Heitor Villa-Lobos

String Quartet No. 1 is the first of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, originally written in Nova Friburgo in 1915 and extensively revised in 1946. A performance lasts approximately eighteen minutes.

History

Villa-Lobos composed his First Quartet in Nova Friburgo, Brazil in 1915, originally under the title Suíte de Quartetos de Corda: Suíte Graciosa and in just three movements: "Cantilena" (Andante), "Cançonetinha Grega" (Allegretto), and "Brinquedo". This version, the manuscript of which is dated 5 March 1915, was given its first performance privately at the home of the Brazilian composer, pianist, and teacher Homero de Sá Barreto (1884–1924), on 3 December 1915. The score of this version, which was never given a public performance, is dedicated to the Quarteto de Friburgo, for whom it was written. In 1946, believing the original manuscript to have been lost, Villa-Lobos rewrote the score, adding three movements and retitling the work String Quartet No. 1. This version was performed in Rio de Janeiro for the first time by the Iacovino Quartet on 7 August 1946. [1]

Analysis

The quartet consists of six movements:

  1. "Cantilena" (Andante)
  2. "Brincadeira" (Allegretto scherzando)
  3. "Canto lírico" (Moderato)
  4. "Cançoneta" (Andantino quasi allegretto)
  5. "Melancolia" (Lento)
  6. "Saltando como um Saci" (Allegro)

The six short movements of this quartet take the form of a suite, alternating cantabile and dance movements.[2]

The lively and humorous second movement, titled "Brincadeira" (Joke), features effects of pizzicato, battendo coll'arco (striking the strings with the back of the bow), and harmonics, both natural and artificial.[3]

Throughout the third movement the melodic material is confined entirely to the viola and first violin.[4] The composer describes this movement as "a deliberate and elevated caricature of romantic arias, transcending the delicious idea of a romanza sung by a baritone accompanied by a small provincial orchestra".[5]

The fourth and fifth movements suggest passages in the Bachianas Brasileiras, particularly the violin melody in "Melancolia" resembles the "Canto do capadócio" from Bachianas No. 2.[6]

Discography

In order of date of recording:

Filmography

References

  1. ^ Peppercorn 1991, pp. 32–33.
  2. ^ Farmer 1973, p. 110.
  3. ^ Farmer 1973, p. 20.
  4. ^ Farmer 1973, p. 21.
  5. ^ Villa-Lobos 1972, p. 229.
  6. ^ Tarasti 2009, p. 228.

Cited sources

Further reading

Categories