{"id":16571,"date":"2021-07-21T09:28:16","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T16:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/classicalguitarmagazine.com\/?p=16571"},"modified":"2021-08-05T15:35:13","modified_gmt":"2021-08-05T22:35:13","slug":"a-look-inside-villa-lobos-influential-1920s-choros","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classicalguitarmagazine.com\/a-look-inside-villa-lobos-influential-1920s-choros\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look Inside Villa-Lobos’ Influential 1920s Choros"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By John Patykula<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

For classical guitarists, the guitar music of Heitor Villa-Lobos<\/a> (1887\u20131959) provides an important and indispensable part of the repertoire. His Suite Popular Brasilienne, Etudes, Preludes, <\/em>and Concerto<\/em> achieve musical and technical possibilities that, until the time of their creation, had not been thought possible. This guitar music is uniquely original and truly a world unto its own, and it is a world almost always inspired by the music of Brazil. The word choro<\/em> is associated with several of Villa-Lobos\u2019 guitar works, so it is important to know its meaning and significance in the life of this great composer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m Brazilian<\/em>\u2014very Brazilian. In my music, I let the rivers and seas of this great Brazil sing. I don\u2019t put a gag on the tropical exuberance of our forests and our skies, which I intuitively transpose to everything I write.\u201d<\/em><\/p>Heitor Villa-Lobos<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n


Choro<\/em> is derived from the Portuguese chorar<\/em> (to \u201cweep,\u201d \u201clament,\u201d or \u201ccry\u201d), and refers to a type of popular music\u2014primarily instrumental\u2014that first appeared in Rio de Janeiro in the latter part of the 19th century. This music was performed by chor\u00f5es,<\/em> which were serenading ensembles that always included guitars. The chor\u00f5es<\/em> would perform at night in the streets, cafes, theatres, and at social events. Their music was very spontaneous, with elements of improvisation and virtuosity. Some scholars have compared these chor\u00f5es<\/em> to early American jazz bands, although these choro<\/em> groups appear before the beginnings of jazz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the early development of the choro,<\/em> the popular Brazilian pianist Ernesto Nazareth (1863\u20131934) stands out as the important originator of this style of music. Like Villa-Lobos, Nazareth was primarily self-taught. And, like Villa-Lobos, Nazareth was very much a nationalistic composer\u2014his works were inspired by the music and culture of his native country. To Villa-Lobos, Nazareth was \u201ca true incarnation of the soul of musical Brazil.\u201d The two composers became close friends. Influenced by the works of Chopin and other Romantic composers, Nazareth\u2019s piano works fused European musical forms and elements of jazz and ragtime with syncopated Brazilian rhythms and, at times, guitar-like accompaniments. On first hearing, it is tempting to classify this music as \u201cBrazilian ragtime music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his youth, Villa-Lobos was attracted to the music of Nazareth and the chor\u00f5es<\/em>. Villa-Lobos\u2019 experiences playing in these groups would provide an important and unique part of his musical education. These experiences would later be the inspiration for a series of fourteen compositions titled Choros<\/em>, which would make him internationally famous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We see the word choro<\/em> first used by Villa-Lobos in his Suite Popular Brasilienne<\/em>, most of which was composed between 1908\u20131912. The five \u201cdances\u201d in this suite include Mazurka-choro, Schottish-choro, Valsa-choro, Gavotta-choro,<\/em> and Chorinho.<\/em> The first four pieces show the influence of nationalism, which was sweeping Europe and Latin American at that time. The Chorinho<\/em> is distinctly Brazilian in name and in thematic material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Composer
The 14 Choros, 13 of which were composed between 1924\u201329, are considered Villa-Lobos\u2019 most original and innovative compositions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Villa-Lobos would return to composing for the guitar in 1920 with his Choros No. 1 for solo guitar,<\/em> which he dedicated to his friend Nazareth. This work, destined to be a favorite among classical guitarists, would become the inspiration for the Choros<\/em> series. In his biography Heitor Villa-Lobos: A Life<\/a>,<\/em> the eminent musicologist David Appleby writes: \u201cIn the Choros series he sought to amplify the idea of providing a panoramic view of the improvisatory techniques of street musicians\u2026\u201d The 14 Choros,<\/em> 13 of which were composed between 1924\u201329, are considered Villa-Lobos\u2019 most original and innovative compositions. These works, composed when Villa-Lobos was in Paris, were inspired by the music of the chor\u00f5es<\/em> but utilizing the compositional language prevalent at that time in Europe, particularly in Paris. Paris was considered the artistic capital of the world, and its audiences were hungry for the sounds and rhythms from far-off exotic lands like Brazil. Villa-Lobos was quick to realize that he could make his fame with this type of music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Villa-Lobos composed his Choros<\/em> for a variety of performing media. Among these 14 works, several stand out for their uniqueness. Choros No. 2,<\/em> for flute and clarinet, is a conversation between two virtuoso street musicians. A Brazilian Indian song is the inspiration for Choros No. 3<\/em>; the song is sung in the Parecis Indian language by a male chorus accompanied by seven woodwind instruments. Choros No. 5<\/em> for solo piano, titled \u201cAlma Brasileira\u201d (Soul of Brazil), displays the expressive qualities of a serenade, with its pulsating and melancholic themes, perhaps inspired by the piano music of Nazareth. Considered to be one of his masterpieces (if not his greatest work), Choros No. 10<\/em> utilizes the forces of an orchestra augmented with native Brazilian instruments and chorus to create a monument of nationalistic Brazilian music. Choros No. 11<\/em> is an immense panorama of Brazil in the form of a piano concerto, utilizing some of Villa-Lobos\u2019 most daring orchestration. It should be noted that the full scores for Choros No. 13<\/em> and No. 14<\/em> are presumed lost\u2014these two works have never been performed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From a historical perspective, Introduction to the Choros<\/em>, composed in 1929, should be considered a groundbreaking work; it demonstrates that the guitar can be effective in an orchestral setting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

After completing the 14 Choros,<\/em> Villa-Lobos composed Introduction to the Choros<\/em> for guitar and orchestra, which incorporated many of the themes found in the Choros series. In this unique work, the guitar plays a very prominent role, with several extended solos. At the beginning of the printed score, Villa-Lobos lists the instrumentation, clearly specifying \u201cguitar with microphone\u201d\u2014obviously Villa-Lobos realized that an unamplified guitar would not be heard over the full sound of an orchestra. From a historical perspective, Introduction to the Choros,<\/em> composed in 1929, should be considered a groundbreaking work; it demonstrates that the guitar can be effective in an orchestral setting. It lays the foundation for the great guitar concertos of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Joaqu\u00ecn Rodrigo, and Manuel M. Ponce, which would appear in the 1930s and 1940s. In addition, Introduction to the Choros<\/em> sowed the seeds for Villa-Lobos\u2019 Concerto for Guitar,<\/em> completed in 1951, which many considered the culmination of all his works for guitar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than any of his other works, the Choros<\/em> are considered Villa-Lobos\u2019 most daring masterpieces. The series originated with a singular guitar work, Choros No. 1<\/em>, and concluded with a large orchestral work, Introduction to the Choros,<\/em> which featured the guitar in a most prominent role. In the Choros<\/em> series, Villa-Lobos synthesized the popular music of Rio de Janeiro to create what has been described as \u201cone of the most important manifestations of Brazilian musical folklore.\u201d The eminent classical guitarist Jes\u00f9s Silva (1914\u20131996), who knew Villa-Lobos and played for him on two occasions, wrote: \u201cThe music of Heitor Villa-Lobos has revealed to me an unexpected dimension of life. It is clear that his music is that of a great composer; inspired and beautiful, very spontaneous. His wisdom and great musical technique are present, without effort, like that of the great masters of music.\u201d Villa-Lobos\u2019 Choros<\/em> are magnificent creations, full of craftsmanship and emotion, from the mind and soul of one of the 20th century\u2019s greatest and most original composers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Patykula is the Assistant Chair and Coordinator of the Guitar Program in the Department of Music at Virginia Commonwealth University.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Sheet<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Villoa-Loboso<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Enhance Your Classical Guitar Technique by Digging into Villa-Lobos<\/a><\/blockquote>