Brazzil In the year 2000, Brazil marked 500 years since its "discovery." At the instigation of Ricardo Cravo Albin (who came
up with the scenario), the state of Rio de Janeiro commissioned the composer Francis Hime to write a popular symphony
to commemorate the occasion. For Hime this couldn't have been an easy task, as the symphonic MPB path had already
been trodden by none other than Tom Jobim, who composed the first
Sinfonia do Rio de Janeiro in 1954, with Radamés
Gnattali as orchestrator and conductor.
There are a number of similarities between the two compositions. Both utilize popular rhythms in orchestral settings.
Both employ a recurring leitmotiv that punctuates a series of individual movements. Both highlight various aspects—good
and bad—of the city. And both feature a group of well-known vocalists, each singing a solo part.
There the similarities end. Tom's
Sinfonia, co-authored with Billy Blanco, was a relatively brief (15:40 min.)
contemporary portrait of the city, a cocktail of impressions that mixed admiration for its natural beauty
(Rio de Janeiro/que eu sempre hei de amar/Rio de Janeiro/a montanha, o sol e o
mar) and scenes of daily life (Sete horas, quanta gente vai à rua
procurando ônibus, trem!/Não vem o lotação!/Atrasado pro trabalho/Resultado:
confusão!) filled with carioca tidbits like the
cafezinho habit, gafieiras, football games, the beach, and focusing on the contrast between the Zona Sul and the
morro. The pre-bossa nova music and arrangements owed a heavy debt to Broadway.
Francis Hime's Sinfonia, with lyrics by Geraldo Carneiro and Paulo Cesar Pinheiro, is a broader (and longer—50:38
min.) canvas, painting the city's entire history in five chapters, each represented by a rhythm typical to its period: the
lundu of Colonial Rio (from the discovery until the declaration of Independence by Dom Pedro I in 1822); the
modinha of Imperial Rio (1802_1889); the
choro of the Belle Époque (1874_1930); the samba of the so-called Época de Ouro (1930_1957);
and contemporary Rio (from the introduction of the
bossa nova until now).
The opening movement hits hard with four staccato stanzas, each one in a single note; here's the first:
Dante, se pintasse With the introduction of the expansive leitmotiv, we get an homage to Tom Jobim (and to Dorival Caymmi):
Sol de Dezembro The long vocal section of the Abertura closes with an orchestral parade through all the themes that will make
an individual appearance. Lenine sings the vigorous
lundu movement, whose lyrics tell the story of the discovery from
a contemporary point of view. He's followed by Zé Renato, cast to type for the romantic role in the
modinha movement. The choro movement was given to Leila Pinheiro, who's a natural in this genre and does justice to Paulo Cesar Pinheiro's
lyrics—a catalog of choro names well in his style. Cast against type is Olívia Hime, who sings the samba movement in an erudite
style that makes for an interesting contrast with the lively instrumental accompaniment. The fifth movement, sung by
Sérgio Santos and dedicated to contemporary Brazilian song, is an occasion to pay tribute to the fathers of the
bossa nova:
[...] Levando a garota de Ipanema The finale closes the piece the way the latter began, with single-note stanzas such as this, taking us back to Tom
Jobim's Sinfonia:
Rio seresteiro Hime is able to offer his listeners a luxury not at Jobim's disposal: the new
Sinfonia is available on DVD. The primary footage consists of the concert given at the Teatro Municipal on 30 November 2000 under the composer's baton. Into this
are intercut numerous stunning views of Rio. The
modinha movement is laced with historic art, while the samba
movement chimes in with images of Carnaval.
During the concert one can observe not only Hime and the soloists but individuals in the chorus (e.g., Eveline Hecker
and Ari Bispo) and the orchestra—Wilson das Neves, Jorginho do Pandeiro and his son Celso Silva, Tutti Moreno,
Luciana Rabello, and Vittor Santos are some of the notables.
And that's not all. You can watch the
Sinfonia whole, movement-by-movement, or with commentaries by the
principal personages involved; with or without subtitles; in four screen sizes; and with two Dolby options. There are biographies
of all concerned on the disc, in addition to a bilingual booklet with lyrics and notes by Flávio Marinho and Ricardo Cravo Albin.
Sinfonia do Rio de Janeiro de São
Sebastião is a thoroughly professional and satisfying production that doubles as
an exciting travelog. And that's saying a lot.
Audio samples are available at
http://www.cliquemusic.com.br/br/Artistas/artistas.asp?Status=DISCO&Nu_Disco=10186 Francis Hime: Sinfonia do Rio de Janeiro de São Sebastião
(Biscoito Fino CD BF504/DVD BF507; 2002) 50:38 min.
Orchestrated & conducted by Francis Hime
1. Abertura (Francis Hime/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro/Geraldo Carneiro) - all
2. 1º Movimento - Lundu (Francis Hime/Geraldo Carneiro) - Lenine
3. 2º Movimento - Modinha (Francis Hime/Geraldo Carneiro) - Zé Renato
4. 3º Movimento - Choro (Francis Hime/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) - Leila Pinheiro
5. 4º Movimento - Samba (Francis Hime/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) - Olivia Hime
6. 5º Movimento - Canção Brasileira (Francis Hime/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) - Sérgio Santos
7. Final (Francis Hime/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro/Geraldo Carneiro) - all
Antonio Carlos Jobim & Billy Blanco: Sinfonia do Rio de Janeiro: A Montanha - O Sol - O Mar (Sinfonia Popular
em Tempo de Samba)
(Continental/Warner 450999180-2; 1954/1995) 15:40 min.
Orchestrated & conducted by Radamés Gnattali
Hino ao Sol - Dick Farney & Os Cariocas
Coisas do Dia - Lúcio Alves & Os Cariocas
Matei-me no Trabalho - Gilberto Milfont
Zona Sul - Elizete Cardoso
Arpoador - Dick Farney
Noites do Rio - Doris Monteiro & Os Cariocas
O Mar - Elizete Cardoso
Copacabana - Lúcio Alves
A Montanha - Emilinha Borba
O Morro - Nora Ney
Descendo o Morro - Jorge Goulart
Samba de Amanhã - Dick Farney
_______________________________________
Leo Peracchi, then and now: Leo Peracchi (1911-1993) was one of Brazil's most important arrangers. Along with Radamés Gnattali, he's regarded as
the great modernizer of popular music orchestration. In 1958, Peracchi created orchestral arrangements for thirteen
unknown songs written by 29-year old composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and his 44-year old lyricist partner, the diplomat Vinicius
de Moraes. The songs were recorded by Peracchi's wife, the soprano Lenita Bruno, accompanied by an orchestra conducted
by the maestro.
The following year, these recordings were released under the title
Por Toda a Minha Vida by the small Festa label,
which specialized in poetry albums and had released Elizeth Cardoso's 1958 LP
Canção do Amor Demais, also comprising songs
by Tom and Vinicius and heralding the bossa-nova age through João Gilberto's participation in "Chega de Saudade" and
"Outra Vez."
Por Toda a Minha Vida is a spectacular album, more art song than pop. All the songs recorded on it are classics
now. Their orchestral arrangements are considered by music writers like João Máximo and Mauro Dias to have been the font
from which younger arrangers like Tom Jobim drank (Jobim called Peracchi "meu professor"), as evidenced in João Gilberto's
first three LPs and the work of international arrangers like Claus Ogerman.
The album was reissued on CD in 1999 and soon disappeared from sight again. Peracchi's arrangements,
however, survived intact in the possession of his daughter Myriam. Meanwhile, Mauro Dias, obsessed with the idea of
Peracchi's being the link between the character of Jobim's compositions and Jobim's arrangements, played the album to
Paulista composer Eduardo Gudin, who had been Peracchi's student. Thus was born the idea of recording the same
arrangements again, utilizing up-to-date techniques.
The recording took place during a live concert at Sesc Pompéia in São Paulo, with Gudin conducting the Orquestra
Jazz Sinfônica and six of São Paulo's best singers standing in for Lenita Bruno: Céline Imbert, Mônica Salmaso, Tetê Espíndola,
Ná Ozzetti, Vânia Bastos, and Jane Duboc, joined by Myriam Peracchi.
The result, recently released by Dabliú as
O Mestre Leo Peracchi e a Jazz Sinfônica—Canções de Tom e
Vinicius, is as spectacular as the original. Naturally, the interpretations vary more than they would with a single vocalist, but the
whole retains remarkable cohesiveness, with the lyrical qualities of the original magically preserved.
O Mestre Leo Peracchi e a Jazz
Sinfônica will no doubt take its place as a classic side-by-side with
Por Toda a Minha Vida.
O Mestre Leo Peracchi e a Jazz Sinfônica—Canções de Tom e Vinicius
(Sesc São Paulo/Dabliú Discos DB0106; 2001/02) 49:02 min.
Eduardo Gudin conducting Leo Peracchi's arrangements
01. Por Toda a Minha Vida - Céline Imbert
02. Serenata do Adeus - Céline Imbert
03. As Praias Desertas - Mônica Salmaso
04. Soneto de Separação - Mônica Salmaso
05. Valsa de Orfeu [Valsa de Euridice] - Tetê Espíndola
06. Cai a Tarde - Tetê Espíndola
07. Modinha - Ná Ozzetti
08. Estrada Branca - Ná Ozzetti
09. Canta, Canta Mais - Vânia Bastos
10. Eu Não Existo Sem Você - Vânia Bastos
11. Canção do Amor Demais - Jane Duboc
12. Sem Você - Jane Duboc
13. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar - Myriam Peracchi
14. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar - all
Lenita Bruno e Orquestra: Por Toda a Minha Vida
(Festa FT-1802; 1959/1999) 37:59 min.
Arranged & conducted by Leo Peracchi
01. Por Toda a Minha Vida (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
02. Serenata do Adeus (Vinicius de Moraes)
03. Estrada Branca (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
04. Soneto de Separação (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
05. Valsa de Orfeu (Vinicius de Moraes)
06. Canção do Amor Demais (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
07. As Praias Desertas (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
08. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
09. Canta, Canta Mais (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
10. Modinha (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
11. Cai a Tarde (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
12. Sem Você (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
13. Eu Não Existo Sem Você (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
The writer publishes the online magazine of Brazilian music and culture Daniella Thompson on Brazil and the website Musica Brasiliensis, where she can be contacted.
This article was originally published in Daniella Thompson on Brazil.
Copyright © 2003 Daniella Thompson. All rights reserved.
Music
June/July 2002
Let's Hear It for Jobim.
Francis Hime's Sinfonia do Rio de Janeiro
de São Sebastião DVD celebrates the
Cidade
Maravilhosa in grand style.
Daniella Thompson
Nessas paradas aqui
Talvez proclamasse:
O purgatório é aqui! [...]
Rio de Janeiro
Águas de Março
Rosas de Abril
Com aquele balanço bossa-nova
Da Rua Vinicius de Moraes
(Foi assim, foi demais)
Pro aeroporto Tom Jobim
(Foi demais, foi assim) [...]
Meu menestrel sedutor
Rio de Janeiro
Estou morrendo de amor [...]
A remarkable disc is reprised in a new mantle.