Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
A PERFORMER’S GUIDE
by
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
2012
2
As members of the Document Committee, we certify that we have read the document
prepared by Eduardo Minozzi Costa entitled Sérgio Assad’s (b. 1952) Aquarelle and
Fantasia Carioca: A Performer’s Guide and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling
the document requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts.
Date: 11/19/12
Thomas Patterson
Date: 11/19/12
Donald Hamann
Date: 11/19/12
Shelly Cooper
Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate's
submission of the final copies of the document to the Graduate College.
I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and
recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement.
STATEMENT BY AUTHOR
Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission, provided
that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended
quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by
the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her
judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other
instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author.
DEDICATION
To my wife Melissa Costa, my parents Amid Sequeira Costa and Noemi Karsch Minozzi
Costa, my brother Ricardo Minozzi Costa, and my grandparents Fernando dos Santos
Costa, Lucília Amélia Sequeira Costa, Carlos Minozzi and Eunice Karsch Minozzi.
Thank you for all the support, love, patience and direct/indirect influence on the
completion of this work.
5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study would not have been possible without the encouragement and guidance of
Thomas Patterson, Donald Hamann, Shelly Cooper and my loving wife Melissa Costa.
Thanks to the Bolton guitar fund for the financial support during the preparation of this
document, and to Sérgio Assad for his patience in answering my questions and for his
music that will continue to inspire guitarists for many generations to come.
6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. 18
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................ 19
Overview ................................................................................................................... 29
Sérgio Assad's Career and Life while Composing Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca ... 31
1. Aquarelle ......................................................................................................... 34
1. Marcha Rancho................................................................................................ 44
2. Baião ............................................................................................................... 56
3. Choro .............................................................................................................. 64
4. Samba.............................................................................................................. 79
5. Bossa Nova...................................................................................................... 88
7
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 – Structural Analysis – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by
Assad............................................................................................................................. 34
Table 1.2 – Structural Analysis - “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad . 35
Table 1.3 – Structural Analysis – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle
by Assad ........................................................................................................................ 36
Musical Example 3.18 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
38-44)............................................................................................................................ 52
Musical Example 3.19 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
63-65)............................................................................................................................ 52
Musical Example 3.20 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
87 and 114).................................................................................................................... 53
Musical Example 3.21 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
90-93)............................................................................................................................ 53
Musical Example 3.22 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 97)53
Musical Example 3.23 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 99)53
Musical Example 3.24 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
101) ............................................................................................................................... 54
Musical Example 3.25 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
118) ............................................................................................................................... 54
11
Musical Example 5.2 – Dino Sete Cordas baixaria in Cinco companheiros by Pixinguinha
(mm. 89-92) .................................................................................................................. 66
Musical Example 5.3 – Dino Sete Cordas baixaria in Doce de coco by Jacob do Bandolim
(mm. 84-87) .................................................................................................................. 66
Musical Example 5.4 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 9-
12) ................................................................................................................................. 66
Musical Example 5.5 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
31-32)............................................................................................................................ 67
Musical Example 5.6 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
33-34)............................................................................................................................ 67
Musical Example 5.7 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
40-41)............................................................................................................................ 67
Musical Example 5.8 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
58-59)............................................................................................................................ 67
Musical Example 5.9 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
85-86)............................................................................................................................ 68
Musical Example 5.10 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
91-96)............................................................................................................................ 68
Musical Example 5.11 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
110) ............................................................................................................................... 68
Musical Example 5.12 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
138-139) ........................................................................................................................ 68
Musical Example 5.13 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 74-75) .................................................................................................................. 69
Musical Example 5.14 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 78-80) .................................................................................................................. 69
13
Musical Example 5.21 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
90-95)............................................................................................................................ 73
Musical Example 5.22 – Não me rasgues a roupa by A. Reale (mm. 1-11) .................... 74
Musical Example 5.23 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 160-164) ............................. 74
Musical Example 5.24 – André de sapato novo by André Victor Corrêa (mm. 1-17)...... 75
Musical Example 5.25 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
125-132) ........................................................................................................................ 75
Musical Example 5.26 – Assanhado by Jacob do Bandolim (mm. 10-33)....................... 76
Musical Example 5.27 – Choros no. 1 by Heitor Villa-lobos (mm. 1-4) ......................... 77
Musical Example 5.28 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
154-155) ........................................................................................................................ 77
Musical Example 5.29 – Choro variation no. 1 by Nelson Faria ..................................... 77
Musical Example 5.30 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 71)........................................................................................................................... 78
Musical Example 5.31 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 237-239) ............................. 78
Musical Example 6.1 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 54-61) .................................................................................................................. 81
Musical Example 6.2 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
91-95)............................................................................................................................ 82
14
Musical Example 6.9 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 82-83) .................................................................................................................. 86
Musical Example 6.10 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 86-87) .................................................................................................................. 86
Musical Example 6.11 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 90-91) .................................................................................................................. 86
Musical Example 7.3 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 85
and 112) ........................................................................................................................ 91
Musical Example 7.4 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 89
and 116) ........................................................................................................................ 91
Musical Example 7.5 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 189-191)............................... 91
Musical Example 7.6 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 169-171)............................... 92
15
Musical Example 7.10 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
80-82)............................................................................................................................ 93
Musical Example 7.11 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
103-108) ........................................................................................................................ 93
Musical Example 7.12 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (m. 12) ......................................... 94
Musical Example 7.13 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 96)94
Musical Example 7.14 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
142-143) ........................................................................................................................ 94
Musical Example 7.15 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 141-142) ............................. 95
Musical Example 7.16 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 99-100)............................... 95
Musical Example 7.17 – Fantasia Carioca by Assad (mm. 137-148) ............................. 96
Musical Example 7.18 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 1-9)96
Musical Example 7.19 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 17-
19) ................................................................................................................................. 98
Musical Example 7.20 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
88-89 and 115-116) ....................................................................................................... 99
Musical Example 7.21 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 97)99
Musical Example 7.22 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 99)99
Musical Example 7.23 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
101) ............................................................................................................................... 99
Musical Example 8.1 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 101)103
Musical Example 8.2 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 10-11)104
16
Musical Example 9.7 – Marcha rancho variation no. 2 “groovy” .................................. 113
Musical Example 9.8 – Marcha rancho variation no. 3 ................................................. 113
Musical Example 9.9 – Marcha rancho variation no. 3 “groovy” .................................. 114
Musical Example 9.10 – Baião .................................................................................... 114
Musical Example 9.11 – Baião “groovy” ..................................................................... 115
Musical Example 9.12 – Choro variation no. 1 ............................................................ 115
ABSTRACT
More accurate and authentic performances of Sérgio Assad’s (b. 1952) Aquarelle and
his Fantasia Carioca can be obtained through insights provided by formal analysis of
those pieces, study of the performing traditions of Brazilian traditional music, and the
This document guides readers in recognizing the subtleties that characterize Assad’s
style and its Brazilian traditional music influences. A select group of styles has been
chosen based on their relevance in Assad’s work. Characterized by unique accent patterns
and melodic/harmonic “clichés,” the influences of each Brazilian music genre can be
identified in specific measures of the two Assad’s pieces included in this study. The
correlation between measures and genres provides specific stylistic features that the
FOREWORD
Aquarelle (1986) and Fantasia Carioca (1994) have been selected as the focus of this
study because of their quality, but, more significantly, they are representative of a great
and Fantasia Carioca consisting of the following subsections: overview, Sérgio Assad's
career and life while composing Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca, corrected printing
mistakes, overall analysis, Brazilian traditional music elements, suggested listening list,
suggested fingerings, and interpretation guidelines. The primary goal of this author is to
The purpose of this study was to produce a performer’s guide to Sérgio Assad’s
(b. 1952) Aquarelle (1986)1 and Fantasia Carioca (1994)2 based on Brazilian traditional
music performance practice. This author will demonstrate how the 1964 Brazilian
military coup and Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) impacted Assad’s musical
references, how Brazilian traditional music influenced Assad’s compositions, and how
guitarists can perform both pieces in a manner that honors the composer’s intent.
The performer is obliged to seek out the intended content in the work and provide
a justification for it, to decide on how the notation is to sound and to fill in the
gaps the text leaves open. As a rule he will let himself be guided by notions of
coherence, relevance and validity-in a word, he will aim for the “right”
interpretation-right, for example, in terms of what the composer intended, in terms
of fidelity to the work, or historical performance practice. 3
In addition to external historical and cultural events, information about Assad’s career
and personal life will contribute to a deeper understanding of the environments during
The performer can derive most information from the text of a work itself, and
musical notation is a live object for study, providing useful clues to the style of
interpretation. But this alone is not sufficient. It is also essential to understand the
circumstances in which a particular work was created. One needs to know
1
Sérgio Assad, Aquarelle (Paris: Editions Henry Lemoine, 1992).
2
Sérgio Assad, Fantasia Carioca (Paris: Sérgio Assad Music, 2002).
3
Hans Heinrich Eggebrecht, Understanding Music (Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2010),
28.
21
something of the character of that epoch and also the complete range of the
composer’s other works.4
individual may misjudge the selection’s value upon hearing an inaccurate interpretation;
however, the same individual may reassess his or her initial judgment upon hearing the
general public will simply accept a composition on faith; it is easier to doubt the quality
of the composition than to suppose that the performer might have totally misrepresented
it.”5 The perceived quality of masterpieces should not be compromised by the promotion
of musicians that lack interpretative skills. To this end, it is necessary to provide all
available information to those who are willing to transform printed notes into meaningful
musical sounds.
4
Christopher Barnes, The Russian Piano School: Russian Pianists & Moscow Conservatoire
Professors on the Art of the Piano (London: Kahn & Averill, 2007), 40.
5
Heinrich Schenker, The Art of Performance (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), 4.
22
Sérgio Assad (b. 1952) is considered among the finest guitarist-composers currently
It all started with my father and my mother. They weren’t professional musicians;
it was their hobby. My father was very keen on the mandolin and taught himself
by ear. He built this huge repertoire. He was moving quite a lot, and he would
find others to play with in each place we would go. And if he didn’t find anyone,
he would teach them. 7
In addition to arranging, teaching and composing, Sérgio and his brother, Odair, form the
Their virtuosity has inspired a wide and diverse list of composers including Astor
Piazzolla, Radamés Gnatalli, Terry Riley and Dusan Boganovich. They have also
been sought after to collaborate in musical adventures by such artists as Yo-Yo
Ma and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.8
“The Assads began playing the guitar together at an early age and continued their study
for seven years with guitarist/lutist Monina Távora, a disciple of Andrés Segovia.” 9 As a
result, the brothers were indirectly influenced by the Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia.
Segovia was much more than a virtuoso guitarist; he was dedicated to establishing a
6
By “guitarist-composers” I mean composers who also have a career as performers. Leo Brouwer from
Cuba and Roland Dyens from France are two other examples.
7
Doug Young, “Sérgio Assad Interview,” Acoustic Guitar Magazine, November 2009, 2.
8
Joseph Sekon, “D’Rivera, Assad brothers nothing short of pure artistry,” Register-Pajaronian,
February 11, 2005.
9
Sérgio Assad and Odair Assad, “Bio,” Opus3artists, http://www.assadbrothers.com (accessed April
12, 2011).
23
and Joaquin Rodrigo, as well as his close friendship with Manuel de Falla,
enabled Spanish musicians to unite their refinement of folkloric traditions and
dances with the voice of the classical guitar.10
Similarly, Assad enabled himself and future generations of guitarists-composers to utilize
Brazilian traditional music within their compositions. Throughout his career, Assad
garnered important awards for his music. Among many possible examples, Interchange
(a concerto for guitar quartet and orchestra) and Maracaípe (a piece for guitar duo) were
Awards in 2010.11 In 2008, his composition for two guitars, Tahhiyya Li Ossoulina,
composing pieces for guitar, Assad is widely respected for his performance and arranging
skills. His album “Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla” 13 received a Latin Grammy
award for best tango album in 2002.14 In 1973-he won the young soloists competition for
the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, and in 1979 he won the rostrum for young
Czechoslovakia).15 Assad has arranged over 300 pieces in different chamber music
settings for artists like Gidon Kremer, Dawn UpShaw, Yo Yo Ma, Nadja Salerno-
10
Graham Wade, Segovia: A Celebration of the Man and his Music (London: Alison & Busby Ltd.,
1983), 115.
11
Sérgio and Odair Assad, “Bio,” Opus3artists, http://www.assadbrothers.com (accessed April 12,
2011).
12
Ibid.
13
Sérgio and Odair Assad, Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla, Nonesuch, CD, 2001.
14
Sérgio and Odair Assad, “Bio,” Opus3artists, http://www.assadbrothers.com (accessed April 12,
2011).
15
Sérgio and Odair Assad, “Press-kit,” Opus3artists, http://www.assadbrothers.com (accessed May 4,
2011).
24
Sonnenberg, Iwao Furusawa, Paquito de Rivera, Turtle Island Quartet, L.A. Quartet,
and approximate performance duration for more than forty compositions. 17 Guilherme
Caldeira Loss Vincens was able to identify innovations in texture and polyphonic writing
for the solo guitar by comparing Assad's arrangements of Verano and Invierno from Las
Carlevaro, Baltazar Benítez and Joe Pass). 18 Joseph E. Szydlowski reviewed five pieces
by Assad: Jobiniana no. 3 pour guitar, Jobiniana no. 1 pour 2 guitares, Circulo mágico
pour flúte et guitare, Winter Impressions pour flúte, alto et guitare, and Uarekena pour
As Assad noted, the dichotomy between the practice of popular and "serious"
music is not as sharply defined in Brazil as in the United States. In Brazilian
16
Sérgio Assad, “Arrangements,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Assad(accessed
October 29, 2012).
17
João Paulo Figueir a da Cruz, “An Annotated Bibliography of Works by the Brazilian Composer
Sérgio Assad” (DMA diss., Florida State University, 2008).
18
Guilherme Caldeira Loss Vincens, “The Arrangements of Roland Dyens and Sérgio Assad:
Innovations in Adapting Jazz Standards and Jazz-Influenced Popular Works to the Solo Classical Guitar”
(DMA diss., The University of Arizona, 2009).
25
music, and in Assad's compositional style, borrowings and influence between the
two musical traditions are much more fluid and accepted.19
Academics have recognized Assad’s use of Brazilian traditional music within his
compositions; however, current scholarly literature lacks an in-depth study of the specific
performer’s guide for interpreting Sérgio Assad’s Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca based
on the composer’s input and the Brazilian traditional music performance practices. This
type of in-depth scholarship is a means by which both pieces may become part of the
19
Joseph E. Szydlowski, review of Jobiniana no. 3 pour guitare, Jobiniana no. 1 pour 2 guitares,
Circulo máigico pour flûte et guitare, Winter Impressions pour flûte, alto et guitare, Uarekena pour
quatuor de guitars, by Sérgio Assad, Notes 60, no. 3 (March 2004): 806.
26
According to Stroud, “The televised song festivals held in Brazil between 1965
and 1972 changed the face of Brazilian popular music by bringing a host of new
innovative performers and songwriters to the public’s attention within a very short
period.”20 Assad, born in 1952, would have been approximately 13-20 years of age
during 1965-1972. Peronne & Dunn assert that musicians were striving to create a sense
of authenticity in their music. “The post-coup 1960s was a period of crisis for progressive
popular music.”21
The genre “MPB”-an acronym for “Música Popular Brasileira” (Brazilian Popular
the 1964 Brazilian military coup.22 Hoping to avoid a rebellion, the government imposed
strict censorship and required artists to seek approval for lyrics before recording or public
performances. Despite being forced to be creative about the ways in which their message
their careers during this time period. One example is Chico Buarque’s song, Cálice
20
Sean Stroud, Defense of Tradition in Brazilian Popular Music: Politics, Culture and the Creation of
Musica Popular Brasileira (Abingdon: Ashgate Publishing Group, 2008), 67.
21
Charles A. Peronne and Christopher Dunn, Brazilian Popular Music & Globalization (Gainesville:
University Press of Florida, 2001), 73.
22
The coup led to two decades of strict military rule, and Brazilians born during the 1960s and 1970s
were brought up in a country heavy with censorship. President Joao Goulart was deposed without
bloodshed on the night of 31 March 1964.The army officers who deposed President Joao Goulart suspected
him of having communist sympathies. (source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3588339.stm)
27
("Chalice", or Jesus' Last Supper "Cup"), a duet written with Gilberto Gil and performed
with Milton Nascimento.23 Buarque utilized the homophony between the Portuguese
imperative "shut your mouth" (cale-se) and "chalice" (cálice) to protest the lack of
freedom of speech. The song was disguised as the Gospel narrative of Jesus' Gethsemane
prayer to the Father to relieve him of the chalice of “bloody death probation.” The line “I
wanna sniff diesel fume" is a reference to the death of political prisoner Stuart Angel
who, in 1971, had his mouth glued to a jeep's exhaust pipe during a torture session by
officers of the Brazilian military dictatorship. 24 Other artists of the same generation
include Edu Lobo (b. 1943), Geraldo Vandré (b. 1935), Elis Regina (1945-1982), Dorival
Caymmi (1914-2008), Simone (b. 1949), Caetano Veloso (b. 1942), Maria Bethânia
(1946), Gal Costa (b. 1945), Alceu Valença (b. 1946), Geraldo Azevedo (1945), João
Bosco (b. 1946), Ivan Lins (b. 1945) and Djavan (b. 1949). According to Chris
McGowan:
MPB can refer to Brazilian popular music in general, but it has become a common
way to refer to these performers, whose music defies easy categorization. It is
intensely eclectic, varying greatly in style from artist to artist, and developed from
a collision of bossa nova, regional folk music, protest songs, samba, rock and roll,
the Tropicalia movement and other influences. These elements were mixed
together in such a way that the final result cannot be placed into any particular
genre such as bossa, samba, forró, or rock. Instead, it is a new category, and MPB
has proven to be a convenient label for it.25
23
Chico Buarque, Chico Buarque, Polygram/Philips, LP, 1978.
24
Jonas Rezende, E Lysaneas Disse Basta (Rio de Janeiro: MAUAD Editora Ltda., 2000), 56.
25
Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha, The Brazilian sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular
Music of Brazil (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998), 75.
28
An artistic drive for authenticity motivated by the stifled artistic class, the merging of
musical genres and subsequent creation of MPB, were all pervading influences in Brazil
Overview
The performer’s guide for Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca will consist of the
elements, suggested listening list, suggested fingerings, and interpretation guidelines. The
Assad, conducted specifically for the purposes of this research. During the interview,
Assad identified the wrong notes in the score and kept a written record of the correct
ones. The analysis portion is focused on structural items such as main sections, prominent
themes, and transitions. This will provide performers a general understanding of the
pieces, which will be of most utility throughout the interpretation guidelines section.
Musicians love music. That love is born of profound feelings and fuels the years
of practice necessary to realize the dream of becoming a professional. However, a
professional musician who is simply content to feel the music during performance
without understanding its structure is not really qualified to interpret the classics
for discerning listeners. 26
Analysis of Assad’s pieces in isolation will not suffice; it is also necessary to possess a
contextual understanding of his surroundings and current events during that time period
and to identify specific Brazilian traditional music influences in his compositions. This
author has focused on select musical passages related to the topic and compared them to
26
David McGill, Sound in Motion: A Performer’s Guide to Greater Musical Expression
(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2007), 16.
30
patterns in Brazilian traditional music genres; this comparison was based on pitch,
In addition to examining Assad’s music, one must also develop familiarity with
quality references from many different sources and instruments within each of these
genres to master the Brazilian music style. “The instrumental music teacher, elementary
through university level, must regard training the ear as a primary goal,” writes James
Byo.27 “When student musicians make musical decisions through critical listening, they
possess high-quality references for diverse rhythmic possibilities, types of phrasing, tone,
the form of a suggested listening list (see page 93) that includes four pieces per genre,
and is based on relevant themes discussed throughout the overall analysis and the
Brazilian traditional music elements section. Aquarelle, for example, is based on the
Brazilian traditional music style commonly known as “marcha rancho.” Thus, a few
famous marcha rancho pieces have been chosen for the list.
with Brazilian traditional music, fingering choice plays an important role. For instance,
under normal circumstances, the last note of a left hand shift tends to sound accentuated
given the distance the hand must move to reach the following note. A clever musician can
place strategic shifts around notes that should be accented based on a specific style.
27
James Byo, “Teach Your Instrumental Students to Listen,” Music Educators Journal 77, no. 4
(1990): 46.
28
Ibid.
31
Fingering can also affect note duration, as it is physically impossible to sustain a note
with one finger when the same finger is required to play something else. In this case, the
finger has to release the previous note before its complete duration in order to play a
subsequent note a tempo. When purposely executed, the created “gap” may provide an
personal interview provides Assad’s suggestions for ways to interpret both pieces.
Sérgio Assad's Career and Life While Composing Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca
Aquarelle (1986), written while in Paris, was Assad’s first large work for solo
*guitar. At the time, his international career had begun with his brother Odair, but was
not yet extremely busy. This left Assad with ample time to dedicate to composing and
arranging pieces for the duo. His wife at that time liked to paint aquarelles, drawings
utilizing transparent watercolors and blended hues, and the spread of the colors on the
canvas fascinated him. Following the same idea, he started the guitar solo with a three-
note motif notated with “l.v.” (lascia vibrare), suggesting that notes continue to ring one
over the other as they spread throughout the score using augmentations and
fragmentations.29
Assad wrote Fantasia Carioca in 1994, the same year his first wife died. “That year
was quite tragic but when you are under stress music helps you out. I wrote it to myself,
29
Sérgio Assad, Interview by Eduardo Minozzi Costa, September 12, 2012. (For the complete
interview, see Appendix A).
32
to remember I was Brazilian and that was something to hold to.”30 Assad’s inspiration
came from images and memories of Rio de Janeiro. Traversing distances took
significantly longer in those days and communication was less sophisticated than today.
The piece reflects an obsession with a single musical phrase, which also represents his
obsession with “Rio,” while “stuck” in Paris but wishing to be in Brazil. The theme
appears a dozen times exploring many different moods and genres including the ballad
Errors in Aquarelle include wrong notes and accidentals. In measures 88 and 115,
the circled F# should be E#, and the E that follows should remain natural (see Musical
Example 1.1).
Musical Example 1.1 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 88
and 115)
30
Sérgio Assad, Interview by Eduardo Minozzi Costa, September 12, 2012. (For the complete
interview, see Appendix A).
31
Ibid.
32
There are no printing mistakes in Fantasia Carioca; therefore, this section is solely dedicated to
Aquarelle.
33
The error in measures 89 and 116 is a missing accidental. The circled A# should be
Musical Example 1.2 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 89
and 116)
Musical Example 1.3 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 3)
Musical Example 1.4 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 114)
34
Overall Analysis
1. Aquarelle
I. “Divertimento”
The first movement of Aquarelle has six distinctive sections (see Table 1.1 for a
structural diagram).
The introduction presents the three-note motive at the dynamic marking of piano.
Musical Example 2.1 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 1)
prepared by a series of transitions. The syncopated rhythm creates a high degree of voice
twice with a slightly different ending during the second repetition-has a dense texture
with the harmonics on measures 125-132 serving as a smooth transition to the next
section. Section C is slower and contrasting with measures 133-136 introducing the new
35
mood. The first musical idea (measures 137-154) is considerably longer than the second
musical idea (measures 155-160). The bridge is fast and repetitive, with a changing time
signature. The coda possesses two musical ideas (measures 184-188 and 189-193), with
II. “Valseana”
Table 1.2 – Structural Analysis - “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
Intro A (Main Theme) B A’ C Coda
Originating from the Portuguese word “valsa,” meaning waltz, this movement does not
sound like its name implies. The harmonic material and voice leading provide a
contemplative mood. Beauty in this movement originates from the subtle counterpoint,
harmonic choices, and memorable melody. The introduction contains many voices
moving in opposite directions. Section A-which presents the main theme-is mostly
comprised of descending notes. Section B provides more “movement” to the piece, with
the harmonic progressions spread throughout more measures than previously. Section A’,
a variation of the main tune, appears before the Section C material. Section C includes
material from sections B and A’; measures 46-47 contain material from measures 38-39
The third movement of Aquarelle, titled “Preludio e toccatina,”” has six distinctive
Table 1.3 – Structural Analysis – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle
by Assad
The motive of the first movement permeates the third movement as well, a concept
major third and appears in the third movement’s main theme (measures 1-4) (see Musical
Examples 2.2 and 2.3 for the original and transposed motive).
Musical Example 2.2 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 1)
33
Ludwig Van Beethoven, Symphony no. 5, Op. 67, in C minor (New York: Kalmus Orchestra Scores,
1932).
37
Musical Example 2.3 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 1-4)
The motive can be observed also in measures 5-6, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23, 28-29, 32-
33, and appears hidden in measures 125-126 (see Musical Example 2.4).
Musical Example 2.4 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 125-126)
The introduction is lyrical and serves as a prelude. Its slow style serves as a
the main theme several times. Section B introduces a new theme, and an interesting
chromatic line delineates measures 41-42. A transition in measures 54-61 allows Assad to
suggest upcoming new material, yet unexpectedly returns to the second theme in measure
38
62. The development section contains B elements (e.g., measure 67 is based on measure
measures 80-83, 84-87, 88-91, 92-94 where Assad repeats a similar idea three times
before introducing two new themes consecutively. Section A’ displays a very short
2. Fantasia Carioca
Fantasia Carioca, written by Assad in 1994, is a fantasia. The form is not strict
and it is subject to different interpretations (see Table 1.4 for a structural analysis
diagram).
A B C D E
A’ B’ C’ Coda
In Fantasia Carioca, two main themes work to unify its different sections. These themes
are revisited many times through variations in texture, voicings, and mood. Theme 1
appears for the first time in measures 1-4 (see Musical Example 2.5).
34
Strumming refers to the act of running a single finger across many strings simultaneously.
39
Theme 2 appears for the first time in measures 84-87 (see Musical Example 2.6).
Section A is divided into nine segments, with some sections containing thematic
material while others are a bridge or sequence-type material. Segment one (mm. 1-16)
displays the first theme interpolated by “musical interruptions” -- notes placed between
the theme and its repetition. The added notes provide the necessary contrast for listeners
to identify the theme. Examples can be found in measures 2 and 4. Segment two (mm.
17-23) draws the listener to the piece’s harmonic aspect and builds tension to the bridge
at segment three (mm. 24-27). Segment four (mm. 28-36) reintroduces theme 1; this time
Assad uses staccatos to separate the theme and its repetition. Segment five (mm. 37-48)
displays the theme, now transposed to B flat minor. Segment six (mm. 49-56) introduces
a new theme in lydian b7 mode. Segment seven (mm. 57-60) features a short sequence in
40
dorian mode. Segment eight presents harmonics in chords and serves as an interesting
transition between G minor and D dorian at measures 66-70. The first theme appears
segment. Assad introduces Theme 2 in measure 84 and repeats it in measure 86, both
repeated notes.
According to Assad, “Fantasia Carioca needs a lot of liberty with tempi, quite freely
most of the time until you get to the samba section that requires some experience with
that traditional genre.”35 Theme 1 is displayed at a different tempo and its sound contrasts
to all its previous occurrences, utilizing for example 32nd notes for the first time in
measure 105.
Section D is divided into two segments (mm. 117-132 and mm. 133-136).
Segment one (mm. 117-132) is composed of repetitive quarter-note chords and a new
theme on the bass. Segment two (mm. 133-136) serves as a bridge that builds tension
reintroduces theme 2, this time harmonized utilizing mostly major seventh and ninth
chords. Modulation to Em, B, and C#m occurs beginning with measure 139 and measure
148 ends with a major C major seventh chord. Assad presents segment two (mm. 149-
35
Sérgio Assad, Interview by Eduardo Minozzi Costa, September 12, 2012. (For the complete
interview, see Appendix A).
41
164) as a development section, using variations of theme 1 in the bass line combined with
repeated chromatic notes in the soprano line. Segment three (mm. 165-184) presents
theme 1 in the soprano line, and D dorian is present in the accompaniment in measures
165-168. The measures that follow this segment are characterized by harmonic
instability.
duration and closes with a long G chord in measure 183, creating anticipation for a new
section.
Brazilian traditional music refers to a vast collection of regional genres that appeared
in Brazil during its more than 500 years of existence. According to Assad, this music
There is what we call Brazilian folkloric music, which has its strength, but is not
what I call the traditional Brazilian music, which is something different. This is, I
think, the sort of mistake made by many people when they tend to think of music
that comes from a country as folk music, but it is not true. We grew up in Rio but
we were born in Sao Paulo. In these two lands is found a type of music called
choro, a type of traditional Brazilian music. But it is not folk music, it is just
traditional music, and I think, pretty much, based on that style. 36
36
Guitarra Magazine, “An Interview with Sérgio Assad,” Sherry-Brener Ltd., http://www.guitars-of-
spain.com/issue42/interview_assad.asp (accessed March 17, 2011).
42
Choro is listed in the scholarly literature as both Brazilian Popular Music and
Brazilian Folk Music. No unanimous consensus exists as to what category it belongs. The
same has happened with many other Brazilian genres, and for this reason they will simply
originated with the Jesuits in 1549, sent by Portugal to preach to and educate the natives.
continue the work of the now freed Amerindians. In 1888, slavery was abolished which
resulted in the rural population migrating to urban areas, creating a considerable demand
for music. The genres of Brazilian traditional music flourished mostly in cities like São
Paulo and Salvador. The first fifty years following slavery’s abolition are considered the
belle époque of Brazilian traditional music.38 Samba, choro, maxixe, frevo and maracatu
are a few examples of the genres during that time period with the samba, the most
37
American Indians.
38
Gerard Béhague, "Brazil," Grove Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/03894
(accessed October 30, 2012).
39
The merrymaking and festivity that takes place in many Roman Catholic countries in the last days
and hours before the Lenten season. The derivation of the word is uncertain, though it possibly can be
traced to the medieval Latin carnem levare or carnelevarium, which means to take away or remove meat.
This coincides with the fact that Carnival is the final festivity before the commencement of the austere 40
days of Lent, during which Roman Catholics in earlier times fasted, abstained from eating meat, and
followed other ascetic practices. (source:
http://www.britannica.com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/EBchecked/topic/96363/Carnival)
43
Assad transcribed many Brazilian traditional pieces for guitar, including “many
Two broad types can be distinguished. The aspectual representation may cohere
with the original work’s features and may support and strengthen the original
work’s aims, perhaps by illuminating the original work. In a second type, the
aspectual representation may not cohere with all of the original work’s features
and may not support that work’s aims; rather, it transforms the work in some
significant way.41
Assad’s approach to transcriptions has been mostly regarded as “the second type,” where
he allows his creative imagination to transform the piece’s “old sonority” into one more
melodic and rhythmic materials. Manipulation of these three elements can be found in his
arrangement of Noites Cariocas by Jacob Bittencourt, recorded on the Milonga per tre
CD – GHA in 2004.42 The new use of complex harmony transformed this piece into a
modern version, thus affirming Assad’s ability to manipulate genres according to his
Now style is a difficult and elusive element in any of the arts. It is relatively easy
to recognize, but correspondingly difficult to define or to isolate. Style is largely
determined by two factors: the musical material available when the music was
40
Sérgio Assad, Interview by Eduardo Minozzi Costa, September 12, 2012. (For the complete
interview, see Appendix A).
41
Paul Thom, The Musician as Interpreter (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press,
2007), 15.
42
Sérgio and Odair Assad, Milonga per tre, GHA, CD, 2004.
44
written, and the taste and ability of the composer. Hence it may be roughly
defined as the totality of technical devices characteristic of a given period and
creative artist.43
The following sub-sections will briefly define the most important Brazilian
traditional music genres and provide comparisons between segments of Aquarelle and
Fantasia Carioca. Genres were chosen based on their relevance in Assad’s work.
Comparisons will be made between the genres’ rhythmic patterns and selected musical
segments. Rhythm serves as the primary element for characterizing Brazilian traditional
music genres. Other less critical aspects such as harmony, phrase type, and texture will
also be compared.
This study does not characterize Assad’s Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca as a
syncopated rhythms inspired by these elements. Many rhythmic patterns exist in both
pieces that do not “fit perfectly” with accepted descriptions of the studied genres. A
certain degree of flexibility exists regarding the manipulation of these genres, especially
when considering Assad’s personal style. However, it is clear that Brazilian traditional
music influenced Assad’s style to such a degree that its elements can be easily identified
1. Marcha Rancho
The marcha rancho Brazilian traditional music genre is similar to frevo in that both
possess the same rhythmic pattern and were used in old carnivals of the city of Recife in
Northeastern Brazil. Marcha ranho is performed at a slower tempo than frevo and usually
43
Howard A. Murphy, Teaching Musicianship (New York: Coleman-Ross Company, Inc., 1950), 40.
45
includes minor keys and sometimes a ¾ time signature.44 Marcha rancho is a more
contemplative genre, whereas the frevo is fast and agitated.45 Musical Example 3.1 serves
46
An example utilizing a 3/4 time signature pattern was located in Nelson Faria’s book The
44
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 102.
45
Marco Pereira, Ritmos Brasileiros (Rio de Janeiro: Garbolights Produções Artísticas LTDA, 2007),
79.
46
Ibid.
47
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 110.
46
Aquarelle is inspired by the marcha rancho genre, and similar rhythmic patterns
are utilized throughout the work. The piece was written using several different time
signatures, but the marcha rancho genre usually uses 4/4. For this reason, Marco Pereira’s
example will be used for comparisons. The following measures (see Musical Examples
3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, 3.15, and 3.16) resemble
Marco Pereira’s example. The circled notes indicate the resemblance, whereas irrelevant
rhythmic variations or rhythm figures not matching the marcha rancho genre are
unmodified.
Musical Example 3.3 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
21-29)
Note: The first three beats in measures 21 to 29 are identical; the last beat is a variation.
47
Musical Example 3.4 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
42-44)
The first three beats in measures 50-51 are rhythmically identical; the last beat is a
subdivision. This allows performers to play the last eighth-note at a softer dynamic than
the previous to convey a marcha rancho interpretation (see Musical Example 3.5).
Musical Example 3.5 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
50-51)
48
Musical Example 3.6 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
66-71)
Musical Example 3.7 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
76-77)
Musical Example 3.8 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 84
and 111)
49
Musical Example 3.9 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
88-89 and 115-116)
Musical Example 3.10 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
109-110)
Musical Example 3.11 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
121)
Musical Example 3.12 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
123)
50
Musical Example 3.13 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 16-17)
Musical Example 3.14 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 34)
Musical Example 3.15 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 40-43)
Musical Example 3.16 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 64-65)
51
As previously mentioned, marcha rancho and frevo are similar genres with tempo
being their only difference. The following examples will be compared to Nelson Faria’s
The slurs in beat three of measures 38-41 produce natural accents, as the first note of
each slurred pair is naturally played louder (see Musical Examples 3.18, 3.19, 3.20, 3.21,
48
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 104.
52
Musical Example 3.18 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
38-44)
Musical Example 3.19 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
63-65)
53
Musical Example 3.20 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
87 and 114)
Musical Example 3.21 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
90-93)
Musical Example 3.22 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 97)
Musical Example 3.23 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 99)
54
Musical Example 3.24 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
101)
Musical Example 3.25 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
118)
Musical Example 3.26 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
122)
55
Musical Example 3.27 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 18-23)
Musical Example 3.28 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 125)
The following example will be compared to Nelson Faria’s frevo variation no. 3 (see
49
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 107.
56
Notice that in Musical Example 3.30, articulation plays an important role in diagnosing
Musical Example 3.30 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
124-132)
2. Baião
Baião is a Brazilian traditional music genre from the northeast section of Brazil,
and is prevalent in Pernambuco, Ceará, Maranhão, and Bahia. It emerged during the
1940s and was made popular by the notable composer Luis Gonzaga (1912-1989).50
Keyboard accordion, zabumba (a low pitched drum) and triangle are its typical
instruments, but the accordion sounds very peculiar in this style, having a more
50
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 120.
57
percussive role when compared to other genres. 51 52 Generally written in 4/4, baião
melodies are characterized by mixolidyan and lydian b7 modes,53 with mainly tonal
harmonic material comprised of minor seventh chords. The first two beats of the
frevo/marcha rancho rhythm are similar to the baião basic pattern, which is likely why
Assad decided to include the baião in the first and third movements of Aquarelle. The
following measures (see Musical Examples 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, and 4.9)
will be compared to Nelson Faria’s basic pattern (authentic interpretation requires a slight
51
Gerard Béhague, "Brazil," Grove Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/03894 (accessed September 26, 2012).
52
Jonas Rodrigues de Moraes, ““Truce um Triângulo no Matolão [...] Xote, Maracatu e Baião”: A
Musicalidade de Luiz Gonzaga na Construção da “Identidade” Nordestina” (master’s thesis, Pontifícia
Universidade Católica de São Paulo, 2009), 47.
53
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 120.
54
Almir Cortes Barreto, “Improvisando em Música Popular: Um Estudo sobre o Choro, o Frevo e o
Baião e sua Relação com a "Música Instrumental" Brasileira” (PhD diss., Unicamp, 2012), 197.
55
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 121.
58
Musical Example 4.2 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
76-79)
Musical Example 4.3 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 44)
Musical Example 4.4 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 53)
59
Musical Example 4.5 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 62)
Musical Example 4.6 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 66)
Musical Example 4.7 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 103)
60
Musical Example 4.8 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 113-114)
Mixolydian, lydian b7 mode passages and emphasis on the upbeat can be observed in
Musical Example 4.10 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 96-116)
According to Almir Barreto, the dorian mode can also be used in baião melodies.56 See
56
Almir Cortes Barreto, “Improvisando em Música Popular : Um Estudo sobre o Choro, o Frevo e o
Baião e sua relação com a "Música Instrumental" Brasileira” (PhD diss., Unicamp, 2012), 190.
62
Another baião characteristic includes a type of anticipation that appears at the end of
phrase segments. It usually appears as a form of tension in the first measure with the
resolution occurring in the second. 57 Notice in Musical Example 4.12 how the selected
Musical Example 4.12 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 110-116)
57
Almir Cortes Barreto, “Improvisando em Música Popular : Um Estudo sobre o Choro, o Frevo e o
Baião e sua relação com a "Música Instrumental" Brasileira” (PhD diss., Unicamp, 2012), 183, 196.
63
Repeated notes and the use of thirds can be found in many baião melodies. 58 Notice how
this occurs in the passages presented in Musical Examples 4.13 and 4.14.
Musical Example 4.13 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 96-116)
58
Almir Cortes Barreto, “Improvisando em Música Popular : Um Estudo sobre o Choro, o Frevo e o
Baião e sua relação com a "Música Instrumental" Brasileira” (PhD diss., Unicamp, 2012), 195, 196.
64
3. Choro
“In the 20th century the choro, or chorinho, has been closely connected with other
popular dances of urban Brazil such as the Maxixe, the tango brasileiro and the Samba.
All have the same rhythmic patterns (syncopated binary figures), although tempo and
59
Gerard Béhague, "Choro," Grove Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/05679 (accessed March 17, 2011).
65
The term “choro” has been used, with varying degrees of specificity, to refer not
just to a style of playing and a genre of music, but also to an instrumental
ensemble (based on the combination of guitar, cavaquinho, and flute or other
melody instrument) and a social gathering at which such music is performed. 60
Assad was exposed to choro music in his youth, and eventually gained a presence
in his compositional style. Sérgio and Odair state, "Music became an integral part of our
Assad family life, but our training focused on Western music, from traditional Brazilian
choros to classical music.” 61 Assad’s compositions reflect both the structure and unique
aspects of the instruments that characterize choro style. One example is the seven-string
guitar, an instrument similar to a typical six-string guitar with the exception of an added
bass string. Strongly associated with choro in Brazil, this guitar gave rise to the careers of
notable performers such as Dino Sete Cordas, Rafael Rabello, and Maurício Carrilho.
The seven-string guitar is most recognized for its improvisation of a bass line called
“baixaria,” a typical component of choro that is valued as much as the main melody.
Traces of this influence also exist in Assad’s Aquarelle (see Musical Examples 5.1, 5.2,
5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, 5.14).
Musical Example 5.1 – Dino Sete Cordas baixaria in Amor proibido by Cartola (mm. 40-
42)62
60
Tamara Elena Livingston-Isenhour and Thomas George Caracas Garcia, Choro (Bloomington:
Indiana University Press, 2005), 3.
61
Marie Gullard, “Brazilian Guitarists Explore more Exotic Roots at U. of Md.,” The Examiner,
http://washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/brazilian-guitarists-explore-more-exotic-roots-u-md
(accessed April 13, 2011).
62
Remo Tarazona Pellegrini, “Análise dos Acompanhamentos de Dino Sete Cordas em Samba e
Choro” (master’s thesis, Unicamp, 2005), 80.
66
Musical Example 5.2 – Dino Sete Cordas baixaria in Cinco companheiros by Pixinguinha
(mm. 89-92)63
Musical Example 5.3 – Dino Sete Cordas baixaria in Doce de coco by Jacob do Bandolim
(mm. 84-87)64
Musical Example 5.4 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 9-
12)
63
Remo Tarazona Pellegrini, “Análise dos Acompanhamentos de Dino Sete Cordas em Samba e
Choro” (master’s thesis, Unicamp, 2005), 98.
64
Ibid., 138.
67
Musical Example 5.5 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
31-32)
Musical Example 5.6 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
33-34)
Musical Example 5.7 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
40-41)
Musical Example 5.8 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
58-59)
68
Musical Example 5.9 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
85-86)
Musical Example 5.10 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
91-96)
Musical Example 5.11 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
110)
Musical Example 5.12 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
138-139)
69
Musical Example 5.13 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 74-75)
Musical Example 5.14 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 78-80)
Choro originates from the Portuguese verb “to cry,” however the genre is
anything but sad. Choro music is stylistically light, rhythmic, and euphoric. Performers,
the so called “chorões,” were generally amateurs who played for their own entertainment.
Choro matured in Rio de Janeiro around 1920 at the hands of one of the best composers
characteristic of the genre.66 Choro’s typical rondo form (ABACA) is found in the second
65
Ruth M. Witmer, “Popular Virtuosity: The Role of the Flute and Flutists in Brazilian Choro” (Master
thesis, University of Florida, 2009), 70.
66
Richard Elbert Miller, “The guitar in the Brazilian choro: Analyses of traditional, solo, and art
music” (PhD diss., Catholic University of America, 2006), 31.
70
movement of Assad’s Aquarelle, the only difference being the last A section which is
According to Coelho and Koidin, “The vast majority of choros begin with pick-up
notes, usually starting in the second beat (in 2/4), with three 16th notes, an eighth and
16th note, or simply, an eighth note.”68 Chromatic alternating sixteenth notes as seen in
Examples 5.15 and 5.16). This influence is further affirmed by Assad’s own arrangement
67
Tadeu Coelho and Julie Koidin, “The Brazilian Choro: Historical Perspectives and Performance
Practices,” The flutest quarterly, Fall (2005):39.
68
Ibid.
69
Irmãos Vitale, O melhor do Choro Brasileiro (São Paulo: Irmãos Vitale, 1997), 2:28.
71
Musical Example 5.16 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 54-61)
another typical element of choro music. This element can also be found in Assad’s
70
Irmãos Vitale, O melhor do Choro Brasileiro (São Paulo: Irmãos Vitale, 1997), 2:11.
72
Musical Example 5.18 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 33)
Musical Example 5.19 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
184-188)
Many choros employ the constant use of sixteenth notes and chromatic melodic lines, an
Musical Example 5.21 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
90-95)
71
Irmãos Vitale, O melhor do Choro Brasileiro (São Paulo: Irmãos Vitale, 1997), 1:14.
74
In choro, the melodic lines often imply the pieces’ harmonic content. This choro
Assad’s Fantasia Carioca. The following melodic pattern selected from A. Reale’s piece
72
Irmãos Vitale, O melhor do Choro Brasileiro (São Paulo: Irmãos Vitale, 1997), 2:45.
75
In addition to harmonic content, the choro melody also implies rhythmic aspects of the
pieces. André de sapato novo by André Victor Corrêa is an example of this technique,
Musical Example 5.24 – André de sapato novo by André Victor Corrêa (mm. 1-17)73
Musical Example 5.25 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
125-132)
73
Irmãos Vitale, O melhor do Choro Brasileiro (São Paulo: Irmãos Vitale, 1997), 2:10.
76
The rhythmic quality of some melodic lines may, at times, sound percussive. This occurs
in the case of Assanhado by Jacob do Bandolim, whose melody dictates the percussion
The last three notes of measure 154 in the 1st movement of Aquarelle resemble the
opening of Choros no. 1 by Heitor Villa-lobos (see Musical Examples 5.27 and 5.28).
74
Sergio Prata, Tocando com Jacob (São Paulo: Irmãos Vitale, 2006), 34.
77
Musical Example 5.28 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
154-155)
Measure 71 in the third movement of Aquarelle resembles Nelson Faria’s variation no. 1
75
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 89.
78
Musical Example 5.30 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(m. 71)
Use of chromatics in the melody during the end of a selection is characteristic of choro
and baião.76 The last three measures in Fantasia Carioca illustrate this feature (see
Many choro composers also wrote waltzes, a genre born in Europe but adapted to
“The sentimental and melancholic mood of the waltzes and of other types of
Brazilian music is reminiscent of: 1) Africans who were forced to leave their
homeland and were condemned to a life of slavery; 2) Portuguese colonists and
other Europeans who hoped to return eventually to their homelands, and who, in
the case of the Portuguese, expressed such longing in nostalgic songs called
76
Almir Cortes Barreto, “Improvisando em Música Popular: Um Estudo sobre o Choro, o Frevo e o
Baião e suaRrelação com a "Música Instrumental" Brasileira” (PhD diss., Unicamp, 2012), 72.
79
fados; and 3) Brazilian Indians, who saw their country invaded, and whose
civilizations were nearly destroyed by the white man.”77
Assad was influenced by these waltzes’ embellished melodies and nostalgic atmosphere:
“Although Brazilian music has many different genres the most frequently used on
the guitar are: the choro and the waltz. Also used are the samba, the maxixe, the
baião and the modinha but a little less frequently. I've worked with all of them but
mostly with the choros and waltzes.” 78
This influence can be observed in measures 133-160 in the first movement of Aquarelle
4. Samba
Samba is a Brazilian traditional music genre characterized by highly-syncopated
polyrhythmic parts against a steady pulse. It appeared at the beginning of the nineteenth
century in cities such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Bahia. 79 The first recorded samba
was Pelo Telephone by Donga (Ernesto Joaquin Maria dos Santos, 1891-1974).80
Generally written in 2/4, samba can also be in 2/2 or even 4/4. In any case, the performer
must accent the second beat of each measure as rhythm serves as the most important
genre element.
Samba has many subgenres, among them: samba enredo (samba with descriptive
lyrics played at the annual carnival parade), samba-canção (played at a slow tempo and
77
Alexandra Mascolo-David, “Francisco Mignone and His "Valsas brasileiras" for Piano,”
Mediterranean Studies, 12, (2003):181.
78
Sérgio Assad, Interview by Eduardo Minozzi Costa, September 12, 2012. (For the complete
interview, see Appendix A).
79
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 22.
80
Gerard Béhague, "Brazil," Grove Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/03894 (accessed September 26, 2012).
80
with sentimental lyrics), samba de breque (accompaniment paused to allow the singer to
improvise alone during a few measures), partido alto (usually played by guitar,
“favelas” with percussion instruments), and samba-funk (fusion between samba and
funk).81
Measures 91-95 and 54-61 of Aquarelle’s first and third movements resemble the
repeatedly, giving way for the singer to capitalize on brief improvisations. Passages in
Aquarelle contain the melody alone, but are surrounded by two sections containing
accompaniment. The listener has the impression that something in the music has fallen
away but could come back later, as Assad skillfully does in measures 62 and 96.
81
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 22.
81
Musical Example 6.1 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 54-61)
82
Musical Example 6.2 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
91-95)
The following measures (see Musical Examples 6.3 and 6.4) will be compared to Nelson
82
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 25.
83
Notice that some sixteenth-notes are accented because of the natural execution of the
slurs:
Musical Example 6.4 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
85-86 and 112-113)
The following measures (see Musical Examples 6.5, 6.6, 6.7) will be compared to Nelson
83
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 26.
84
Measures 208-222 are equivalent to measures 98-112, while measures 223- 224 serve as
a variation:
The following measures will be compared to Nelson Faria’s variation no. 7 (see Musical
Example 6.8).
Measures 82-83 in the third movement of Aquarelle match variation no. 7 with the
exception of one beat. One could argue that the second slur (A to C) was placed in the
section for technical reasons, nevertheless guitarists should accentuate the C slurred note
to match the rhythm (see Musical Examples 6.9, 6.10 and 6.11).
84
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 33.
86
Musical Example 6.9 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 82-83)
Musical Example 6.10 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 86-87)
Musical Example 6.11 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 90-91)
87
The following measures will be compared to Nelson Faria’s variation no. 12 (see Musical
Musical Example 6.13 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 84-85)
Musical Example 6.14 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 88-89)
85
Nelson Faria, The Brazilian Guitar Book (Petaluma: Sher Music CO., 1995), 42.
88
Musical Example 6.15 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 92-93)
5. Bossa Nova
Developed by Jobim, Gilberto, and their peers, bossa nova was “off key” only in
relation to the Brazilian and international pop music of the time. It had a harmonic
richness previously heard only in classical music and modern jazz. For example,
the unexpected melodic alterations of “Desafinado” included the use of “triton
interval” (an augmented fourth), which many listeners found hard to accept in a
pop song.86
The Bossa style experienced tremendous success in Brazil and was the first Brazilian
music genre to have international exposure. Pop and jazz listeners were amazed by this
new style and started to incorporate it into their repertoire. One example is Garota de
McGowan, “the guitarist Garoto (Anibal Sardinha, 1915-1955), who added altered and
extended chords to sambas and choros, would be a strong influence on all bossa nova
86
Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha, The Brazilian sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular
Music of Brazil (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998), 56.
87
Garota de Ipanema, Tom Jobim Inédito, Biscoito Fino, CD, 1997.
89
expanded the chords and added many altered notes to his melodies. One explanation for
Assad’s employment of this technique is his first-hand experience with Garoto’s work.
detected in the work of Debussy, perhaps the greatest representative of the so called
French musical impressionism of the early twentieth century. These features are, more
precisely, indicated by inclusions of strange notes to chords."90 Bossa nova was the first
Brazilian musical genre to add new notes to chords, and Assad himself employs
Musical Example 7.1 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 1-
5)
According to Béhage, “Before bossa nova the melody was generally strongly
emphasized, to satisfy the basic requirement of an easily singable tune; bossa nova,
88
Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha, The Brazilian sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular
Music of Brazil (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998), 56.
89
Jorge do Fusa, by Garoto, Holsclaw Hall, Tucson, November 6, 2011.
90
José Estevam Gava, A Linguagem Harmônica da Bossa Nova (São Paulo: Editora Unesp, 2002), 58.
90
however, integrates melody, harmony and rhythm. The performer has a vital role in this
integration, but heavy emphasis on the singer’s personality is altogether avoided.” 91 This
provides context for why additional notes added to chords can be found in Assad’s main
Musical Example 7.2 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 9-16)
the soprano line and bass, chromaticism in chords with the same root, parallel
chromaticisms, high range pedal notes, dominant substitutes, major seven chords and
other added notes chords, and clichés in chromaticism of added notes such as a major
ninth becoming a minor ninth, or a major thirteenth becoming a minor thirteenth.92 Both
91
Gerard Béhague, "Bossa nova," Grove Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/03663 (accessed September 27, 2012).
92
José Estevam Gava, A Linguagem Harmônica da Bossa Nova (São Paulo: Editora Unesp, 2002),
252-253.
91
Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca present these elements in abundance; a few examples
can be noted in Musical Examples 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13,
7.14, 7.15, 7.16, 7.17, 7.18, 7.19, 7.20, 7.21, 7.22, and 7.23. Assad often incorporated
descending chromatic movements in soprano line and bass (see Musical Examples 7.3,
Musical Example 7.3 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 85
and 112)
Musical Example 7.4 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 89
and 116)
Chromaticism in chords with the same root can be noted in Musical Examples 7.7 and
7.8.
Musical Example 7.8 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 40-
43)
93
Parallel chromaticisms can be noted in Musical Examples 7.9, 7.10 and 7.11.
Musical Example 7.9 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 85
and 112)
Musical Example 7.10 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
80-82)
Musical Example 7.11 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
103-108)
High range pedal notes can be noted in Musical Examples 7.12 and 7.13.
94
Musical Example 7.13 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 96)
Dominant substitutes can be noted in Musical Examples 7.14, 7.15 and 7.16.
Musical Example 7.14 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
142-143)
95
The Ebaug9 chord substitutes the A7 (V7) chord as demonstrated in Musical Example
7.16.
Major seven chords and other added notes chords can be noted in Musical Examples 7.17
and 7.18.
96
Musical Example 7.18 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 1-9)
98
Clichés in chromaticism of added notes such as a major ninth becoming a minor ninth, or
a major thirteenth becoming a minor thirteenth can be noted in Musical Example 7.19.
Musical Example 7.19 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 17-
19)
Measures 88-89, 97, 99, 101, 115-116, and 121-124 in the first movement of
Nelson Faria’s frevo variation no. 3 as previously demonstrated. However, the harmony,
pitch, and voice-leading are influenced by bossa nova. The lack of a melodic idea, the
added notes to major and minor chords, and the contrast between the first and last two
beats of every measure, serve to draw the listener into the bossa nova aspects (see
Musical Example 7.20 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm.
88-89 and 115-116)
Musical Example 7.21 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 97)
Musical Example 7.22 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 99)
Musical Example 7.23 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m.
101)
100
The following lists are meant to assist the performer in gaining intimate familiarity
with the nuances of each genre. They should not be considered each genre’s most
Marcha Rancho:
Baião:
93
Chico Buarque, Chico Buarque de Hollanda, Som Livre, LP, 1966.
94
Carlos Lyra, Brazilian Bossa Nova Classics, Essential World Masters, CD, 2011.
95
Maria Dapaz, O Abre Alas, Atração Fonográfica, CD, 2008.
96
Chico Buarque, Chico Buarque de Hollanda vol. 2, Som Livre, LP, 1967.
97
Luiz Gonzaga, Luiz Gonzaga Maxximum, Columbia, CD, 2005.
101
Choro:
- Chorei (Pixinguinha);102
98
Ibid.
99
Hermeto Pascoal, Quarteto Novo, Odeon, LP, 1967.
100
Edu Lobo, Sergio Mendes Presents Lobo, Verve Records, CD, 2000.
101
Antonio Adolfo, Os Pianeiros: Antonio Adolfo Abraca Ernesto Nazareth, Kuarup Discos, CD,
2006.
102
Zé da Velha and Silvério Pontes, Só Pixinguinha, Biscoito Fino, CD, 2006.
103
Waldir Azevedo, Tributo a Waldir Azevedo o Mestre do Cavaquinho, Toda América Edições Ltda.,
CD, 2007.
104
Chico Buarque, Meus Caros Amigos, Universal Brazil, LP, 1976.
102
Samba:
Bossa Nova:
105
Alcione, Não Deixe o Samba Morrer, Polygram, CD, 1996.
106
Demonios da Garoa, Esses Divinos Demônios da Garoa, EMI, CD, 2008.
107
Martinho da Vila, Poeta da Cidade Martinho Canta Noel, Biscoito Fino, CD, 2012.
108
Toquinho, 20 Grandes Sucessos de Toquinho & Vinícius, Universal Latino, CD, 2007.
109
Tom Jobim, Tom Jobim Inédito, Biscoito Fino, CD, 1997.
110
Ibid.
111
Ibid.
103
Suggested Fingerings
pieces. Included within this document are ideas and strategies that can be used to
If this tension is not released, it can result in a painful performance experience, invariably
affecting the overall execution of the piece. A possible solution is to make use of open
strings (e.g., measure 101 in the first movement). This solution not only creates a more
comfortable performance experience, but also eliminates the gap between these notes and
Musical Example 8.1 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (m. 101)
Many guitarists play the middle voice in measures 10-11 of Aquarelle’s second
movement on the third string. This type of interpretation emphasizes the pieces’
counterpoint aspect but not the harmony. In fact, harmonic content is the element that
112
Nara Leão, 20 Grandes Sucessos de Nara Leão, Universal Latino, CD, 2007.
104
should receive the most attention in this movement. This fingering suggestion in Musical
Musical Example 8.2 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 10-
11)
The next fingering suggestion (see Musical Example 8.3) allows the interpreter to
emphasize the rhythmic aspect of measures 90 and 117 in Aquarelle’s first movement.
Playing the F# with finger number one will naturally create the eighth-note pause in the
Musical Example 8.3 – “Divertimento,” 1st movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 90
and 117)
Connecting the notes can be difficult while playing the chords in measures 137-144 of
Fantasia Carioca. Many guitarists are challenged to eliminate the gaps caused by the
105
chord shifts. This fingering suggestion in Musical Example 8.4 promotes the necessary
fluidity and facilitates the performance of this segment. Notice the optional harmonic
challenge encountered in trying to stretch the fingers of the left hand while sustaining the
duration of each note can be eliminated by employing the following fingering (see
Musical Example 8.5). This variation allows a constant “shifting of weights” between
fingers, where the weight of the left hand is distributed across one finger at a time. The
106
hand’s rhythm and sway allow the stretching to occur in a more pleasurable and
consistent manner.
Interpretation Guidelines
Assad’s Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca is not sufficient for an authentic interpretation
aligned with the composer’s intent. It is also necessary to put knowledge into practice.
The following examples provide some general considerations for the conscientious
Aquarelle, but the study of Brazilian traditional music may offer insights for
interpretation. Since the rhythmic pattern of marcha rancho can be found in measures 16-
23, guitarists can assume measures 24-33 are a continuation of the same genre, adding
Musical Example 9.1 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 24-33)
The duration of notes in written guitar music is not always precise; many notes
are supposed to last longer than originally written. This observation is useful, especially
108
in pieces where harmony plays an important role. Assad’s Aquarelle and Fantasia
Carioca are pieces that explore harmony to a great extent; the second movement of
Aquarelle may sound amateur if the performer refrains from letting the notes ring.
Musical Example 9.2 – “Valseana,” 2nd movement from Aquarelle by Assad (mm. 17-
20)
Assad included many articulation marks in the score, assisting the performer who
is yet unfamiliar with Brazilian traditional music genres. These articulations must be
executed flawlessly.
Musical Example 9.3 – “Preludio e toccatina,” 3rd movement from Aquarelle by Assad
(mm. 86-89)
In addition to individual note duration and articulation marks, there are larger
genres. According to Fitch and Rosenfeld, “When humans hear a passage of music for the
first time, they are often able to tap their foot along with the music, or dance to it,
109
whether or not they are musically trained.” 113 People’s daily lives are filled by regular
periods of time: their hearts, their walking pace, their recurring schedule, even time itself
can be measured by regular beats. For this reason, “pulse” is generally perceived as
something natural. Syncope114 on the other hand is not present in most people’s daily
sensation; the syncopated rhythms are performed as a single unit. According to Miller,
“There is a contradiction when saying that that which goes against the norm
(syncopation) is the norm in certain music. The apparent paradox that emerges when
Brazilian music is filled with syncope. Syncope is unifying element for a variety of
subgenres and styles in Brazilian traditional music and both Assad’s Aquarelle and
Fantasia Carioca serve as significant examples. The first challenge is to perform these
rhythmic patterns as if they felt as natural as ordinary regular beats, the second challenge
113
W. Tecumseh Fitch and Andrew J. Rosenfeld, “Perception and Production of Syncopated
Rhythms,” Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 25 no. 1 (2007):45.
114
Device used by composers in order to vary position of the stress on notes so as to avoid regular
rhythm. Syncopation is achieved by accenting a weak instead of a strong beat, by putting rests on strong
beats, by holding on over strong beats, and by introducing a sudden change of time‐signature. First used at
time of Ars Nova, and exploited to fullest capabilities by jazz musicians, often in improvisation.
Stravinsky, Bartók , etc. also employ syncopation with dramatic effect.
(source:http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/opr/t237/e1002
3)
115
Richard Elbert Miller, “The Guitar in the Brazilian Choro: Analyses of Traditional, Solo, and Art
Music” (PhD diss., Catholic University of America, 2006), 46.
110
or style, “groove” is associated with the ability to emphasize the rhythmic part of a piece,
unanimous consensus in specifying only one “groove” pattern per genre. As a result, each
Brazilian traditional music genre accommodates many possible patterns that incorporate
variances in note duration, articulation and tempo. The possible combinations of these
rhythmic nuances are so great they defy any possibility for categorization. The following
The main idea is to transform the original piece into a piece that could be used for
This document will list an example of each Brazilian traditional music genre
3. Obtain the recordings and chord sheets for the songs listed in the listening
assignment section;
Which notes are shortened and to what degree may vary from interpreter to
interpreter, and that is the reason why categorizing all variants is not practical.
another person, only experienced firsthand. Future research may reveal more
111
concrete rules regarding the nuances of every genre’s “groove,” however the vast
number of nuances and foreseeable exceptions to these rules make the intuitive
Brazilian traditional music does not sound as “clean” as regular concert pieces.
refined technique and formal music training. For instance, the guitar “squeaks”
heard in many popular recordings, over time, have become the standard of
percussive instruments. A chord will sound more percussive when muted by the
left hand than if muted by the right hand. The right hand produces a solid
“groovy” interpretations of marcha rancho, baião, choro, samba and bossa nova. The
following exercise consists of repeating each one of the examples several times followed
repeat a short music fragment for long periods of time. The performer, moving his/her
body together with the music, achieves a more complete understanding of the material.
Both this movement and the depth of understanding contribute to the audience’s
This marcha rancho rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 21-29, 42-44, 50-51, 66-
71, 76-77, 84 (111), 88-89 (115-116), 109-110, 121, and 123 in the first movement of
Aquarelle. It also occurs in measures 16-17, 34, 40-43, and 64-65 in the third movement
of Aquarelle.
This marcha rancho rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 38-44, 63-65, 87 (114),
90-93, 97, 99, 101, 118, and 122 in the first movement, as well as measures 18-23 and
This marcha rancho rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 124-132 in the first
movement of Aquarelle.
This baião rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 76-79 in the first movement, as
well as measures 44, 53, 62, 66, 103, and 113-114 in the third movement of Aquarelle.
This choro rhythmic pattern can be found in measure 71 in the third movement of
Aquarelle.
This samba rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 85-86 (112-113) in the first
movement of Aquarelle.
This samba rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 98-115 (208-224) of Fantasia
Carioca.
This samba rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 82-83, 86-87, and 90-91 in the
This samba rhythmic pattern can be found in measures 84-85, 88-89, and 92-93 in the
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS
first century, Sérgio Assad continues to inspire guitarists all over the world through his
arrangements, compositions, and performances. Aquarelle and Fantasia Carioca are two
significant examples of his writing style. The heavy influence of Brazilian traditional
music genres is evidenced in the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic qualities of both
pieces. The peculiar accents of marcha rancho coupled with elements of baião (as use of
repeated notes, mixolidian/lydian b7 and dorian modes), the “baixarias” of choro, the
rhythmic variations of samba, and the harmony of bossa nova are important qualities that
can assist the informed listener in understanding Assad’s compositions. Together with
direct input from the composer, these qualities lend themselves to a more authentic
interpretation.
musician regarding the defining qualities of a given work should not compromise its
perceived value. 116 Interpreters have a responsibility, to the audience and composer, to
deliver an authentic interpretation. The tools contained within this performer’s guide aim
116
Sérgio Assad, Interview by Eduardo Minozzi Costa, September 12, 2012. (For the complete
interview, see Appendix A).
121
APPENDIX A
Although Brazilian music has many different genres the most frequently used on the
guitar are: the choro and the waltz. Also used are the samba, the maxixe, the baião and
the modinha, but a little less frequently. I've worked with all of them but mostly with the
Many pieces by Nazareth, Jacob Bittencourt and Pixinguinha. What they had in common
was that their output was mainly in the choro and waltz genres.
3. What were your career and life like while composing Aquarelle?
Aquarelle was my first large work for solo guitar. I wrote it in 1986 while living in Paris.
At that time Odair and I had already started an international career but weren't extremely
busy. I had long periods off and could dedicate lots of time to arrange pieces for our
My wife at the time, who passed away in 1994, liked to paint aquarelles. 117 I was
117
“Aquarelles” refer to watercolors.
122
fascinated with the spread of the colors on the canvas. Following that idea of spreading I
started the piece with a motif of three notes that spreads through the score with
5. What were your career and life like while composing Fantasia Carioca?
I wrote Fantasia Carioca in 1994. That year was quite tragic but when you are under
stress music helps you out. I wrote it to myself, to remember I was Brazilian and that was
Images and memories of Rio. Distances were much longer in those days and
communication wasn't so easy like today. Fantasia Carioca is an obsession with a single
music phrase. As I was sort of stuck in Paris but wishing to be in Brazil, Rio became that
kind of obsession. If you go through the piece you will notice that the same theme
appears a dozen times exploring many different moods and genres including the ballad
7. Are there any printing mistakes in Aquarelle? If yes, what needs to be corrected?
- Page 5, measure 2 from line 5: the F# from the second chord should be natural. In
reality, it should have been written as E#, which if you do that, you will have to write a
- Page 5, measure 1 from line 6: the third chord, where there is a bar, the A should be
- Page 6, the same chords which I referred to before are repeated on line 6 and should be
corrected as well.
- Page 11, measure 1 from line 2: the B from the third beat should be flat.
- Page 14, measure 1 from line 5: the C from the second beat should be an A.
It is possible that something else may have escaped my attention, but these are the
8. Are there any printing mistakes in Fantasia Carioca? If yes, what needs to be
corrected?
9. How should Aquarelle be performed? Could you offer some insight as to how to play
I believe that a piece of music is like your child. Once is out there it can grow differently
from your original intent. Sometimes the result isn't good but you can be quite nicely
surprised by other people's view of your work at other times. The last movement is more
idiomatic than the previous ones and some experience with Brazilian traditional music
can help.
10. How should Fantasia Carioca be performed? Could you offer some insight as to how
Fantasia Carioca needs a lot of liberty with tempi, quite freely most of the time, until
you get to the samba section that requires some experience with that traditional genre.
124
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
COMPOSER’S PERMISSION
126
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Review 9, no. 1 (1988): 50-89.
Assad, Sérgio, and Aliéksey Vianna. Aliéksey Vianna plays Sérgio Assad Solo Guitar
Works. San Francisco, CA: GSP Recordings, 2005.
Assad, Sérgio, and Odair Assad. Milonga per tre. GHA. CD. 2004.
Assad, Sérgio, and Odair Assad. Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla. Nonesuch. CD.
2001.
Barnes, Christopher. The Russian Piano School: Russian Pianists & Moscow
Conservatoire Professors on the Art of the Piano. London: Kahn & Averill,
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Bastos, Rafael José de Menezes. “The "Origin of Samba" as the Invention of Brazil (Why
Do Songs Have Music?).” British Journal of Ethnomusicology 8 (1999): 67-96.
127
Beethoven, Ludwig Van. Symphony no. 5, Op. 67, in C minor. New York: Kalmus
Orchestra Scores, 1932.
Béhague, Gerard. “Bossa & Bossas: Recent Changes in Brazilian Urban Popular Music.”
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Buarque, Chico. Chico Buarque de Hollanda vol. 2. Som Livre. LP. 1967.
Byo, James. “Teach Your Instrumental Students to Listen.” Music Educators Journal 77,
no. 4 (1990): 46.
Castro, Marcus Faro, and Maria Izabel Valladão de Carvalho. “Globalization and Recent
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