Music & Arts issued a fine 2-CD set [1029] of unissued Columbia recordings from 1940-1947, including a live 1949 Town Hall recital. Notes were written by Ward Botsford.
Yes, Lance, I have that 2CD set floating around somewhere, and agree that the transfers are indeed impeccable.
It pains me to say that Novaes recorded for Vox mostly, rather than for a full-priced label. Her artistry surely deserved the promotional heft of either Columbia or RCA back in the day.
When I was a lad of 11, our neighbor, who was a distant cousin and an organizer of the local concert series in my middle school auditorium and a pianist herself, invited me to escort her to a concert given by Guiomar Novaes, my first live event. I had just won the school's talent contest by playing some Liszt and Mendelssohn, so I readily agreed. Naturally, I was overwhelmed by her artistry, and asked if I could meet her after the concert and get her autograph. Novaes was gracious enough to scrawl her name across the front page of my program, saying encouraging bon mots as I stood in awe of this massive talent. Naturally, I've been an admirer ever since, and treasure her recordings in my library.
