Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.

The Choro, the Guitar and VilIa-Lobos

Thomas G. Garcia
o violAo e a tdifio do Choro foram imprantes na formayio musical de Heitor Villa
Lobs, tendo t violAo em coIutos d choro em su moidade. A musica de violAo
de Villa-Lobos exempli fica muitas d caracteristicas do mais elevado choro, com a
combinaio da mUsica ppular Brasileira e d are musical Europia. Este trabalho
explora 0 origem e 0 desenvolvimento do choro, que foi um genero dominante na cena
musical Brasi leira nos meiados do seculo ate 1920. Descreve a musica tocado plos
cunjuntos de choro e a separaio gradual do formato musical Europu introduzindo os
formatos d origem Afro-SuI Americanos, mudando nesse processo a psiao do violao
no choro tradicional. Finalmente, explica 0 declinio do choro depis d decada 1920 e
subsequentemente a volta na ppularidade do choro nos temps atuais .

Music in Brazil has undergone signifcant changes in the past one hundred and
fify years. The end of the colonial period, with its social ad eonomic uncerainty, and the
growth and diversifcation of the population cause by large scale migation to urba centers
and immigration from Europe, hastened the emergence of a national spirit and identity
which wa maifested in the music. Performing and plastic artists, for years dominated by
European ideals, experimented with new forms and ideas. With no local tradition from
which to draw inspiration, Brazilian artists 'invented' a new tradition, placing great
importace on individuality and shunning 'Old World' thinking. The search for a national
identity led to new and diferent kinds of music.
This paper is pa of my continuing study of Brazilian music and its most famous
proponent, Heitor Villa-Lobos. It focuses on the connection between the popula and the
erdite, ad is conceed with the choro, I the dominat genre in the Brailian musical scene
for the half-centur between 1870 and 1920. I begin with a general look at the origins and
history of the choro, the forces involved in performing the genre and its modem
maifestations, as a prelude to the guitar's traditional fnction in the choro, its chaging role
through time, ad its historical existence as a solo instument. I also examine Villa-Lobos's
connection to the guitar and the choro tradition.
Choro is a general term with divergent meanings. The word may designate an
instrumental ensemble (called a choro, the individual players known as choroes, singular
chorao), the music played by this instrumental group or a soloist, or certain popular dance
forms. In each cae the ter refers to an exclusively instrmental genre. There are several
theories as to the origin of the word. David Appleby suggests that it comes from the
Portuguese verb chorar (to cry or weep). He translates choro as lament and choroes as
weepers, derived from the melacholy character of the music, and believes that a the style
developed it lost some of its melacholy associations as fast, lively choros became
common? Gerard Behague suggests a connection between the term xolo, Afo-Brailian
daces perfored on cerain days of the yea, ad choro,] but Ar Vasconcelos provides the
most convincing and logical explanation:
The linking of choro (style, musical genre) to choro (melancholy) is
seductive, but not correct. It appears that the nae is derived from
LW-Brailia Review, XI 0024-7413/97/057 $1.50
o 1997 by the Board of Regent of the
University of Wisconsin System
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.