Tom Jobim, a key figure in Bossa Nova, used complex harmonic arrangements in his songs, facilitated by guitar techniques involving subtle chromatic glissandi.
Album & Artwork
The album concept was born in Paris, aiming to create a musical bridge between Rio and Paris, featuring Brazilian music and its songs.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Heitor Villa-Lobos, a Brazilian composer, drew inspiration from his country's soul and is considered to the guitar what Chopin is to the piano.
Historical Context
The relationship between Rio de Janeiro and Paris found musical expression, notably through Darius Milhaud's 1920 cinema-symphony inspired by a popular Rio song, 'O boi no telhado'.
Performer Biography
The album features four friends and Parisian lovers of Brazilian music: Natalie Dessay, Agnès Jaoui, Helena Noguerra, and Liat Cohen (the guitarist and album initiator).
Composition History
Villa-Lobos's Bachianas No. 5 was originally conceived for soprano and eight cellos, achieving immediate international success at its 1939 premiere.
Cultural Impact
The Aria from Bachianas No. 5 was made universally famous by singers Bidu Sayão and Victoria de Los Angeles, and later became a symbol of peace and love through Joan Baez's performances.
You might also enjoy...
Profumi di Napoli. Canzoni and Guitar Pieces
Por los montes de coñares, Music and Erotism in the Spanish Golden Age
Cantar del alma
Eleni-Lydia Stamellou sings Mauro Giuliani
1865: Songs of Hope and Home from the American Civil War
Daniel Speer
1865: Songs of Hope and Home from the American Civil War
Quiver
Le Chansonnier de Bayeux
Mercy
Contempo
A Howl, That Was Also a Prayer
Adèle Hugo: Mélodies sur des poèmes de Victor Hugo
