Those aware of the international orchestral protests surrounding conductor Roberto Minczuk might be surprised at seeing a new release from his baton (admittedly not featuring the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, the subject of the storm and the artistic direction of which he has now relinquished), until one realises that this delightful programme was set down in 2003. The quality is first-rate, a tribute to the musical and expressive gains Minczuk can achieve when an orchestra is with him.

The programme is a who’s who of early-20th-century Brazilian composers. Villa-Lobos and Camargo Guarnieri are the most familiar, represented by characteristic inspirations vividly realised, in the case of Dança frenética even more than by Duarte. Mignone’s vivacious Congada featured on last year’s ‘Fiesta criolla’ from Chandos; honours are even.

Oscar Lorenzo Fernández’s Batuque was put on the map by Bernstein, no less, whose account remains unsurpassed, although Minczuk’s is a formidable challenger – what a shame the whole suite is not featured. That regret applies to the rather sedate Batuque by Alberto Nepomuceno and Alexandre Levy’s overlong Samba as well, both finales to larger works, albeit lighter in tone than Lorenzo Fernández’s. Nepomuceno’s prelude to his unfinished opera Garatuja is a most effective curtain-raiser.

The real find of the disc for me was Edino Krieger’s Passacalha para o Novo Milênio, a finely crafted score that slows the pace of the disc down nicely before the final pair of works by Jobim and Guerra-Peixe (the latter played here with considerably more panache than by the Orquestra da Camara Rio on Biscoito Fino). With splendid SACD sound from BIS, this is a winning and hugely entertaining disc. Enjoy!