestration. The exciting scherzo belongs perfectly in the Beethovenian tradition, but with hints of French music and a Dvorák-inspired trio.

 7. Guarnieri Choro for viola and orchestra, third movement (1975)

'Choro' is the most characteristic form of Brazilian instrumental street music, where musicians improvise virtuosic dialogues with each other. Guarnieri gave this name to a series of seven concertos with Brazilian inspiration. The Choro for viola is one of the most challenging of the series, technically very demanding for both soloist and orchestra, especially in this exciting finale, on the verge of atonality and yet distinctively Brazilian, sounding like nothing else.

 8. Guerra-Peixe 'Frevo', from Symphonic Suite No 2, 'Pernambucana' (1955)

Guerra-Peixe’s two symphonic suites are the result of his research on Brazilian folklore – here, in the State of Pernambuco, in Northeastern Brazil. Frevo is a street dance of the region, still popular today, and this one has everything an orchestral piece needs to bring a house down – relentless rhythms, brilliant orchestration and virtuosic writing for all sections of the orchestra.

 9. Miguez Violin Sonata in A major, Op 14, Finale (1885)

This may well be the best-loved Brazilian work for violin and piano. An ambitious and solid work in four movements, in the best Romantic tradition, with very refined instrumental writing. The sonata bears great similarities with César Franck’s sonata, not only in the key and the structure, but was written in Rio de Janeiro one year before Franck’s.

 10. Santoro Symphony No 5, third movement (1955)

Santoro’s output of the 1950s is marked by his intention to write more accessible music, using national elements, but with a more abstract approach if compared to his contemporaries. This movement is a rare example of direct use of folklore, with the Afro-Brazilian 'canto de Xangô' used as main theme for a set of somber, yet brilliantly crafted and orchestrated variations.

 11. Almeida Prado Piano concerto No 1 – II. Transparente floral (1983)

The magical and hypnotical central movement of Almeida Prado’s only numbered piano concerto is an acoustic treat. Staying at pianissimo level for most of the time, Almeida Prado creates a world of fantastic images using the resonances of piano and percussion. Not the usual slow movement of a piano concerto!

 12. Guarnieri Choro for Cello and Orchestra, second movement (1961)

Another of Guarnieri’s Choros, but this time seen from their lyrical side. The slow movement of the Choro for Cello (with the indication 'quiet and sad') shows Guarnieri’s best melodic vein, with a broad singing line carried by the soloist over a dreamy accompaniment. A dissolution of time and space, as usual in Guarnieri’s often gorgeous slow movements.

 13. Guerra-Peixe 'Tambu', from Symphonic Suite No 1, 'Paulista' (1955)

This movement, now inspired by the foklore of São Paulo, shows why these works are symphonic suites and not usual dance suites. It could well be the finale of a symphony if Guerra-Peixe had called it so: a slow introduction followed by a fiery allegro, with an admirable sense of timing and structuring, absolutely satisfying and never superficial.

 14. Guarnieri Seresta for Piano and Orchestra, first movement (1965)

'Seresta' (a sort of serenade in Brazil) was the name chosen for this work, actually a piano concerto, but also a sort of concerto grosso, with timpani, xylophone and harp being also treated as a secondary group of soloists opposed to the strings. The opening movement is tense and vigorous, with a strong Bartókian flavour.

 15. Nepomuceno 'Batuque', from Série Brasileira (1891)

Probably the first piece to use Brazilian typical percussion (a reco-reco, a kind of scraper) and Nepomuceno’s most popular piece. A favourite of orchestras in Brazil, always effective with audiences for its catchy tunes, humorous traits and feverish conclusion.

September sees two further releases in the ‘Music of Brazil’ series on Naxos: Fabio Mechetti conducts large-scale choral works by Dom Pedro I – the first emperor of Brazil, recorded by The Concentus Musicum de Belo Horzonte and Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra; and the English Chamber Orchestra perform works by 19th-century Brazilian composers conducted by Neil Thomson.

The bicentenary of Brazilian Independence will be celebrated in a concert from The English Chamber Orchestra and Neil Thompson tonight (September 7) at Cadogan Hall: details here