Villa-Lobos, Heitor 1887 - 1959
Author: Kikuchi, Tomoko
Last updated：January 1, 2010
Author: Kikuchi, Tomoko
One of Brazil's most prominent composers, who also brought significant reforms to Brazilian music education. Under the guidance of his music-loving father, he became familiar with the cello and viola from an early age, and self-taught himself to play various instruments and compose. Through various types of performance activities, he gradually became interested in the vibrant Brazilian popular music "choro," which he masterfully absorbed and composed his own "Choros" (from No. 1 to No. 13 in the 1920s). Furthermore, pursuing uniquely Brazilian music, he traveled throughout Brazil, including the Amazon hinterlands, in his twenties, encountering traditional music from various regions. When he began to actively work as a composer, he visited Europe (including Paris) and the United States, expanding his international scope of activities through interactions with other musicians. These connections between Villa-Lobos and the West can be directly equated with the relationship between Brazil and Europe. Culturally, European modernism was sweeping into Brazil, and politically, it was a period when Brazil needed to squarely establish its relationship with Europe. His music, deeply rooted in Brazilian tradition, can be said to have demonstrated Brazil's identity through art for the entire nation.
He left behind numerous works in all genres, establishing his unique compositional language by incorporating elements from both indigenous popular music and traditional Western music.
Works(26)
Concerto (1)
concerto (5)
Piano Solo (4)
pieces (10)
character pieces (4)
Various works (4)
Melodia da montanha (Serra da Piedade de Belo Horizonte)
Composed in: 1938 Playing time: 1 min 30 sec
Chamber Music (1)
Various works (2)