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Introdução aos Chôros: Abertura (Introduction to the Chôros: Overture), is a composition for guitar and orchestra by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, composed in 1929 as an overture to precede a complete performance of his series of fourteen Chôros. A performance of just the Introdução lasts about thirteen minutes.

Introdução aos Chôros
Abertura
Chôros by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos
English	Introduction to the Chôros: Overture
Catalogue	W239
Composed	1929 (1929):
Published	1987
Publisher	Max Eschig
Duration	13 min.
Movements	1
Scoring	Orchestra, guitar solo
Premiere
Location	Rio de Janeiro,
Conductor	Leo Perachi
Performers	Zé Menezes (guitar), Orchestra of the Rádio Nacional

History

According to Villa-Lobos, a complete presentation of his series of Chôros should be preceded by the Introdução aos Choros and concluded by the duet for violin and cello called Chôros bis, as a sort of encore. According to the official account, the Introdução aos Chôros was composed in Rio de Janeiro and Paris in 1929.[1]

Instrumentation

The work is scored for solo guitar (amplified) and an orchestra consisting of 2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, tam-tam, cymbals, xylophone, celesta, 2 harps, piano, and strings.

Analysis

The work has the form and function of a traditional symphonic overture, anticipating the themes and other aspects of the music that is to follow. The main themes are drawn from the Chôros numbers 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 14. The work ends with the solo guitar, against a soft and soothing background, playing a free cadenza that prepares for the following entrance of Chôros No. 1, "which is like the essence, the embryo, the psychological model that will be developed technically in the conception of all the Chôros".[2]

References

Cited sources

• Villa-Lobos, Heitor. 1972. "Choros: Estudo técnico, estético e psicológico", edited in 1950 by Adhemar Nóbrega. In Villa-Lobos, sua obra, second edition, 198–210. Rio de Janeiro: MEC/DAC/Museu Villa-Lobos.
• Villa-Lobos, sua obra. 2009. Version 1.0. MinC / IBRAM, and the Museu Villa-Lobos. Based on the third edition, 1989.

Further reading

• Appleby, David. 2002. Heitor Villa-Lobos: A Life (1887–1959). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-4149-9.
• Neves, José Maria. 1977. Villa-Lobos, o choro e os choros. São Paulo: Musicália S.A.
• Nóbrega, Adhemar Alves da. 1975. Os chôros de Villa-Lobos. Rio de Janeiro: Museu Villa-Lobos.
• Seixas, Guilherme Bernstein. 2007. “Procedimentos Composicionais nos Choros Orquestrais de Heitor Villa-Lobos”. PhD diss. Rio de Janeiro: Universidade Federal do Estado de Rio de Janeiro.
• Wright, Simon. 1992. Villa-Lobos. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-315475-7.

External links

• Introdução aos Chôros, video recording by Turibio Santos (guitar), and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, conducted by Diogo Pacheco (followed by a shortened version of Chôros No. 1, performed by Santos).
• Introdução aos Chôros, video recording by the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar, conducted by Roberto Tibiriçá [pt; ru] (followed by an arrangement by Pedro Andrés Perez of Chôros No. 1 for guitar orchestra, and an encore medley).

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