Henrique Alves de Mesquita was a prolific composer who defied Brazilian society’s systemic exclusion of Black people to achieve prominence as one of the leading figures in the local musical scene of the 19th century. He was highly regarded for his sacred music and operas, which are rarely heard today. After study years in Paris, Mesquita turned his versatility and sophistication towards fashionable music theatre styles such as polkas, tangos and waltzes, conveying emotions ranging from contagious joy to gentle melancholy. It is these lighter pieces that are now considered by many scholars to be one of the main origins of modern Brazilian popular music.

Henrique Alves de Mesquita was renowned as a trumpeter, organist, conductor, teacher and composer in his day but his works are now virtually unknown, with no commercial recordings to be found in any of the current mainstream catalogues. With recent moves towards greater appreciation of Black composers, Mesquita is a prime example of a musician whose pieces demand to be rediscovered, and this highly entertaining and vibrant selection of dances and music-hall numbers could hardly be a better introduction to this undeservedly neglected composer.

Brazilian pianist Maria Teresa Madeira has appeared internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, including at the XVII Bienal de Música Brasileira Contemporânea. Her discography encompasses over 30 solo and chamber albums, and in 2016 she released the boxed set Obra integral de Ernesto Nazareth, which won Best Classical Music Album at both the Premio da Música Brasileira and the Prêmio Bravo! de Cultura.