In addition to being a skilled amateur guitarist, Heitor Villa-Lobos' father was a man of broad culture and uncommon intelligence. For years he worked as an official of the National Library in Rio de Janeiro, and at the time of his death in 1899, he left no great possessions, except for a vast and expensive library that his son Heitor would be forced to sell to feed the fatherless family when the future composer was only twelve years old.
In the streets of Rio
At the beginning of the 20th century, Rio de Janeiro was far from being the metropolis we know today. But music flooded its streets even during the day. And in the evenings, after having participated in some party, or dance, wedding, or carnival, groups of young musicians would roam the streets making music, taking a break to enter a bar here and then another so that the mood would not wane.
Heitor Villa-Lobos was part of these bands of young musicians and it was in the street where he made his first guitar playing, in addition to numerous bohemian friendships, because any volume from his father's library was also enough for several drinks.
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| Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887 - 1959) |
Reluctant to receive formal musical education, between the ages of 18 and 25 Villa-Lobos made extensive trips throughout Brazil, collecting songs and getting to know the main characteristic styles of autochthonous music. By 1923 he was already a renowned composer in his homeland. So, the Brazilian government agreed to grant him a scholarship to travel to Europe so that he could get to know other worlds and other music. He lived in Paris until 1930, receiving the recognition and admiration of the musical celebrities of the time, including the famous Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia, to whom he dedicated much of his guitar work.
Five Preludes for guitar
Apparently, there were originally six of them and one was either lost or never published. Composed in 1940 at Segovia's request, they are dedicated to Mindinha, his wife, Arminda Villa-Lobos. They are a clear example of the fusion of styles that characterizes Villa-Lobos' guitar work: Brazilian popular music and classical European tradition.
Its parts, or movements, with a subtitle added by Villa-Lobos, are:
00 Prelude No. 1 in E minor ("Melodia lírica"): Andantino espressivo-Più mosso
04:20 Prelude No. 2 in E major ("Melodia capadócia"): Andantino-Più mosso
07:02 Prelude No. 3 in A minor ("Homenagem a Bach"): Andante-Molto adagio e dolorido
12:40 Prelude No. 4 in E minor ("Homenagem ao índio brasileiro"): Lento-Animato-Moderato
16:02 Prelude No. 5 in D major ("Homenagem à Vida Social"): Poco animato-Meno-Più mosso
The rendition is by the Greek artist Evangelo Assimakopoulos.
