Gabriel Furtado Music Thesis April 9th, 2010

The Progression of Villa-Lobos Compositional Style from the Suite Popular Brasileiro to the Doze Estudos
Its too dainty. ainty! "es, you#re pussy$ootin% it I had &ust played 'illa()obos# Choro No. 1 $or *y uncle +laudio and he responded by tellin% *e that I ,as *a-in% the piece too ele%ant. .e too- the %uitar out o$ *y hands and be%an to play the $irst $e, bars ,ith $in%ers that struc- the strin%s ,ith a leaden thud. /e#re not in a concert hall. /e#re in *y bar, so don#t play li-e you#re in the Teatro Municipal. I ,as a,are o$ this *uch0 the unctuous s*o-e co*in% $ro* his patrons# ci%arettes ,ere *a-in% *y eyes ,ater, and so*e o$ the drun-er ones ,ere be%innin% to o$$er their o,n ad1ice on ho, to play the piece. My uncle ,asn#t bothered by any o$ this. .e continued on ,ith the piece, stoppin% e1ery $e, *o*ents to i*part *ore ad1ice2 "ou ha1e to %i1e the bass notes *uch *ore ,ei%ht3this isn#t +hopin0 its +horinho. The lesson I had ,ith *y uncle ,as ,ell o1er $our years a%o, but it has stuc- ,ith *e e1er since. That s*all e4chan%e bet,een us ,as the $irst ti*e I be%an to thin- about the predica*ent 'illa()obos $inds hi*sel$ in. .is ,or- $its both ,ithin the tradition o$ ,estern art *usic ,hile *aintainin% stron% ties ,ith his 5ra6ilian herita%e. In his ,orone $inds both the echoes o$ 19th century French art *usic and the $ol- traditions o$ 7io de 8aneiro. 5oth are %i1en e9ual ,ei%ht and i*portance. It is because o$ the in$luence o$

these t,o traditions, ,hose cultural distance is underscored by an e9ually %reat %eo%raphical distance, that the study o$ 'illa()obos# *usic de*ands the *usician to be in$or*ed o$ the cultural conte4t in ,hich 'illa()obos co*posed. As :ero Tarasti ,rites, Instead o$ e1aluatin% the *usical $eatures o$ ;'illa()obos< e4clusi1ely in the /estern conte4t, ;he< *ust be e4a*ined also in 'illa#)obos# o,n uni1erse, ta-in% into account his )atin A*erican bac-%round. 1 /hat has been said about understandin% 'illa()obos ,ithin his o,n cultural conte4t can be said o$ *any co*posers o$ the last hundred years. +o*posers $ro* 5art=to 7odri%o to Ginastera ha1e $ashioned *usical *aterial $ro* $ol- tradition as ,ell as the ,estern canon. .o,e1er, o$ the co*posers that ha1e loo-ed to,ards the $ol- $or inspiration, 'illa()obos is one o$ the $e, to ,rite e4tensi1ely $or the %uitar. It is his particular i*portance to the repertoire o$ this instru*ent that de*ands special interest $ro* the *usic scholar. )i-e 'illa()obos# *usic, the %uitar tra1erses the space bet,een $ol- *usic and art *usic. It has ar%uably beco*e the *ost popular instru*ent in ,orld, beco*in% incorporated in a 1ast array o$ *usical traditions. As 'ictor Anand +oelho ,rites, the %uitar and its de1elop*ent co*prise *ultiple histories, each characteri6ed by distinct styles, playin% techni9ues, repertories, and socio(cultural roles.2 It is this uni$yin% 9uality in both the oeu1re o$ 'illa()obos and the instru*ent he is *ost o$ten associated ,ith that calls $or special consideration. This essay ,ill e4a*ine the t,o distinct *usical in$luences present in his $irst t,o sets o$ ,or-s $or %uitar, the Suite Popular Brasileiro and the Doze Estudos. Aside $ro* strict analysis, it ,ill e4plore
1

:ero Tarasti .eitor 'illa()obos and the proble* o$ national neoclassicis*, Atti del XIV Con resso della Societ!a internazionale di "usicolo ia# 'ol > ?1990@ p. >90 2 'ictor Anand +oelho, Ca"$rid e Co"panion to the %uitar, ?Anited Bin%do*2 +a*brid%e Ani1ersity press 200>@, p. ii

his o,n ,ritin%s, bio%raphy and cultural *ilieu to better in$or* the *oti1ation behind his ,or-s. Structure and Methodology The %uitar ,or-s o$ 'illa()obos ,ere ,ritten durin% di$$erent co*positional periods in the co*poser#s li$e. .is $irst ,or-s, the Suite Popular Brasileira, ,as ,ritten bet,een 190C and 1912. .e then did not ,rite another ,or- $or %uitar $or t,el1e years. /hen he returned to the instru*ent it ,as to pen the ,or-s that ha1e beco*e synony*ous ,ith his na*e2 the t,el1e etudes $or %uitar. These ,ere ,ritten bet,een 192D and 1929, ho,e1er they ,ere not published $or another 2E years. For the discussion o$ his lar%er social conte4t, the ,or-s ser1e as a sort o$ stylistic snapshot. /hile the pri*ary $ocus is on 'illa()obos# contribution to the %uitar repertoire, he did not de1elop these ,or-s in a 1acuu*. The *usical *aterial $ound in the %uitar ,or-s also appears in his co*positions $or other instru*ents. As both co*e $ro* the sa*e $ountainhead, the author ,ill not hesitate to consult these sources ,hen appropriate to $urther enrich the criti9ue. /ith re%ard to 'illa()obos# o,n ,ritin%s, the paper approaches the co*poser#s ,ords ,ith caution and incredulity. It is ,idely -no,n that he had a -nac- $or ro*antici6in% his o,n history. .is account o$ his ethno*usicolo%ical ad1enture throu%h 5ra6il is color$ully spotted ,ith his o,n personal *ytholo%y, such as his epic testi*ony o$ playin% a sa4ophone to soothe a *an(eatin% &un%le $lo,er that had &ust de1oured his $riend.> Apart $ro* the creati1e license he ta-es ,ith his o,n history, other *usicians ,ith ,ho* he ,as been ac9uainted o$ten contradict his recollections. D For this reason
>

7alph Gusta$son, 'illa()obos and the Man(:atin% Flo,er2 A Me*oir The Musical &uarterl'# FE no. 1 ?Gprin%, 1991@ E(H. D ,ayne 'incent +orbin, The Three /indI+horal ,or-s o$ .eitor 'illa()obos2

the co*poser#s o,n perspecti1e ,ill not be used ,hen the $actuality o$ a *atter is concerned, but ,ill only be used to underscore the contributions o$ his persona to his oeu1re. Apart $ro* the te4tual sources consulted in this paper, the essay also relies on *y o,n personal history. As a classical %uitarist I a* e4tre*ely $a*iliar ,ith 'illa()obos# %uitar ,or-s. As %uitarist Jicholas Al$red +iraldo points out in his doctoral dissertation, a thorou%h analysis o$ 'illa()obos %uitar ,or-s re9uire -no,led%e o$ the idiosyncratic nature o$ classical %uitar techni9ue.E Further*ore, I not only dra, $ro* -no,led%e o$ the tactile e4i%encies o$ the ,or-s but also $ro* -no,led%e accrued throu%h years o$ attendin% *aster classes ,here these pieces ha1e been per$or*ed. My perspecti1e on 5ra6il#s cultural and *usical *ilieu is also in$or*ed by *y identiy as a 5ra6ilian(A*erican. I a* the $ourth %eneration in a $a*ily o$ *usicians, and ha1e a particularly pri1ile%ed position $ro* ,hich to approach 5ra6ilian *usic and culture. This *ay see* li-e I a* &ust boastin% *y o,n *usical herita%e, but ethno*usicolo%ist Gre% o,ney ta-es such a position, ar%uin% that any *usical understandin% is re$ined by a cultural a%ent acti1ely constitutin%3perception.H This position is $urther su%%ested by errors I ha1e disco1ered in *y research that point to the i*pedi*ents o$ such a cultural a%ent.F .a1in% laid the conceptual base $ro* ,hich this Kuatuor, Jonetto, and +horo no. > ?Lh. . dissertation, Ani1ersity o$ +incinnati, Au%ust 10, 200H@ E Jicholas Al$red +iraldo, A +o*parati1e Gtudy o$ the :shi% :ditioins and the M192C Manuscript# o$ .eitor 'illa()obos# T,el1e :tudes $or Guitar ?Lh. . dissertation, Ani1ersity o$ Te4as at Austin, May 200H@, +hapters one and t,o. H Gre% o,ney, )istenin% to +apoeira2 Lheno*enolo%y, :*bodi*ent, and the Materiality o$ Music Ethno"usicolo '# 'ol. DH, Jo. > ?Autu*n 2002@ p. D90
F

For e4a*ple, in one dissertation the ,riter e4plores so*e o$ the peculiarities o$ 'illa( )obos percussion choices in the co*position Nonetto. /hen scrutini6in% an oddly notated e4tended techni9ue (si))let* ?to ,histle in French@ o1er the ti*pani part the

paper e4pounds its position, the paper can no, e4a*ine the speci$ic periods o$ 'illa( )obos co*positional output.

The Early Period: The Suite Popular Brasileiro ( !"#- ! $%

The &rigins of an 'rtist The Suite Popular Brasileiro is de$initely 'illa()obos *ost *usically conser1ati1e ,or-, clin%in% closely to the tools ,ith ,hich he learned the cra$t o$ co*position. The in$luence o$ the French salon *usic is present throu%hout the entire ,or-, ,hile the popular *usic o$ 7io de 8aneiro appears only tan%entially. .o,e1er, these t,o co*positional sources are inti*ately lin-ed. The historical processes that brou%ht about the i*portance o$ the French in$luence are directly responsible $or the de1elop*ent o$ the indi%enous urban *usic or 7io. urin% the Japoleonic ,ar the Lortu%uese court $led )isbon and settled in 7io in 1C0C, and durin% this ti*e the city e$$ecti1ely beca*e the Lortu%uese capital. In an atte*pt to *oderni6e the city to standards o$ :uropean re$ine*ent, :*peror o* Ledro author ponders o1er ,hether this corresponds either to 'illa()obos# desire $or the ti*panist to actually ,histle a %lissando, or perhaps that it is si*ply a description o$ the sound characteristic that ;'illa()obos< ,ants. The author assu*es that the ,ord si))let corresponds to the 1erb, ,hile it actually corresponds to the ho*ony*ic noun2 ,hat 'illa()obos *eans is actually the instru*ent the ,histle. This point is 1alidated ,hen one ta-es the Lortu%uese score into account, ,here the notation reads asse+io ?the noun@ and not asse+iar ?the 1erb@. The ,ord itsel$ is ,hat lin%uists call structurally a*bi%uous, and ,hile the A*erican ,riter percei1ed it to si%ni$y the act o$ ,histlin%, 5ra6ilians assu*e it to si%ni$y the instru*ent.

II ai*ed to enli%hten 5ra6ilians by enticin% :uropean elites to relocate in 7io. /ith the de$eat o$ Japoleon in 1C1H o* Ledro II sa, an opportunity to ,oo French artists and intellectuals into his capital city. .e pro1ided $undin% $or a ne, Gchool o$ Fine Arts, sta$$ed by a $aculty o$ French artists and architects. The $oundin% o$ this school cataly6ed a cultural $lo, that ,ould soon turn 7io into a tropical Laris. As one author ,rites ,rites2
The MFrenchi$icationn o$ i*perial 7io de 8aneiro could be easily seen in the local neoclassical architecture, the dress and hair styles o$ elite ,o*en, the paintin%s o$ artists trained in French ateliers, and in the sanctionin% o$ *usic and literary $ashion strea*in% $ro* LarisC

urin% the sa*e period, the *iddle class o$ 7io reaped the bene$its o$ an econo*y ener%i6ed by the e$$orts to,ards *oderni6ation. The de1elop*ent o$ 7io#s in$rastructure created e*ploy*ent $or countless cariocas ?residents o$ 7io de 8aneiro@ as public ser1ants, *erchants and entrepreneurs. In 1CE0 the sla1e trade ,as abolished, and ,hile sla1es ,ere not e*ancipated until 1CCC, *any ,ere able to ,or- their ,ay to $reedo* in the thri1in% urban econo*y. As .enri9ue +a6es notes, it ,as the co*bination o$ this ne, urban *iddleclass alon% ,ith the incorporation o$ A$rican culture in the socio(econo*ic *i4 that created 5ra6il#s $irst indi%enous urban *usic2 the choro.9 5y the end o$ the 19th century the a1era%e carioca has e9ual contact ,ith French cultural i*ports as ,ell as the ho*e%ro,n culture o$ this ne, urban *iddleclass. In the ,ords o$ pro$essor and critic Lablo +apistrano, Nn a Gaturday ni%ht a carioca *i%ht attend a sta%in% o$ Car"en, dressed in his $inest clothes. .o,e1er a$ter the opera he ,ould ,al- do,nto,n, drin-in% cachaOa ;5ra6ilian ru*< until $our in the *ornin% ,hile

C 9

+ited in +orbin, The Three /indI+horal /or-s, p. 11. :nri9ue +a6es, Choro, Do &uintonal ao Municipal, ?GPo Laulo2 :ditora >D, 199C@ p. 1H

en&oyin% the i*pro1isations o$ the chor-es ?choro ense*bles@.10 This ,as the cultural cli*ate o$ $in de siQcle 7io, and .eitor 'illa()obos ,as inculcated in its *usical practices 9uite literally $ro* birth. Nn March Eth, 1CCF 7aul and JoR*ia 'illa()obos brou%ht their son into the ,orld and the boy ,as i**ediately surrounded by *usic.11 7aul 'illa()obos ,as a librarian by trade, but he played the cello, clarinet, and piano and ,ould o$ten host cha*ber *usic salons in his ho*e. At the a%e o$ si4 .eitor be%an learnin% cello $ro* his $ather and ,as adept at the instru*ent. /hile the cello ,as al,ays 'illa()obos# instru*ent o$ choice, he also learned to play the piano, %uitar, and se1eral ,ind instru*ents in his childhood. /hen 7aul died in 1C99, .eitor be%an to ,or- as a *usician in a local theater to pull in so*e e4tra inco*e in order to support his $a*ily.

The Elements of Villa-Lobos Early Style In 190F 'illa()obos enrolled in the Instituto Nacional de Musica in 7io and be%an the study o$ har*ony. The pro$essor Francisco 5ra%a ,as one o$ his early *entors, and it ,as 5ra%a ,ho $irst su%%ested to 'illa()obos that he incorporate $olthe*es into his art *usic. /hile 'illa()obos had %ood relations ,ith 5ra%a, he $ound *any o$ the other pro$essors to be o1erly pedantic. Mean,hile, his pro$essors $ound hi* to be abrasi1e and pretentious. A$ter spendin% but a year in the Instituto Nacional 'illa( )obos $ailed out because he ne%lected the ad1ice o$ his pro$essors. In .eitor#s opinion, the instruction his $ather %a1e hi* in per$or*ance, co*position and literature ,as all he needed to ,rite *usic.12 espite this clai* and his renunciation o$ acade*ia, he
10 11 12

Lablo +apistrano, Lersonal Inter1ie, conducted ece*ber Dth, 2009 +orbin. Three +horalI/ind /or-s, p.12.

continued to study co*position usin% *anuals such as 'incent #Indy#s Cours de Co"position Musicale and 5erlio6# %rand Trait. d!instru"entation et d!orchestration "odernes.1/ .eitor also played %uitar in popular choro ense*bles on the streets o$ do,nto,n 7io. This ,as an acti1ity his *other detested, as she thou%ht it endan%ered her plans $or .eitor to beco*e as a physician. This clash bet,een *other and son re$lects on the social status o$ choro durin% 'illa()obos# childhood, an art$or* co**only re%arded as unre$ined. Je1ertheless, it ,as a lar%e part o$ 'illa()obos# $or*ati1e years. It is no coincidence is that 'illa()obos# $irst co*position, 0s Sedutores, is $or solo %uitar and is ,ritten in the style o$ a choro. Jor is it a coincidence that it ,as ,ritten the sa*e year he be%an playin% ,ith the chor-es.1D The dual in$luences o$ French art *usic and 5ra6ilian street *usic acted as anta%onistic $orces on 'illa()obos. There ,as a tension ,ithin the youn% co*poser to con1ey a sense o$ 5ra6ilian li$e, and that see*ed to be *utually e4clusi1e ,ith his desire to e*brace the :uropean style that ,as considered the only appropriate $or* o$ art *usic.1E Apart $ro* this inherent tension bet,een his t,o *usical in$luences, the %uitar itsel$ presented 'illa()obos ,ith the sa*e crisis. In an account o$ their $irst *usical encounter, 'illa()obos $irst ,i$e )ucSlia Gui*arPes describes the co*poser#s relationship ,ith the %uitar2
The e1enin% o$ *usic ,ent ,ell, e4tre*ely pleasant, and $or us the %uitar in 'illa()obos# hands ,as a success. /hen he $inished his presentation, 'illa()obos indicated his desire to hear the pianist, and I played a $e, pieces by +hopin, and it see*ed to *e that he ,as i*pressed by the techni9ue and interpretation o$ the per$or*ance. .o,e1er, 'illa()obos $elt e*barrassed, perhaps di*inished e1en, because at that ti*e the %uitar ,as not a parlour instru*ent, $or real *usic, but rather a 1ul%ar instru*et played by street *usicians and
1> 1D

Ibid 1E Ibid 1E 1E Ibid 1D

serenaders Guddenly, as thou%h o1erco*in% a depression, he declared that his real instru*ent ,as the cello, and he insisted that ,e arran%e a *eetin% at our house to hear hi* play it.1H

This anecdote illustrates 'illa()obos# stru%%le not only ,ith his *usical instru*ents but also ,ith the place o$ the %uitar ,ithin the hierarchy o$ instru*ents# social status. urin% this period, it see*s that $or 'illa()obos the %uitar is stucso*e,here bet,een the bar and the concert hall. The $act that 'illa()obos had a rather *ercurial approach to the %uitar durin% this period helps to e4plain the a*bi%uity that e4ists in his $irst *a&or ,or-, the Suite Popular Brasileiro.

Suite Popular (rasileiro The suite consists o$ $i1e separate *o1e*ents, each o$ ,hich is only tenuously connected to the others. Analy6in% the *acro le1el har*onic de1elop*ent throu%h the entire suite Tas one *i%ht do ,ith a classical period sy*phony( pro1es useless, as the technical de*ands o$ the %uitar necessitate -eys ,hich ,ill best suite the natural notes o$ the instru*ent2 :D, AD, E, GE, 5E, and :H. /hat all the *o1e*ents e4cept the $inal one do ha1e in co**on are the titles 'illa()obos %a1e the*. :ach title consist o$ t,o parts, the $irst bein% a :uropean dance style TMa6ur-a, Gchottish, /atl6, and Ga1otte( and the second al,ays bein% choro. As $or the $inal *o1e*et, it is entitled chorinho, the di*inuti1e $or* o$ choro. /hen one considers the *usical content o$ the *o1e*ents the titles beco*e a bit pu66lin%. :ach $alls s9uarely ,ithin the con1entions o$ the respecti1e :uropean dance styles. The har*onic style o$ the pieces is un9uestionably tonal, usin% chro*aticis* to

1H

Gu6el Ana 7eily et al, .ybridity and Ge%re%ation in the Guitar +ultures o$ 5ra6il, Andy 5ennet and Be1in a,e et al, %uitar Cultures ?Je, "or-2 5er%, 2001@ p. 1H9

e*bellish har*onic tension, and thus $alls s9uarely ,ithin 19th century :uropean practice. As /ol$$ and Allesandrini ,rite, The Suite Popuar Brasileira is notated in a traditional $ashion2 the phrases are re%ular, the har*onic syste* is pri*ordially tonal, and the *elodic turns are typical o$ the 19th century, ,hich is especially clear ,hen contrasted ,ith choro *usic o$ the early 20th century.1F /ith the e4ception o$ the $i$th *o1e*ent, these ,or-#s *usical *aterials %i1e no e1idence to the )atin A*erican in$luence o$ their co*poser. Nnly the last piece is distinctly 5ra6ilian. The rhyth*s used are the characteristic ei%hth(si4teenth(ei%hth note pattern $ound in *uch o$ 5ra6il#s *usic.1C .o,e1er, this *o1e*ent still contains pu66lin% aspects. For e4a*ple, ,hen the di*inuti1e $or* o$ choro is used, it usually i*plies that the piece is played at an accelerated te*po.19 In spite o$ this, the *ar-in% in 'illa()obos# $i$th *o1e*ent is lent. /hile de$initi1ely *ore 5ra6ilian than the other pieces, this *o1e*ent is still a*bi%uous in character. /hy is a suite that is *ostly co*prised o$ :uropean *aterial %i1en the na*e Suite Popular Brasileiro1 /here is the 5ra6ilian *aterial! Lerhaps the ans,er lays not ,ithin the *usic itsel$ but rather the instru*ent used to interpret it. The choce o$ the %uitar as the instru*ent ,ith ,hich to e4press the suite is a distinctly 5ra6ilian choice. 5y :uropean con1ention, *usic o$ this style ,ould *ost li-ely be per$or*ed on the piano, an instru*ent lin-ed to a hi%h social status. The use o$ the %uitar is an instance o$ a lo, status instru*ent bein% used to interpret hi%h status *usic. As pro$essor Gu6el Ana 7eily su%%ests, in 5ra6il3the %uitar re$used to be con$ined to the Mco**on *an#2 it
1F

aniel /ol$ and Nlinda Allesandrini, Ns +inco LrelUdios para 'iolPo de .eitor 'illa( )obos e a transcriOPo para piano de 8osV 'ieira 5randPo Per Musi no. 1H 200F, p. EE 1C +apistrano, 2009 19 Miller, The Guitar in 5ra6ilian +horo, chapter 1

could be $ound alon%side dru*s a*on%st blac-s and *ulattos as ,ell as in the dra,in% roo*s o$ respectable households.20 It is this reappropriation that is distinctly 5ra6ilian. This occurs in a rudi*entary and lopsided $ashion in the Suite Popular Brasileiro0 in this piece the distribution bet,een the :uropean and 5ra6ilian in$luence is s-e,ed. .o,e1er, one *ust -eep in *ind that this is only the &u1enile sta%e o$ 'illa()obos# style. As ,ill be sho,n in 0s Doze Etudes, the t,o sources o$ *aterial are *ore e1enly distributed and transcended by 'illa()obos personality. Ap until this point it has pro1en su$$icient to spea- o$ choro in %eneral ter*s. This has been done $or the sa-e o$ coherence and continuity. .o,e1er, be$ore e*bar-in% on a discussion o$ the Doze Estudos, the speci$ic *usical characteristics o$ choro *ust $irst be clari$ied.

The Choro: (ra)il*s +irst ,rban Music /hile the historical process that lead to the $or*ation o$ this style has been e4plained abo1e, not *uch has yet been said as to ,hat choro actually enco*passes. The %arland Enc'clopedia o) 2orld Music describes it as instru*ental *usic played by strollin% street *usician(serenaders -no,n as ,eepers ?chorWes@3.per$or*in% dance *usic and3senti*ental son%s.21 In actuality this a *ost de$inition, ,hich corresponds *ore to the ro*antici6ed *yth o$ choro rather than the actual *usical practice. %ro+e Music 0nline#s de$inition enco*passes a bit *ore o$ the style, ac-no,led%in% that it is a ter* ,ith 1arious *eanin%s3;that< %enerically denotes urban instru*ental ense*ble *usic. And has been closely connected ,ith other popular dances o$ urban 5ra6il.22
20 21 22

5ennet and a,e, Guitar +ultures, p. 1EF

5oth o$ these de$initions are nebulous at best, and call attention to the lac- o$ An%lophone scholarship on this style o$ *usic. .o,e1er it is not ,ithin the scope o$ this paper to e4pound on the causes o$ this de$iciency, nor is it the *o*ent to %i1e e1idence to the *usic#s *erit as a sub&ect o$ acade*ic study. The author ,ho co*es closest to pro1idin% a co*plete de$inition is the choro *usician and historian .enri9ue +a6es. .e posits that the choro has at its base :uropean dance %enres that ,ere co*bined ,ith a *i4ture o$ local styles and accents3and A$rican in$luence.2> /hile this is the *aterial o$ the *usic, the style also depends on a speci$ic *ode o$ phrasin%, interpretation, and i*pro1isation. The *elody is played ,ith e4tre*e e4uberance and senti*entality, so *uch so that in early recordin%s the instru*ent that carries the *elody al*ost appears to be playin% out o$ ti*e.2D This speci$ic style o$ interpretation is ,hat %a1e the *usic its na*esa-e. Choro in Lortu%uese *eans to cry. .o,e1er, ,hen re$errin% to *usic it connotes no sadness, but only e4tre*e e*otion. I$ one ,ere to call an interpretation o$ a son% $e" chorado this ,ould *ean that it ,as 1i1acious and played ,ith e4tre*e e*otion.2E /ith re%ard to speci$ic *usical de1ices that si%ni$y that an interpretation is $e" chorado, I present +a6es# adaptation o$ The 5eatles son% 5lac-bird2

1. Nri%inal Melody as played by The 5eatles. E-ample 2. As played by +a6es E-ample $

2> 2D

+a6es, N +horo p. 1E Ibid chapter 2 2E Miller, The Guitar in 5ra6ilian +horo, chapter 1

T,o thin%s beco*e apparent2 $irstly, +a6es accentuates the $ourth si4teenth note at the be%innin% o$ each phrase0 secondly, the *elody is hea1ily e*bellished ,ith passin% tones in the endin% phrases. The upbeat orientation o$ this passa%e is $ound in *any styles o$ 5ra6ilian *usic and is distilled to its *ost ele*ental $or* in the To3ue An ola rhyth* played on the beri*bau in capoeira percussion ense*bles2

To9ue An%ola E-ample .

As $or the passin%(tone e*bellish*ent, this is characteristic o$ the ,ay choro *usicians i*pro1ise in their *usic. In a con1ersation, the choro *usicians 8oatan Jasci*ento and Fred antas lucidly e4plicate this style o$ i*pro1isation2

/ascimento2 I*pro1isation is done by those ,ho can i*pro1ise. It is not an obli%atory part o$ choro. 5ut this 1ariation ,hich is %enerally done around the *elody, or the counterpoint is a 1ery co**on thin%. I thin- that i*pro1isation in choro is 1ery di$$erent $ro* the concept used in A*erican *usic. 0antas2 ;+horo< i*pro1isation is not pro1o-ed.3.;it< is so*eti*es &ust a subtle 1ariation, and you return to the the*e in the *iddle ;o$ it<. I*pro1isation and the the*e both beco*e *i4ed.2H

In short, the style o$ i*pro1isation is hori6ontal and not 1ertical0 it is *ore concerned ,ith counterpoint rather than ,or-in% ,ithin a har*onic structure. This %re, out o$ the ori%inal :uropean *aterials that ,ere incorporated into choro. Lol-as and other dances ,ere o$ten ,ritten $or the piano, and the chor-es ,ould read directly o$$ o$ the
2H

Mi-a Bauris*a-i, irector, Brasileirinho# 200E

piano sheet *usic instead o$ arran%in% it $or an ense*ble. The *elody ,ould o$ten be pic-ed out by hi%h ,ind instru*ents such as the $lute, ,hile lo,er brasses and ,ood,inds ,ould $ashion contrapuntal lines out o$ the har*onies. :1en the %uitar, ,ith its a$$inity $or 1ertical har*onies, has a distinctly contrapuntal role in choro.2F /hat started out as a necessity $or orchestratin% piano scores soon beca*e a stylistic con1ention. /ith the a$ore*entioned e4a*ples, one co*es closer to a co*plete de$inition o$ the choro, but one characteristic has yet to be *entioned, and that is the social en1iron*ent. It appears that this is a $acet o$ choro that is &ust i*portant as any strictly *usical 9ualities. In a speech %i1en in Franche entitled /hat is choro! ?Ku#est(ce 9u( un choro!@, 'illa()obos see*s to hi%hli%ht this e4act point. In a lo9uacious, con1oluted, and possibly into4icated tan%ent ?in the recordin% you ca hear hi* slurrin% so*e ,ords@, he describes the social circu*stance2

5ut really, the choros are al,ays ;played< by *usicians, %ood and bad *usicians, ,ho play to%ether because o$ pleasure, o$ten at ni%ht, throu%h i*pro1isation3.o$ten these are *usicians $ro* an orchestra ,ho play cocerts at the opera and ,ho %et out o$ the concert around *idni%ht3.and ,e decide that ,e ,ill do so*ethin% li-e a serenade, ;but $irst ,e< loo- $or so*eone to eat ;,ith< and drin- cachaOa.2C

This point is corroborated by the conte*porary choro %uitarist XV Laulo 5ec-er2

I can be a $inalist in an international contest, play classical %uitar, but not to -no, ho, to play 5ra6ilian *usic, *y *usic3Go I ,ent around the bars, ,hich are, I thin-, the %reat school o$ choro, o$ 5ra6ilian *usic. 29

And a%ain by the canonical *andolin player 7onaldo do 5andoli*2

To understand the culture o$ choro, it#s not &ust a 9uestion o$ learnin% the *usic. "ou *ust learn to discuss,
2F 2C

+a6es, 0 Choro Miller p. 2H(>0 29 Bauris*a-i, Brasileirinho

$eel the at*osphere.>0

It see*s that intrinsic to choro is an air o$ in$or*ality, sociability, and co*radery. This $its per$ectly ,ith the style#s other con1ention o$ i*pro1isation $or ense*ble. /hile this see*s to be 1ital to the style, it is le$t behind ,hen de1eloped by 'illa()obos in the Doze Estudos. A$ter all, the ,or- is $or solo %uitar and is *ost o$ten per$or*ed in the concert hall, not on the bar sta%e. .o,e1er ,hat re*ains are the rhyth*ic and *elodic ele*ents that are characteristic o$ the style. /hile it does not e1ince the sa*e social 9uality $ond in choro, 'illa()obos transcends the boundaries o$ this $ol- *usic, creatin% a set o$ ,or-s that has reco%ni6able in$luence but darin% and uni9ue character. /ith this 9uestion in *ind, the essay no, proceeds ,ith an analysis o$ the etudes.

The 7econciliation o$ Anta%onistic In$luences2 0s Doze Estudos 41567815659

0isco1ering +rench 2mpressionism urin% his t,enties 'illa()obos under,ent *ar-ed chan%ed both as a co*poser and a *usician. /hile still de1otin% *uch ti*e to co*position, he ad1anced in his *usical career *ostly due to his ,or- as a cellist. .e ,on a seat in 7io#s Teatro Nacional# the pree*inent 1enue in the city $or opera, ballet, and orchestra. urin% his
>0

Ibid.

ti*e there he ,as e4posed to the conte*porary :uropean and 7ussian *asterpieces. The 5allet 7usse per$or*ed there and brou%ht ,ith the* the ,or-s o$ Gtra1ins-y, ebussy, Tchai-o1s-y, and 7i*s-y(Borsa-o1. 'illa()obos ,as also e4posed to the ,or-s 7a1el, as ,ell as the operas o$ Luccini and Gtrauss. Jot only did 'illa()obos ha1e the opportunity to hear these ,or-s, but also since he ,as a house *usician they seeped into his o,n consciousness durin% the lon% hours o$ rehearsal. urin% this period his ,ritin% be%an to ta-e on e1en stron%er rese*blances ,ith French i*pressionistic ,or-s. .is piano piece o$ 191D, 0 %ato e o :ato consisted o$ ,hole(tone scales, tone clusters, and the use o$ e4tre*e re%isters.>1 Further*ore, he be%an ,ritin% his scores in French. /hile his co*positional e$$orts durin% this period ,ere lar%ely e4peri*ental and didn#t e1ince *uch o$ his o,n personality, they sho, a radical shi$t $ro* his adolescent style. .is co*positions o$ this period su%%est that he ,as particularly struc- by the i*pressionists# use o$ Asian *usics as creati1e sources. The ele*ent o$ e4oticis* $ound in *any o$ the i*pressionist ,or- is also present in 'illa()obos co*positions o$ this period, ho,e1er in his co*positions 5ra6il ta-es the roles the Far :ast and Jear :ast play in the i*pressionists# ,or-. Lieces such as the Dan;as Caracteristicas A)ricanas and the sy*phonic poe*s such as A"azonas and <irapur= *a-e use o$ 5ra6ilian sub&ects. /hile 'illa()obos chose 5ra6il as the sy*bolic locus o$ his co*positions, he ,as co*posin% these ,or-s in a distinctly French style. Guch ,or-s estran%ed the co*poser $ro* his o,n culture and led to poor reception by critics in 5ra6il. In a re1ie, o$ his $irst t,o sy*phonies, 'illa( )obos ,or- ,as critici6ed as bein% too deeply entrenched ,ithin a ebussyan style, preoccupied ,ith cra6y enhar*onic ne%otiations, in ,hich one searches $or an idea
>1

)isa Leppercorn 9uoted in +orbin, Three /indI+horal /or-s, p. 1E

,ithout e1er $indin% it, ;re1ealin%< the i**oderate desire o$ *usical scandal.>2 urin% this sa*e period 'illa()obos *ade the ac9uaintance o$ t,o French *usicians that ,ould $urther stren%then the co*poser#s ties ,ith :urope. In 191F arius Milhaud arri1ed in 7io as the assistant to a French diplo*at. The t,o co*posers strucup a $ond $riendship that had an i*pact on both co*posers# ,or-s2 Milhaud introduced 'illa()obos to the ,or-s o$ :ri- Gatie, ,hile 'illa()obos introduced Milhaud to the *usical 1irtuosity o$ the chorWes. The in$luence o$ 5ra6ilian *usic on Milhaud can clearly be seen in t,o co*positions. First in Saudades do Brasil, Milhaud *a-es use o$ 5ra6ilian *elodies and rhyth*s. )ater, in the piece Scara"ouche Milhaud 9uotes one o$ the *ost $a*ous and ti*eless choros, Bre>eiro, in its entirety. The ori%inal co*poser, :rnesto Ja6areth, is %i1en no citation.>> Gi*ilarly, the ideas stirred ,ithin 'illa()obos by the co*positions o$ Gatie can be seen in his piano piece :udepoe"a, ,hich he ,rote $or the second French*an he be$riended0 Milhaud introduced 'illa()obos to the French Lianist Arthur 7ubenstein at a party in 191C. The co*poser and pianist soon beca*e close $riends as ,ell, and 7ubenstein beca*e one o$ the *ost 1ocal supporters o$ 'illa()obos# *usic 5oth Milhaud and 7ubenstein ,ere instru*ental in the ad1ance*ent o$ 'illa( )obos reputation in :urope. Milhaud ,rote the $irst re1ie, o$ 'illa()obos ,or- in a :uropean publication. Gi*ilarly, 7ubenstein per$or*ed 'illa()obos# ,or-s durin% per$or*ance tours all across the ,orld. .e also recorded *any o$ 'illa()obos ,or-s, ,hich ,ere then distributed throu%hout France. Go*e years later 7ubenstein ,ould bro-er the *eetin% bet,een 'illa()obos and the publisher Ma4 :schin%, ,hose
>2 >>

+ernicchiaro, 9uoted in +orbin, Three /indI+horal /or-s p. 1H +a6es, 0 Choro# p. >E

publishin% house no, prints 'illa()obos co*plete %uitar ,or-s.>D /hat had the %reatest i*pact on the 5ra6ilian co*poser ,as Milhaud#s insistence that he disco1er a *ore 1i1id and ori%inal *anner throu%h ,hich to e4press his 5ra6ilian nationalis*, rather than &ust usin% the tools o$ his French conte*poraries.>E .o,e1er, thiss encoura%e*ent o$ 'illa()obos $riend stuc- out in star- &u4taposition ,ith the opinion o$ the carioca elites. It ,as not until Moderis* ca*e to 5ra6il in a *ar-edly e9uatorial $or* that public opinion be%an to chan%e.

The (eginnings of (ra)ilian Modernism Nn February 1Fth 1922 the /ee- o$ Modern Art be%an in GPo Laulo, and ,ith the ,ee-lon% e4po, Modernis* too- hold in the country. The *odernists sou%ht to de$ine the sy*bols o$ 5ra6ilian national identity, and in doin% so they also intended to ,ipe the slate clean o$ old artistic pre&udices. The *ain catalyst o$ the *o1e*ent, Mario de Andrade, described the *o1e*ent as the art and *usic o$ a %eneration o$ artists and *usicians ,ho repudiated nineteenth(century :uropean traditions and de*anded $reedo* to establish their o,n principles o$ artistic creation.>H Most i*portantly $or 'illa()obos, the e4po ,as ,here he %a1e a sensational per$or*ance o$ his ,or- &uator. /hile it had been per$or*ed be$ore, this ,or- ,as sta%ed ,ith li%hts and scenery at the e4po to create ,hat 'illa()obos described as a stran%e at*osphere, *ystic ,oods, $antastic shado,s, all sy*boli6in% *y ,or- as I i*a%ined it.>F The per$or*ance le$t
>D

Gun 8oo )ee, A Gtudy o$ nationalistic :4pression o$ the +horo in .eitor 'illa()obos# +ha*ber /or-s ,ith 5assoon ?Lh. . issertatio, Ani1ersity o$ +incinnati, April 1 200E@, p. 20 >E Appleby in +orbin, p. 1F >H Appleby 9uoted in +orbin, Three /indI+horal /or-s, p. 2D >F Ibid p. 21

9uite an i*pression on his audience, so *uch so that 'illa()obos ,as %ranted a $ello,ship to pro*ote 5ra6ilian *usic in :urope. 'illa()obos le$t $or Laris in 192>, and his *usic ,as recei1ed abroad ,ith such enthusias* that upon returnin% his co*positional style had chan%ed yet a%ain. As )isa Leppercorn ,rites, he renounced his past, too- lea1e o$ traditions, and bro-e al*ost co*pletely ,ith e1erythin% to ,hich he had adhered pre1iously.>C Apon his return to 5ra6il, 'illa()obos ,ould be%in co*posin% the ,or-s that are no, possibly his *ost ,ell -no,n co*positions $or %uitar2 0s Doze Estudos.

The Tupi*s Lute

N Tro1ador ?The Troubadour@ Genti*entos e* *i* do aspera*ente Genti*ents in *e o$ the harshly dos ho*ens das pri*eiras eras... o$ the *en o$ the $irst eras3. As pri*a1eras de sarcas*o The sprin%s o$ sarcas* inter*itente*ente no *eu coraOPo arle9uinal... inter*ittently in *y harle9uin heart... Inter*itente*ente... Inter*ittently3 Nutras 1e6es V u* doente, u* $rio At other ti*es it is a sic- *an, a cold na *inha al*a doente co*o u* lon%o so* redondo in *y soul sic- li-e a lon% round sound +antabonaY +antabonaY +antabonaY +antabonaY loro*... loro*3. Gou u* tupi tan%endo u* alaUdeY I a* a TupS stru**in% a luteY (Mario de Andrade ?1922@>9 The poe* abo1e is one o$ the inau%ural poe*s o$ the *odernist *o1e*ent, and it illustrates -inds o$ *ytholo%y that ,as bein% created. Andrade#s poe* loo-s to the past, ro*antically in1o-in% a pri*ordial sa1a%ery, and uses it a source $or the creation o$
>C >9

Ibid p. 2D Author#s Translation

*odern national culture. The *odernists sa, 5ra6il#s pri*iti1e history not as anathe*a to de1elop*ent, but rather as the ra, *aterials ,ith ,hich they could de1elop *odern cultural so1erei%nty. +entral to this notion ,as the sy*bolic po,er o$ the %uitar. It had the potential to *ediate bet,een the local cutures o$ the nation#s popular classes and the Muni1ersal# aesthetics o$ hi%h art.D0 The poet Manuel 5andeira published an article conte*platin% the place o$ the %uitar in 5ra6il2
For us 5ra6ilians the %uitar had to be the national, racial instru*ent. I$ the "odinha71 is the e4pression o$ our people, the %uitar is the instru*ental ti*bre to ,hich it is best suited3 An$ortunately up to no, the %uitar has been culti1ated a*on% us in a careless *anner3 The %uitar has also been resisted $or its $a*e as an instru*ent o$ the lo,(*inded, o$ intri%ue and as an acco*plice to ro%uery in seducti1e late(ni%ht re1elries3

.o,e1er despite the sordid history 5andeira describes, he ,as also a,are o$ the instru*ent#s reputation in Gpain, ,here it had ser1ed to pro*ote national *usical identity. The poet %oes on to su%%est that the instru*ent ha1e a si*ilar social role in 5ra6il2
It has been rehabilitated3;by< $orei%n artists, ,ho re1ealed its resources and the true school o$ the %reat Gpanish 1irtuosi to our a*ateurs. Nur %uitarists ha1e co*posed 1ery interestin% pieces ,ith a 5ra6ilian character. "et ,e ha1e only heard about the*. This is the case o$ the "a?i?es76 by Arthiodor da +osta, 8oPo Lerna*buco, Kuincas )aran&eiras and others o$ e9ual *erit3

/ith the recent success o$ 'illa()obos# Kuartour at the /ee- o$ Modern Art, the co*poser is in the $ore$ront o$ the poet#s *ind as the ideal candidate char%ed ,ith tas- o$ re$inin% the 5ra6ilian %uitar. .o,e1er, it is clear that at this point the co*poser hi*sel$ is o$ an opposin% opinion2 'illa()obos3,,ho is no, in Laris3played the %uitar ,hen he ,as youn%. And he co*posed 9uite a bit ,hich is ti%htly loc-ed a,ay3And I don#t -no, i$ he has thro,n the* into the sea3.e doesn#t li-e to spea- o$ this. This pre&udice is not *odern and it
D0 D1

5ennet and a,e, %uitar Cultures# p. 1HC a popular dance D2 Another popular dance

isn#t the least bit national.D> This article ,as ,ritten in 192>, ,hile 'illa()obos ,as li1in% in Laris. /hile he *ay not ha1e a%reed ,ith 5andeira at that ti*e, his opinion had chan%ed by the ti*e he returned to 7io in 192D. The ,or- that ,as $inished $i1e years later is a true testa*ent to his *ature style. It incorporates ele*ents o$ choro and French art *usic in a uni9ue *anner that blends both in$luences ,ith a ne,$ound con$idence. The resultin% is a ,oro$ 1irtuosity and supre*e beauty that is not an i*itation o$ either in$luence, but a set o$ co*positions penned in an ori%inal 1oice that *a-es use o$ *aterials $ro* both sources. As 5andeira su%%ests, the addition o$ this repertoire rehabilitates the 5ra6ilian %uitar, raisin% it to the status o$ an instru*ent o$ hi%h art.DD Os Doze Estudos It is clear that these t,el1e studies ,ere intended to be a co*plete set instead o$ &ust independent ,or-s that 'illa()obos co*posed separately and only later co*piled. This is clear because the etudes $ollo, har*onic pattern o$ an e4tended circle o$ $i$ths. This be%ins 9uite si*ply *o1e*ent throu%hout the -eys in the $irst hal$ o$ the etudes, but in the second hal$ the relationships beco*e a bit *ore con1oluted. As %uitarist a1id Tanenbau* notes the $inal note ?as in nos. F and C@ or chord ? as in nos. 9 and10@ o$ one etude can act as a -ind o$ do*inant to the ne4t.DE Apart $ro* the har*onic *aterial, there see*s to be a deeper co%niti1e di1ision bet,een the $irst hal$ and the second hal$ o$ the piece0 The $irst hal$ use Italian e4pression *ar-s, ,hile the second hal$ use French *ar-in%s. /hile this points to a shi$t in 'illa()obos# thin-in%, it is unclear as to ,hat the
D> DD DE

5ennet and a,e, %uitar Cultures p. 1HC +oelho, 0?)ord Co"panion to the uitar, p. 1CF

si%ni$icance is.DH /ith re%ard to the co*positional *aterials used, the in$luence o$ both choro and French i*pressionis* are e1enly distributed throu%hout the ,or-s. The studies *a-e a*ple use o$ 9uartal and 9uintal har*onies and planin% as ,ell as Tto a *uch lesser e4tent( bitonality, ,hole(tone passa%es and *odes. /hen considerin% on ,hether or not 'illa()obos e*ployed these techni9ues speci$ically to in1o-e the French i*pressionis*, one is presented ,ith a chic-en(and(the(e%% sort o$ proble*. 5oth 9uartal and 9uintal har*onies occur naturally on the open strin%s o$ the %uitar. 5ar chords, ,hich allo, a %uitarist to play *any chords usin% the sa*e hand position, are an essential tool $or %uitar har*ony that *o1es chords around ,ithout chan%in% the 1oicin%, thus resultin% in parallel *otion. The 9uestion then beco*es, did 'illa()obos use these co*positional de1ices because o$ his contact ,ith French i*pressionis*, or ,as it si*ply a *atter o$ necessity $or co*posin% on the %uitar! The e1idence o$ other co*positions o$ this period points to the $or*er possibility, as these de1ices appear in other co*positions that do not use the %uitar. For e4a*ple, in the endin% o$ +horo no. >, a ,or- $or cha*ber instru*ents a chorus, one o$ the penulti*ate chords in the chorus is co*prised *ostly o$ 9uartal har*ony.

E-ample .

Ta-in% a closer loo-, one notices that the top inter1al is *a&or third. These $i1e pitches not only *a-e a chord *ostly 9uartal in nature, but they also are the e4act sa*e notes
DH

This is not true o$ the 1990 edition o$ the :tudes, but only $or the ori%inal 19EH pblication.

$ound on the %uitar, only dropped a hal$ step.DF This su%%ests that 'illa()obos considered this to be but one tool in his lar%er toolbo4 o$ *usical *aterials. /hile this te4tual e1idence doesn#t pro1e ,hich ca*e $irst, it is clear that 'illa()obos used such har*ony $or *ore than &ust as a *eans to si*pli$y co*position $or the %uitar. Llanin% is ta-en to e4tre*es in so*e o$ the studies, such as :tude nu*ber one. In this study, a di*inished chord *o1es in parallel *otion $or t,enty(t,o bars, descendin% $ro* GZ di*inished to 5b di*inished. Larallel *otion appears in other studies such as three and $our. In both cases it is e*ployed to hei%hten tension at a point o$ arri1al at in the etudes# phrases.

E-ample 3

E-ample 4

E-ample 5

E-ample 6

'illa()obos also o$ten e*ploys the techni9ue to reach the hi%hpoint o$ a *elodic arch. In Gtudy si4 it appears in a particularly idiosyncratic $ashion, archin% up,ards in &u*ps o$ a third and then descendin% a step be$ore &u*pin% another third. E-ample #

DF

+orbin, An analysis o$ three choralI,ind ,or-s, p. F0

This style o$ planin% occurs throu%hout his %uitar oeu1re, re*ains a co*positional tool he uses throu%hout his career. The sa*e style o$ planin% occurs in Lrelude nu*ber one o$ 19D0 E-ample ! :tude $i1e is a particularly %ood e4a*ple o$ the use o$ *odes and ,hole(tone passa%es. The ,or- is an etude *eant to i*pro1e the player#s ability to di$$erent *elodic lines and be%ins ,ith a circular *oti1e o$ parallel thirds that $ocuses on the lo,er pentachord o$ the G )ydian scale. E-ample " The piece de1elops throu%h the *anipulation o$ this circular *otion and transitions to a second section throu%h a descendin% ,hole(tone passa%e. E-ample Guch resources are used sparin%ly, and in doin% so 'illa()obos a1oids $allin% in the pit$all o$ *i*icry ,hich he had succu*b to be$ore in his piece 0 %ato e o :ato. Nne can see the use o$ cluster chords in study se1en. The penulti*ate chord o$ study se1en is co*prised o$ seconds and by itsel$ sounds a*bi%uous, ho,e1er the spacin% and positionin% ,ithin the ,or- su%%ests that it $unctions as an altered do*inant. E-ample $ Gtudy t,el1e contains si*ilar structural a*bi%uities, but these point *ore to,ards bitonality rather than cluster tones. This is su%%ested by the constant s,itchin% bet,een e4tre*ely sharp and e4tre*ely $lat tonal areas. E-ample .

/hile the co*positional nuances *entioned abo1e pull the etudes to,ards the direct in$luence o$ French i*pressionis*, they are counterbalanced by techni9ues co**only e*ployed in choro *usic. /hile the har*onic structure o$ these pieces is *uch *ore co*ple4 than that $ound in choro, the *elodic e*bellish*ents and rhyth*ic de1ices co*e directly $ro* the choro tradition. The *usical resources that co*e $ro* choro are $e,er than the French co*positional, tools, but they are e9ually partitioned a*on% the pieces. The characteristic arppe%ios, ,hich approach the tones in an arppe%iated chord throu%h lo,er(nei%hbor tones, is one o$ the *ost uni1ersal tools used $or choro i*pro1isation. This occurs in the end o$ study one as ,ell as in the *iddle o$ study three. E-ample 3 E-ample 4 Another *elodic e*bellesh*ent co**only used is slurrin% o$ arppe%iated notes. This creates a syncopation in the ,or- that e*phasi6es the upbeats. The *ost salient e4a*ples are in study three and ei%ht. E-ample 5 E-ample 6 Another rhyth*ic in$luence is the choro rhyth* o$ si4teenth(ei%hth(si4teenth, ,hich appears in etudes $our, se1en, ele1en and t,el1e. E-ample # E-ample ! E-ample $" .o,e1er, ,hat is stri-in% in these etudes, are 'illa()obos# ability to incorporate

both *usical resources as ele*ents in an o1erarchin% *usical lan%ua%e. .e is not si*ply cuttin% and pastin% French and 5ra6ilian the*es, but it subli*atin% both in his o,n uni9ue style. The e4a*ples abo1e $it s*oothly into the o1erarchin% structure o$ the ,or-s, ,ithout any insincere *i*icry.

Conclusion The $irst t,o %uitar ,or-s o$ 'illa()obos are the result o$ t,o distinct cultural $orces actin% ,ithin the co*poser. The 5ra6ilian *aterial that 'illa()obos $elt stron%ly ,as at $irst disre%arded $or the pursuit o$ French hi%h art in$luences. This tension bet,een his t,o in$luences inti*ately lin-ed ,ith the instru*ent he is *ost closely associated ,ith2 the %uitar. /hile this anta%onis* ,as present in his early years, the co*poser could not *ana%e to resol1e this tension until he co*posed the Doze Estudos. This ,or- ,as the result o$ a synthesis o$ both in$luences into a uni9ue style, ,hich not only brou%ht 'illa()obos into his o,n ri%ht as a *ature co*poser, but also ser1ed to ele1ate the %uitar to the le1el o$ a solo instru*ent capable o$ per$or*in% hi%h art.