MASTERWORKS: CARLOS BONELL ‘The Music of Heitor Villa-Lobos Although Villa-Lobos was an extraordinarily prolific ‘composer — so much so that he himself could not remember how many pieces he had composed — he did not really write that many works for the guitar. He is remembered for his 12 studies, 5 preludes (originally 6, but one is lost), the suite popular Brasileira and his one guitar concerto. He did write other pieces for the guitar which have either been lost or remain unpublished, and some chamber music which is less well-known. Maybe the movements that make up the Suite Brasileira are a little too deri of their European prototypesand do not possess the individual character of the ce preludes, and certainly some of the studies are better than others, but all of his guitar works are of a very high quality. Firstly, 1 would like to consider the main musical influences upon his style. These are: the native folk music of his country, Brazil, the music of Bach, the Romantic Impressionism of Chopin and Debussy, and his own familiarity with and feeling for the guitar. In some of his works, these elements are synthesised so that the influences areinsparable from each other. ‘Theinfluence of Bach Villa-Lobos loved the music of Bach so much that he devised series of chamber pieces called Bachianas Brasileiras which reflected the character of Bach's music in a Brazilian image. ‘One of these pieces (the Bachianas no.5) was composed for soprano and 8 ‘cellos. Later, Villa-Lobos re-arranged the work for soprano and guitar. Bach’s influence is felt not so much in any complex counterpoint but in the fexture of Villa-Lobos’ music. The Bachianas Brasileiras no.5 is a ‘most evocative example, so (00 is the study no. in a less direct way. The repeated arpeggio patterns of this study are in exactly the same spirit as Bach's Prelude in C-minor and little prelude in D-minor. ample ACHE PRELUDE IN DSMENOR ACHE PRELUDE IN CNOR Another aspect of Bach’s influence is revealed in the last part of his Prefude no. 3 which consists of sequential patterns very much in the Baroque style. sample? VILLA-LONOS:Prelade 3 fetta: ‘obos and folk music Villas-Lobos has been drawn to folk-music since he was a child. He even travelled through the countryside in Brazil, penetrating the Amazonian forests to meet distant Indian tribes, and wrote down their music. He also changed and developed the chdros which was originally an instrumental serenade played by street musicians. The movements of the suite popular reflect this development: Mazurka-choro, Schontish-choro, Valsa-choro, Gavotta-choro. He gave to each of these Classical and Romantic dance-movements a distinctly popular Brazilian character. Example 3 VILALONOS:Gavatrchiro The Choros no.1 is an even more vivid example wi dotted rhythmsand 7th chords iikean embryonic samba! 4 VILLALOBOS. Chicos 3a Un pouco moderate its z = ¥ Romantic Impressionism ‘The Romantic influences felt strongly not only in the sheer concept of the 12 studies which is reminiscent of Chopin's own work in this genre but also in the melodic grace and fluidity of such piecesas the Mazurka-Choro: sample 5 VILLA-LOBOS: Marurha-chiro 7 ast a. While the main part of this Marzuka is Chopinesque the ending owes more to Debussy. quien Vel UBT Apel 1995For the main part the preludes are not folk-loric in spirit, but rather improvisatory and lyrical. This is not surprising, for Villa-Lobos was himself a guitar-player, good enough to play some of his own guitar pieces convincingly. The preludes sound as if they were composed with a guitar on his lap, a pencil behind his ear, and manuscript paper on the table in front of him! This exploratory, improvised character is particularly obvious in the beginning of prelude n0.3 Example? VILLALOBOS: Prelude no also in prelude no.2, and prelude no.s. Each of these preludes is structured very simply with just two or three contrasted ideas making up the pieces. The strength of the music derives from the sheer simplicity of means and idiomatic writing for the guita, for in terms of the guitar the contrast of musical ideas stems from sweeping tunes on the lower strings (as in preludes nos.1 and 4) and cascading arpeggios across the strings (preludesnos.1, 2and4). ‘The Synthesis In some of Villa-Lobos’ pieces there is a synthesis of all the ‘variousaspects discussed above. The middle section of study no.11 is guitaristically a brilliant notion with its unisons across three strings and yet the whole piece has qualities sample @ VILLAOROS: Study 0.1 which are at the same time haunting, romantic (the introduction especially) and impressionistic. So, too, the study no.7 where the intensely lyrical melody in the middle section is accompanied by strangely shifting harmonies. sample 9 VILLALOBOS: Study 90.7 marked meno, and the prelude no.2 is marked Andantino while the middle arpeggio section is only marked piu mosso, What doesall this add up to? It means that if you reconsider such a fundamental aspect as tempo by going back to the musicand the composer's own indications, you may beginto understand the music for yourself. 1 have chosen those particular examples above as they are often played at varied speeds, After due consideration to tempo, look again through the music for indications about expression. Are you really playing a ritardando in bar 4 of prelude no. as Villa-Lobos indicated, Example 10 VILLALOBOS: Prelode not dase Andantine expressive = ‘and as he himself did in his own recording of this piece? Are you really playing an accent on the first beat of bar 2 of preludeno.4? Example tt VILLAOROS. Pele no =S> cantaile ted ® ‘And what about dynamics? Take example 11 agé fortes eally fofte, and your pianissimos really It is only by questioning every aspect of your interpretations that you will give your own personal character to this music — indeed, it is only by questioning every aspect of music, and especially received notions, that you will develop your own musical personality. As far as received notions about Villa-Lobos are concerned; he is often described as being “‘exotic”” and “‘original’”, but what does that mean? Surely exoticism has more Easter associations than anything Villa-Lobos composed,and as far as originality is concerned surely all remembered ‘composers are original in one way or another — the rest are forgotten. Villa-Lobos’ distinction does not lie in his originality when compared to other well-known composers, because they all share that distinction, but in the quality and character of his music. These are the aspects which I have discussed above in the hope of avoiding clichés which help neither understanding nor interpretation. NUNEATON GUITAR STUDIOS. We ora mde ange Seana, pe a Egat an utr 0 te Fle St Nuneaton Waris Tt Dondgte 2006) 3108 == - = A Players’ guideto Interpretation ‘When music becomes as familiar to our ears as the Villa- Lobos guitar works, itis very difficult to imagine the pieces in their raw state, in other words as they were conceived in Villa-Lobos’ own imagination, and before .they were “filtered” through familiar interpretations. But try you ‘must, if you are to endow this wonderful music with the freshness and spontaneity it contains, rather than get trapped into imitating famous records and performances, which ean only make your playing sound stale and derivative. Consider first the various zempiindicated by Villa-Lobos. ‘The study no.! is marked Allegro non troppo, the first part of prelude no.5 is poco animato and the second part is 0 BRISTOL SPANISH GUITAR CENTRE (Principal: Michael Watson) NOWIN STOCK. ‘The new Poul Fischer “Workshop” guitar in jacaranda and * spruce, We aizo have tp concert models by Martin Feeson, ‘Manual Conteras (choice of cedar or spruce top), Alastar MeNei, Juan Alvarer, Manvel Belido, Antonio Pardo including flamenco models — choice of peg head or 8) and tho John Mis Asturias (choice of cedar or ‘and late sings, accessories Send 20p in stamps for full detais No deposit credit facies. Professional private and class tuition, ah Guitar Centre, 2 Elton Road, Bristol BS7 BDA (eerea race)