Guiomar Novaes

Origin

São João da Boa Vista, SP

Genres

classical music

Instruments

piano

Biography

Guiomar Novaes was a renowned Brazilian classical pianist who achieved international acclaim, particularly in the United States and Europe. Born in São Paulo, she showed early musical talent and studied under master Luigi Chiaffarelli before moving to France to attend the Paris Conservatoire, where she won first prize unanimously among hundreds of competitors. Throughout her illustrious career, she was celebrated for her interpretations of romantic composers such as Chopin and Schumann, earning high praise from international critics and audiences alike.

As an ambassador of Brazilian culture, Novaes played an influential role in popularizing the works of Heitor Villa-Lobos abroad, integrating his compositions into her celebrated recitals. She participated in the historic 1922 Semana de Arte Moderna and performed for prominent figures, including U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Queen Elizabeth II. Her exceptional artistry earned her numerous honors, such as the Brazilian National Order of Merit and the French Legion of Honour, cementing her legacy as one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century.

Discography

• Brazilian Piano Music (1947)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – 24 Preludes Opus 28 (1950)
• Beethoven, Guiomar Novaes – Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Sonata No. 26 In e Flat Major (1951)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes, Otto Klemperer, Vienna Symphony Orchestra – Concerto No. 2 In F Minor For Piano And Orchestra Opus 21 (1951)
• Robert Schumann, Guiomar Novaes, Otto Klemperer – Piano Concerto In A Minor (1951)
• Schumann, Guiomar Novaes – Scenes From Childhood / Papillons (1951)
• Schumann / Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Carnaval Opus 9 / Sonata No. 3 In B Minor Opus 58 (1951)
• Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 - R. Schumann: Piano Concerto (1951)
• Beethoven / Guiomar Novaes, Otto Klemperer, Vienna Symphony Orchestra – Concerto No. 4 For Piano And Orchestra In G Major, Opus 58 (1952)
• Chopin - Guiomar Novaes – Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 / Sonata No. 3 Op. 58 (1952)
• Schumann, Guiomar Novaes – Carnaval, Opus 9 / Papillons, Opus 2 (1952)
• Chopin - Guiomar Novaes – A Chopin Recital (1952)
• Guiomar Novaes Encores (1952)
• Frédéric Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Etudes Opus 25 - Trois Nouvelles Etudes (1952)
• Guiomar Novaes & George Szell in New York in 1951/52 (1952)
• Etudes Opus 25 Trois Nouvelles Etudes (1953)
• Chopin - Guiomar Novaes – Mazurkas (1953)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Waltzes (1953)
• Grieg: Piano Concerto In a Minor, Opus 16 - - - De Falla: Nights In The Garden Of Spain (1954)
• Mozart, Guiomar Novaes, Hans Swarowsky – Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K.466 / No.9 In e Flat Major, K.271 (1954)
• Robert Schumann - Guiomar Novaes, pro Musica Symphony, Vienna, Hans Swarowsky – Piano Concerto In a Minor Op. 54 / Scenes From Childhood Op. 15 (1954)
• Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 & Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-Flat Major, K. 271 "Jeunehomme" (1954)
• Mozart - Guiomar Novaes – Sonata No. 11 In A Major, K.331 - Sonata No. 15 In C Major, K.545 / Sonata No. 5 In G Major, K. 283 - Rondo In A Minor, K.511 (1955)
• Chopin - Guiomar Novaes, Wiener Symphoniker, Otto Klemperer – Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 F-Moll Op. 21 / Fantasie In F-Moll Op. 49 (1955)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Etudes, Opus 10 (Complete) / Scherzo No. 1, B. Minor, Opus 20 (1955)
• Schumann, Guiomar Novaes, Orchestre Symphonique de Vienne – Concerto En La Mineur, Op.54 Pour Piano Et Orchestre Opus 54 (1955)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Nocturnes (Complete) (1956)
• Debussy, Guiomar Novaes – Preludes, Book I (1956)
• De Falla - Guiomar Novaes, pro Musica Symphony - Vienna, Hans Swarowsky – Nights In The Gardens Of Spain (1956)
• Chopin Piano Music, Vol. 1: Nocturnes Nos. 1-12 (1956)
• Guiomar Novaes, Schumann – Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 / Fantasiestuecke Op. 12 (1957)
• Chopin: Nocturnes (Complete) Vol. II (1957)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Nocturnes (Complete) Vol. I (1957)
• Robert Schumann - George Szell / Guiomar Novaes – Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 / Carnaval, Op.9 (1957)
• Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 & Symphonic Études, Op. 13 (1957)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Etudes Op. 10 & Op. 25 (1958)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – 24 Preludes, Op. 28 / Sonata #2, B Flat Minor, Op. 35 (1958)
• Chopin: Etudes, Opp. 10 & 25 (1958)
• Chopin: Sonate Op. 35, Berceuse Op. 57, Valse Op. 64, Impomptu No. 2, Nocturnes No. 2, Mazurkas (1958)
• Schumann, Guiomar Novaes – Carnaval / Scenes From Childhood / Papillons (1959)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Piano Music Volume I (1959)
• Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9, Papillons, Op. 2 & Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (1959)
• The Story of Beethoven in Words & Music (1959)
• Mendelssohn - Guiomar Novaes – Songs Without Words (1961)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes, Grant Johannesen, Mieczyslaw Horszowski – Œuvres Pour Piano (1961)
• Beethoven / Guiomar Novaes, Jonel Perlea, Bamberg Symphony – Piano Concerto No. 5 (1961)
• Guiomar Novaes, Beethoven / Schumann – A Recital (1961)
• Beethoven Piano Sonatas (1962)
• Guiomar Novaes, Chopin – The Art Of Guiomar Novaes Volume One (1963)
• The Art Of Guiomar Novaes Volume Two (1963)
• Plays Chopin Liszt Debussy (1963)
• Guiomar Novaes plays Chopin, Liszt, Debussy (1963)
• Guiomar Novaes, Beethoven – Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight" / Sonata No. 26 In e Flat, Op. 81a "Farewell" / Sonata No. 32In C Minor, Op. 111 (1967)
• Schumann: Piano Music (1968)
• Her Favorite Chopin (1969)
• Guiomar Novaes, Chopin, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jonel Perlea – Piano Concerto No. 1 In e Minor, Opus 11 (1970)
• Jorge Bolet, Ivan Davis, Gunnar Johansen (2), Alicia de Larrocha, Raymond Lewenthal, Michael May (3), Jesus Maria Sanroma, Fernando Valenti, Bruce Hungerford, Guiomar Novaes, Rosalyn Tureck – Excerpts From The First International Piano Library Benefit Concert (1970)
• Mendelssohn Songs Without Words (1971)
• Guiomar Novaes (1974)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Nocturnes (1978)
• Guiomar Novaes, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy – Mendelssohn - Canções sem Palavras (1981)
• Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" (1988)
• Beethoven, Schumann & Chopin: Piano Concertos (1992)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Piano Favorites (1993)
• Chopin: Nocturnes Nos. 13-20 & Piano Sonata No. 2 (1993)
• Chopin: Études, Nocturnes & Piano Sonata No. 2 (1993)
• Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 & Other Piano Works (1993)
• Grieg, de Falla & Chopin: Piano Works (1993)
• The Classical Novaes (1993)
• The Romantic Novaes (1993)
• Frédéric Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – Dodici Studi Op. 10 / Dodici Studi Op. 25 (1994)
• Chopin, Guiomar Novaes – The Art Of (1994)
• Beethoven, Guiomar Novaes – Piano Sonatas (1997)
• Guiomar Novaes, Frédéric Chopin – Guiomar Novaes Town Hall Concert & Unissued Columbia 78s (1998)
• Grandes Pianistas Brasileiros = Great Brazilian Pianists: Guiomar Novaes (2000)
• Songs Without Words (2000)
• Carnaval (2000)
• Guiomar Novaes and Otto Klemperer, Vol. 2 (2001)
• Beethoven & Chopin: Piano Concertos (2002)
• Chopin: Masterpieces Volume 2 (2003)
• Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1, Piano Sonata No. 3, Rondo for Piano & Orchestra (2005)
• Frédéric Chopin: Masters of Music, Vol. 22 (2008)
• Recital Histórico de Guiomar Novaes (2010)
• Chopin, Vol. 4 : The 21 Nocturnes (Award Winners) (2011)
• Guiomar Novaes Performs Original Piano Works (2013)
• The Complete Published 78RPM Recordings (2014)
• G. Novaes and G. Szell in New York (2014)
• Chopin: Twelve Etudes Op. 10 & 25 (2015)
• Soundscape For Film, Vol. 37 (2016)
• LP Pure, Vol. 32: Klemperer Conducts Schumann & Chopin (Historical Recordings) (2017)
• Mozart, Brahms & Others: Piano Works (2023)
• Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 & Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" (2023)
• Gavotte. Beethoven, Chopin & Piano Music from the Golden Age. (2024)
• "056 Classical Nuances": Triakontameron (2026)
• Edvard Grieg, Robert Schumann, Guiomar Novaes, Sviatoslav Richter – Grieg/Schumann: Piano Concerti
• Gottschalk - Alan Mandel, John Kirkpatrick (3), Robert Pritchard (2), Guiomar Novaes – A Centennial Concert