To understand how widespread Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone method had become outside Vienna, one need only consider Claudio Santoro from the 1940s on the leading exponent of dodecaphony in far-flung Brazil. Santoro's advocacy of the new practice put him at odds with the foremost tonal composers, at their head the nationalist Camargo Guarneri; and his embrace of the supposedly elitist avant-garde even provoked criticism from the political left. In his piano sonatas, sonatinas, preludes, and other short keyboard works, Santoro demonstrates great flexibilty with the row, and seems to have adapted twelve-tone rules to suit his needs, rather than to merely imitate Schoenberg, Berg, or Webern. Santoro's melodic uses of the series are most striking, for they are more lyrical and continuous than the short motivic fragments found in European models; and his rhythms are clearly metered and more consistently dance-like, not as abrupt or violent as they are in the established expressionist style. Gilda Oswaldo Cruz specializes in Santoro's music, and has previously recorded his other piano works for Biscoito Fino. She plays with strength and clarity in the serious serial works, but also communicates charm and wit in the tonal Nove Peças Infantis. The recorded sound is generally good, though a little dry in places.