Villa-Lobos's music is unmistakable; despite the numerous different and international influences that inspired the Brazilian composer, his works always result in a very clearly recognizable personal style, which is characterized by recurring elements such as polyrhythms, ostinato passages, descending lines and an often very sophisticated percussion section.

Despite many stylistic elements that suggest a proximity to French modernism at the beginning of the 20th century, Villa-Lobos always remained a truly American composer who took up and quoted European elements, but integrated them into his very own formal and tonal language - in other words, a complementary alternative to Dvorak's “Symphony from the New World”, for example, which integrates American musical elements into the formal principles of traditional European art music. A change of perspective that was not always followed in the European reception of Villa-Lobos' music in the 20th century.

Five very different works by the Brazilian composer are presented below, which demonstrate a very broad range of musical inspiration in every respect.

Samba-Classico

Pour voix et orchestre

2 / 2 / 3 / 2 — 4 / 3 / 4 / 1 — timb. - 3 perc. - hpe — cordes (divisées)

1950

5 min

Better known in its version for piano, in which the underlying text still bears the author's name “E. Villalba Filho”, a pseudonym that Villa-Lobos often used for his own lyrics to his music, the work is a “Homenagem aos Compositores Populares”, a homage to the samba. With its dramatic beginning, the syncopated, very rhythmic melody and the concise bass, you are immersed in the world of samba in just a few bars. A suitable piece for a mixed aria evening.

Suite pour cordes

Orchestre à cordes

1912

12 min

This is an early work by the composer with an almost chamber music character. The small instrumentation and the relative simplicity of the individual parts make it a very rewarding work for amateur ensembles to perform.

Musically, a very delicate, almost floating atmosphere prevails for long stretches. Within the three individual movements “Timide”, “Mysterieuse” and “Inquiete (Air de ballet)”, the work is always monothematic with very concentrated musical material. Villa-Lobos develops three fine miniatures from a small motif that runs through all the instrumental parts.

Caixinha de boas festas

ballet et poème symphonique pour orchestre / « Bailado Infantil »

3.3.3.3. / 4.3.2.1. / Tp. Batt. Cmp.li Cel. Pf. A. / Archi

1932

30 min

This ballet music is melodically extremely catchy. It is a series of very short character pieces with recurring core melodies, rapid changes of mood and voluptuous string melodies, such as in the second movement “O Marinheiro” (The Sailor). Sometimes very restrainedly orchestrated, always humorous and with a singing melody. Villa-Lobos' “Surprise Box” for Holidays is a colorful and varied collection of musical gems.

The Emperor Jones

Pour orchestre, contralto et ténor

Ballet

4 / 3 / 3 / 3 — 4 / 7 / 4 / 1 — timb. - 4 perc. - pno - cél. - hpe — cordes (divisées)

25 min

1956

This ballet has a completely different musical character, as the text is based on the expressionist tragic play of the same name by Eugene O'Neill, which is about the establishment of an imperial dictatorship on a fictitious Caribbean island. Villa-Lobos composes martial and rhythmically distorted soundscapes here, which from the second half of the work onwards are determined by a catchy, very dominant brass theme that opposes the previous chaos. Despite the relative fame of the literary material, which is still performed in various films and theater adaptations today, this work by Villa-Lobos has unfortunately hardly ever been performed.

Erosão

Sorimão u ipirungava  - Origem do rio Amazonas

4 / 3 / 3 / 4 — 4 / 4 / 4 / 1 — timb. - 3 perc. - pno - cél. - hpe — cordes (divisées)

15 min

1950

This work is one of a series of orchestral works by Villa-Lobos that conjure up mythical Brazilian (jungle) landscapes in the mind's eye. After a very slow musical structure, in which elongated musical themes build up and break down and behind the melodies in piano and pianissimo there is a lot of bustling and lively bubbling, wonderful majestic string melodies emerge. An interesting musical change from thematically similar works such as “Uirapuru” and “Amazonas”, which can already be found somewhat more frequently in concert schedules.