Luís Rabello was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in a family of renowned musicians. Rabello is recording artist of the Dutch label Challenge Records. Winner of several competitions, Rabello studied in Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Russia and did his Master in Rotterdam Conservatory in The Netherlands, where he graduated with 10 summa cum laude. Rabello studied in Brazil with Sonia Goulart, Mordehai Simoni and Myrian Dauelsberg, former students of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Stefan Askenaze and Vlado Perlemuter. In Moscow he studied with Andrei Pisarev and in The Netherlands with Aquiles Delle Vigne. He has received advice from Kurt Masur, Nelson Freire, Jorge Luís Prats, Arnaldo Cohen, Peter Donohoe, Sergei Dorensky and Enrico Pace, among others.
Luís Rabello made his debut concert with orchestra at the age of 11 performing Mozart piano concerto n.23 with the Symphonic Orchestra of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Living in The Netherlands, Rabello develops an intense activity as a concert pianist having performed in venues such as The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, De Doelen in Rotterdam, and at The Zeeuwse Concertzaal in Middelburg. Broadcasted performances include the Studio Witteman TV show, Radio Opus 4, Radio Rijnmond and Radio Classic FM where his album “Flor da Noite” was considered one of the top 10 releases of 2019. In Europe Rabello performed in concert halls like Teatro São Luis in Lisbon, Salle Gothique in Brussels, Reial Cercle Artístic in Barcelona, Salle Villa-Lobos and The Schola Cantorum in Paris, Grosse Saal of the Conservatorium of Bern and the Théâtre de Vevey in Switzerland, Kawai Europa Concert Hall in Krefeld, Germany, Teatro Manzoni in Monza, Italy. With a vast repertoire ranging from barroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, modern and contemporary composers, in more recent years Rabello has dedicated special attention to the music of Radamés Gnattali. Thanks to his dedication to Brazilian repertoire, Rabello was dubbed by the Spanish press as “the Ambassador of Brazilian music”.
Gnattali and Rabello connection Radamés Gnattali (1906-1988), one of the most important composers in Brazil, had a close relationship with the Rabello family. Gnattali performed, recorded and even dedicated compositions to different members of the family. The most famous, the guitarist Rafael Rabello, recorded a couple albums in duo with Gnattali. After Gnattali’s death in 1988 the friendship bonds between the families remained. In 2014, after listening to Luis’ album “Radamés Gnattali piano recital”, Nelly Gnattali, widow of the composer, gave Luís Rabello access to all unpublished manuscripts of her husband allowing Rabello to give continuity to the investigation and the process of recording the music of the Brazilian master. Among some of the world premieres performances made by Rabello are: the 1st and 2nd Piano Sonatas, the Concertino n.1 for piano and String orchestra, the Etude for piano, the Poèm for Violin and Piano and the Sonata for Violin and Piano.
Quotes
“Luís Rabello is to be commended. Here’s a lot of high-quality, largely original and thoroughly idiomatic music, superbly played.” (Gramophone magazine (UK), 2022)
“The brilliant Rapsodia Brasileira (1930) and the Piano Sonata n.2 attest to his pianistic talent and infuse with subtlety the rhythms and melodies of his country. Revealed by the inspired fingers of Luís Rabello.” (Diapason magazine (FR), 5 stars review)
“A catchy record that argues for more Gnattali on the concert stages.” (Over Rabello’s Album Moto Continuo – Pianist Magazine (NL))
“Gnattali’s rhythmic elasticity, flowing logic and musical multilingualism come together in his Second Piano Sonata, which the virtuoso Rabello delivers with bittersweet eloquence.” (De Volkskrant (NL) article 2022)
“[Radamés Gnattali piano recital] is a CD beautifully played.” (Master pianist Jorge Luís Prats)
“Finally someone who plays my husbands music the way he envisioned it”. (Nelly Gnattali)
“Listening to Rabello’s Gaspard de la nuit is not only a pleasure but, why not, a privilege.” (Diario Llevante article, Valencia – Spain)