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Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)Since his death in 1959 Villa-Lobos has been recognised as the great genius of South
American music. Yet the majority of the massive body of his works, which includes vocal
and solo instrumental pieces, chamber music, opera, ballet, concerti and symphonies, is
largely unknown and not often performed. The Concerto For Guitar And Small Orchestra falls
into that small group of Villa-Lobos’ works which is beginning to be performed
world-wide with some degree of regularity and recognised as the masterpiece it is. Heitor
Villa-Lobos was born March 5, 1887 in Rio de Janeiro. Although his father, an amateur
musician, gave him a rudimentary introduction to the cello and music theory, his knowledge
of the guitar is entirely auto-didactic. Playing professionally in local theatres,
night-clubs and bars, he developed an affinity for folk music as well for popular
musicians. After extensive travels throughout his native Brazil, Villa-Lobos embarked upon
his first trip to Europe, where, in an interview to the French press, he uttered the
phrase Folklore is me While his music was always received with great acclaim in the United
States and Europe (especially in France), Villa-Lobos met with constant critical
resistance in Brazil. In an attempt to bring international standards to South America, he
organised Brazil's Ministry of Artistic and Musical Education in 1921, an agency of which
he was appointed Supervisor in 1932. His interest in music of the Baroque led to the
creation of what is perhaps his most famous group of works, the Bachianas Brasileiras,
begun in 1930 and completed in 1945. Written for various instrumental and vocal
combinations in the spirit of the Brandenburg Concerti, this body of works successfully
fulfils Villa-Lobos’ musical goals of infusing European classical traditions with the
folk music of his native culture. In 1960 the Brazilian government established the
Villa-Lobos Museum in Rio de Janeiro which sponsors an annual festival of the maestro's
music. Heitor Villa-Lobos on Guild Music
Page revised 09.09.2000 |
