“BRASIL” Symphonic Poem in 12 movements for Solo Percussion, Choir SATB and Percussion Ensemble

General Info

Year: 2024
Publisher:
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:35:00
Cost: $160.00

Movements

1) EUROPE, MOTHERLAND
2) THE JOURNEY OF THE DISCOVERY
3) THE EARTH
4) INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
5) THE DOMINATION OF THE WHITE MAN
6) THE FIRST VILLAGES
7) SHIPWRECKS AND EXILED
8) LAMENT AND DANCE OF THE SLAVES
9) REVOLTS AND WARS
10) INDEPENDENCE
11) THE BRAZILIAN PEOPLE
12) FINALE

Instrumentation

Program Notes

The symphonic poem “Brazil” is a musical journey that describes Brazil and its historical and cultural origins from its discovery to the present days. Brazil, its beauty, its cultural richness and its diverse music with beautiful melodies and contagious rhythms is described musically in 12 moments that represent events, characters and important moments in its history. With small excerpts narrated between the movements and an intelligent, descriptive and humorous lyrics, the listener is led to a better understanding of the work and the musical context that each movement represents. The work has a cyclical theme that serves as an element of unity and transition between the 12 movements. If we assign a letter of the alphabet to each musical note based on the note “Do” as the letter “A”, the note “Do#” as the letter “B” and so on, the word “Brazil” will be formed by the notes “Do#, Fa, Do, F#, G# and B” that together form a suspended Do# seventh chord. This chord and sequence of notes appears throughout the entire work.

The 12 movements or episodes are:
1) EUROPE, MOTHERLAND: After the introduction with elements and variations of the cyclical theme, the first theme is presented by the flute and harp and recalls the ancient tradition of the old continent and the Iberian peninsula from where the Portuguese left to discover Brazil. The lyrics talk about the uncertainties beyond the sea and the possibility (or not) of existing land beyond the horizon.

2) THE JOURNEY OF THE DISCOVERY: This episode describes the monotony of the journey, the uncertainty of sailing without knowing to where, and the dangers of the ocean. The lyrics describe the different feelings of men and women separated by the ocean. The tension builds little by little, passes through storms and culminates in the glorious moment when finally land is in sight.

3) THE EARTH: The musical environment evokes the tropical forests, birds and waterfalls of the virgin land, and is embellished with lyrical melodies that describe the immensity and beauty of this newly discovered land.

4) INDIGENOUS PEOPLE: The frantic rhythm of the drums represents the native inhabitants of the land who, according to their tribes, could be friendly hosts, terrible cannibals or head hunters. The sound of cannons and shots of “fire sticks” from white men will be heard at the end, representing the oppression and indiscriminate killing of the Indigenous people.

5) THE DOMINATION OF THE WHITE MAN: After killing the indigenous people the white man asserts his possession of the new land. Trumpets and Timpani announce the arrival of the “bandeirantes” that were the first explorers of the backlands who consolidate the white man’s dominance over the discovered land.

6) THE FIRST VILLAGES: The sound of church bells and prayers sung inside them evoke the first settlements founded in the new land.

7) SHIPWRECKS AND EXILED: In a satirical way the first inhabitants who came to live in the new discovered land are here described. They were almost all shipwrecks from ships sunk on the coast and also drunks, outlaws and criminals who were not welcome on the old continent and who were sent to Brazil by force.

8) LAMENT AND DANCE OF THE SLAVES: It begins with a sad melody that evokes a slave singing his pains and misadventures. There follows an afro dance with congas and marimba (balafone) that describes the cruel and inhumane way in which slaves were arrested and brought to Brazil. The theme used here is from a traditional African song that talks about the suffering of the captives, and the asking for their mothers and saints to come to save them and alleviate so much pain.

9) REVOLTS AND WARS: Shots, explosions and screams symbolize the attack and the increase in tension resulting from the many revolts and wars that the country went through before gaining its independence from Portugal.

10) INDEPENDENCE: Finally, Brazil becomes independent. In this movement the Brazilian Independence Anthem is used as thematic material.

11) THE BRAZILIAN PEOPLE: The diversity of ethnicities is represented first by the berimbau and flutes and then in the rhythm of a cheerful “Afoché”. The humorous lyrics talk about typical people and facts that are well known among Brazilians.

12) FINALE: After the solo marimba presents variations of the Brazilian national anthem in the minor key, a baião full of life and with lyrics containing a positive message will conclude this work. During this movement, in addition to the main theme, several quotes from songs and poems well known to Brazilians will enrich the musical narration. Among the many quotations we have: O Guarani by Carlos Gomes, O Trenzinho do Caipira by Villa Lobos, as well as other excerpts of music and poetry by Tom Jobim, Waldir Azevedo, Luis Gonzaga, Gonçalves Dias, among others.

Recent Performance

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo Work

Bem-Vindo - Vibraphone
Brazil 500 Years - Multiple Percussion
Cenas Amerindias N.1 and N.2 - Multiple Percussion
Choro Bachiano - Marimba
My Dear Friend - Vibraphone
Prelude and Blues - Vibraphone
Reflexos - Multiple Percussion
Seven Brazilian Children Songs - Marimba
Sonata Lebensabschnitte - Vibraphone/Marimba
Sonatina para caixa clara - Snare Drum
Suite Popular - Marimba
Ten Beginning Studies for Multiple Percussion - Multiple Percussion
Three Moods - Marimba
Three Preludes - Marimba
Toccata and Divertimento - Vibraphone/Marimba
Valencia (solo) - Marimba
Variações para quatro tom-toms - Multiple Percussion
Variações sobre um tema do Rio Grande - Marimba
Variations over Evelyn Glennie's "A Little Prayer" - Marimba
Vibes Etudes and Songs - Vibraphone

Concertos

Percussion Ensemble

A Message to a Friend - Percussion Duo
Cadencia para Berimbau - Percussion Quartet
Cenas Brasileiras, Baiao and Frevo - Percussion Quartet
Five Cirandas Brasileiras - Vibraphone; Marimba
Fred No Frevo - Marimba Quartet
Japanese Overture - Percussion Octet
Mitos Brasileiros (Brasilian Myths) - Percussion Quartet
Samba (no. 3 of Brazilian Scenes) - Percussion Sextet
Suite Popular Brasileira - Percussion Sextet
Two Brazilian Steel Dances - Percussion Ensemble (7) - Steel Drums
Valencia - Percussion Ensemble (11); Double Bass
MOTHER EARTH, FATHER SKY - Percussion Octet
“BRASIL” Symphonic Poem in 12 movements for Solo Percussion, Choir SATB and Percussion Ensemble - Solo Percussion; Choir; Percussion Septet

Reference

“BRASIL” Symphonic Poem in 12 movements for Solo Percussion, Choir SATB and Percussion Ensemble

Contents

General Info

Movements

Instrumentation

Percussion Solo

Percussion Ensemble

Others

Program Notes

Recent Performance

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo Work

Concertos

Percussion Ensemble

Reference

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“BRASIL” Symphonic Poem in 12 movements for Solo Percussion, Choir SATB and Percussion Ensemble

General Info

Movements

Instrumentation

Percussion Solo

Percussion Ensemble

Others

Program Notes

Recent Performance

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo Work

Concertos

Percussion Ensemble

Reference

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