At the turn of the century, many composers were looking for fresh musical outlets, moving further still beyond post-Romanticism and searching for new means of expression. Some composers rendered Western tonality archaic and abandoned the idea entirely, some created their own tonalities, some dealt with this change humorously in their music, and other composers embodied national styles and sounds, seeking to expose regionally unique music to the world. The Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) fell within the tradition of the latter, creating a new distinctly Brazilian sound.
Like the ethnomusicology travels of Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, Villa-Lobos traveled the remote landscapes of Brazil, collecting native Brazilian songs. These inspired him to abandon the idea of conventional music training and he instead became a self-taught composer. Many of Villa-Lobos's compositions are directly influenced by the music he heard in these areas, including the Bachianas Brasileiras. In addition to being regionally influenced, the Bachianas Brasileiras are also inspired by Bach and Baroque music (the title literally translates to "Brazilian Bach-pieces") in style and form. The Bachianas Brasileiras is a set of nine different suites, composed from 1930-1945. Each piece in the set has its own instrumentation, ranging from traditional (piano and cello, piano and orchestra) to unusual (eight cellos, cellos and soprano).
The first set of the Bachianas Brasileiras is a suite for eight cellos (1932). Although it is not what we would consider a traditional Baroque suite, there are distinct hints of it in the music. There are three movements in the suite, the first being the Introduction, or Embolada. An embolada is a spar between two (or two groups of) singers (or voices in music) who basically insult each other through song back and forth until one pair is declared the winner. Villa-Lobos most likely picked up this style in northeast Brazil, where the embolada is very popular and famous for its gratuitous swearing. Disappointingly, there is no offensive language in the cello suite, but knowing the title it is easy to imagine groupings of the cellos fighting each other through hemiola, dissonance, sequence, counterpoint, and even contrasting bowing techniques. The A section begins intensely and features relentless rhythm. I felt a sense of jarring when the triplets entered against the syncopated sixteenth notes, and the hemiola rarely ceases. The B section is slower and has a more friendly feeling, like the two groups are pausing and exchanging pleasantries instead of insults. The B section is also more tonally centered, the hemiola less jarring, and the rhythm simpler. But the B section by nature in the embolada cannot last too long, and Villa-Lobos quickly moves back to the A section, restating the beginning of the piece louder and with more fervor. The restatement of A is short but welcome, and the allargando almost seems to declare the winner of the battle.
The second movement of the suite is a Prelude, or Modinha, a sentimental love song which was popular in Brazilian salons. The Modinha is slow and thoughtful and a solo cello states the sorrowful (and almost sappy) melody while the other cellos provide a chordal accompaniment, a nod to Bach and the basso continuo of the Baroque. The melody can barely be called a melody, however, as it is just a step-wise sequence. The rhythm, tonality, and overall form of the Modinha is much more simple and even bland compared to the Embolada. Although beautiful and lyrical, I personally think the piece drags and would be lovelier and more appealing without some of the repeats.
The third movement of the suite is a Fugue (which Villa-Lobos also calls Conversa, or conversation), which is probably the most overt Baroque reference in the suite. The piece is, indeed, a four-voice fugue, containing almost every feature of a Baroque fugue: subject, answer, counter-subject, episode, and even a section of extreme stretto. The primary difference between a Bachian Baroque fugue and Villa-Lobos's fugue is tonality and rhythm. Villa-Lobos employs much syncopation which, combined with the use of the distinct Brazilian harmonies, breathes fresh air into the ostensibly uptight and rigid nature of the Baroque fugue.
I think Villa-Lobos's merging of Baroque and Brazilian music is successful in the first set of the Bachianas Brasileiras. Although it is clear that he is attempting to emulate some aspects of Baroque music, it is subtle and never overpowers the music itself. It shows Villa-Lobos's great skill and understanding of both styles of music, which is also apparent in No. 5.
The fifth set of the Bachianas Brasileiras is composed for a solo soprano and eight cellos (1938/1945). Like the first set, both movements contain clear Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic qualities. The first of the two movements is an Aria, or Cantilena. The aria is written in the style of a da capo aria, another clear attribute of the Baroque era. In the A sections of the aria, Villa-Lobos uses the voice as an instrument rather than a means of expressing text, a technique that is highly effective and reminiscent of folk music. The voice literally and musically soars above the cellos in a tragically gorgeous lyrical line. After a short interlude in which a solo cello takes over the melody, the B section is a huge contrast; it is more in the style of recitative than an aria, which is likely what Villa-Lobos intended. Another stark contrast to the A section is that the B section also has lyrics, which are sung in a quick and speech-like manner on repeated notes. The lyrics by Brazilian anthropologist and philosopher Ruth V. Corrêa are about how humans are captivated by the beauty and mystery of the moon. The piece slowly but seamlessly moves back into the A section, repeating the beginning but more softly and almost transcendentally - uniting the haunting vocal line of the A section and the lyrics of the B section.
The second movement is a Dansa, and as Villa-Lobos also titles it, Martelo. A martelo is a form of dance, and the word itself means "kick," or "hammer." This is not what I had expected martelo to mean, but it makes musical sense in the context of the piece. However, it has almost no relation to the lyrics by Brazilian poet Manuel Bandeira, which (I think) are about a lost lover. The sudden jabs of notes and persistent staccatos in the cello parts, fast sixteenth notes in the solo voice, and extreme chromaticism are consistent with the title, but the lyrics and more melodic lines do not fit at all, especially when Villa-Lobos uses text painting to highlight certain lyrics, such as using long notes in the high range to emphasize the phrase, "Sing and enchant me!" But in the contrasting B section (the Dansa is also in an ABA form), the tempo slows and all parts become more tonal and song-like, mimicking the text ("Sing, my lovely song-bird...sing of pain and sorrow, As the birds of morning wake Maria in the dawning. Sing with all your voices"). The B section is characteristically shorter, and soon the A section creeps back slowly and the opening text repeats with the same musical content.
Although the music in the fifth set is no doubt influenced by Bach and the Baroque era, I cannot help but notice glaring aspects of Romanticism in the Aria and Dansa. The lyrics primarily focus on the human perspective and awe of nature, a marked trait of the Romantic period, and Villa-Lobos even utilizes some Renaissance aspects of text painting with the lyrics. Also, the supporting role of the cellos as accompaniment is significantly greater than that of the Baroque period. Rather than any kind of basso continuo, the cellos frequently take part in the drama of the pieces, adding subtext (the martelo hammer/kick in the Dansa) or just an interesting and engaging accompaniment (particularly noticeable in the lyric-free sections of the aria).
These pieces, although originally written for cellos (and voice), beg to be orchestrated by guitar. The Brazilian flavor in the music almost demands it. So, like the music of Isaac Albéniz, most of these pieces have been arranged to include guitars. As much as I like the guitar arrangements, however, I find that I do prefer the cellos. The cello was Villa-Lobos's primary instrument and he composed very specifically for them, eliciting sounds and sonorities that are unique to the instrument and not well-emulated by guitars (most notably, sustained notes and the use of messa di voce). So, although the pieces translate well to guitar, they are truly the most effective with the original instrumentation.
I have to admit that I am surprised the pieces are not more popular especially considering the amount of different arrangements of the pieces and the present popularity of Villa-Lobos as a composer. However, I do understand why these pieces are not included in the Western canon. First of all, most pieces in the Western canon are not regionally specific pieces outside of Western European traditions (and even those usually realize some kind of international style), and these specifically highlight rural Brazilian folk music. Also, these two sets in particular have strange instrumentation which may hinder the desire and ability to perform them. But I think that the time and context in which they were composed as well as their insipid reception are the greatest baggage attached to Bachianas Brasileiras. Villa-Lobos was considered a demagogue composer for the Brazilian government which not only prevented him from composing in the hip new European styles (expressionism, serialism) but also alienated him from composers who were following in those European footsteps. I personally think if his music was taken more seriously in its time period and not cast aside because it wasn't the current trend, Villa-Lobos might be a more immediately recognized composer.
I have to admit that I am surprised the pieces are not more popular especially considering the amount of different arrangements of the pieces and the present popularity of Villa-Lobos as a composer. However, I do understand why these pieces are not included in the Western canon. First of all, most pieces in the Western canon are not regionally specific pieces outside of Western European traditions (and even those usually realize some kind of international style), and these specifically highlight rural Brazilian folk music. Also, these two sets in particular have strange instrumentation which may hinder the desire and ability to perform them. But I think that the time and context in which they were composed as well as their insipid reception are the greatest baggage attached to Bachianas Brasileiras. Villa-Lobos was considered a demagogue composer for the Brazilian government which not only prevented him from composing in the hip new European styles (expressionism, serialism) but also alienated him from composers who were following in those European footsteps. I personally think if his music was taken more seriously in its time period and not cast aside because it wasn't the current trend, Villa-Lobos might be a more immediately recognized composer.
I truly enjoyed listening to all of these pieces, and was amazed to find that one of my favorite solo female musicians has sung and recorded the aria from the fifth set. Although the piece is not at all what one would expect her to sing, she sounds quite lovely (although she could really use some work on that last note):
