The Sounds of Brazil: Exploration of Music on a Global Scale

Brazilian music is, in my opinion, one of the most fascinating types of global music. Lonely Planet's article, "Brazil in Detail", details that Brazilian music was "shaped by the mixing of varied influences from three continents... [these are] Africa, North America, and Europe" (Lonely Planet). The wide range of influences and backgrounds leads to a melting-pot-like sound, as the music incorporates sounds from all around the world. 

One thing I wasn't really aware of before beginning my research on this assignment is that music from different continents and cultures can have genres. The thought had never even crossed my mind. Turns out, music from Asia, Africa, or in this case, Brazil, can be categorized by its listeners into different genres. There are dozens of genres of Brazilian music, including Samba, Carioco Funk, and Sertanejo. For the purpose of this assignment, I am only going to be focusing on two genres from Brazil: bossa nova and choro.

Bossa Nova

Bossa nova is a style of samba music that was developed in the late 1950s (and even the early 1960s) that can be set apart by its syncopation of traditional samba music and incorporation of American jazz. This type of music is often considered the most influential genre of music in Brazil in the 50s and 60s.

One example of bossa nova music is "The Girl from Ipanema" by Stan Getz featuring Astrud Gilberto.

"The Girl from Ipanema" was released in May 1964 in New York City. I understand that this song technically isn't considered "global" because it was released in New York, but I fully consider this song to be traditional Brazilian bossa nova. Both the writers/producers and the lyricists were Brazilian citizens, and most of the lyrics are in Portuguese. 

This song is quiet and smooth. Getz's vocals in the beginning are rich and sweet like honey, and they are contrasted by Gilberto's soft and quiet vocals. It is a little difficult to follow the beat of this song, as it is a largely syncopated song, but I believe this song follows a 4/4 time signature. 

Bossa nova music was often written about women, love, and nature. The lyrics were scarcely politically-charged, and this could be why this genre was not the most influential for very long. In the 1960s, the majority of Brazil's population was working-class, and bossa nova catered to the upper-middle class- that is to say, the life depicted in songs of this genre was not relatable to the majority of the Brazilian population. While it was fun to listen to, bossa nova was quickly overtaken by Brazilian MBP, which had more political lyrics, and thus was more relatable to more of its listeners.

Choro (pronounced sho-ro)

Choro music is probably my personal favorite genre of Brazilian music. It is considered the "grandfather of bossa nova". While the direct translation of choro is cry or lament, the beat and tempo are often upbeat and fast. Traditionally, choro was played by a trio of flute, 6- or 7-string guitar, and cavaquinho. Other instruments could be played, however, and these included mandolin, clarinet, saxophone, and other brass instruments. 

Here is an example of choro, called "Vou Vivendo" by Pixinguinha (performed by ChoroBop).

This is, as I stated above, a cover of the original song. As you listen to the original song (below), note the distinct differences in how choro can be performed.

Pixinguinha was a stage name (real name Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho) for this Brazilian composer. This song is heavily syncopated as well, and I believe it follows a 4/4 time signature.

Choro as a genre is heavily improvised and rarely has vocals. This genre was meant to entertain, and there weren't many social or cultural influences that surround(ed) this type of music.

All in all, Brazilian music is much more than just the single genre of dance music I originally thought it to be. Brazilian music is full of life and tradition, and it has turned out to be incredibly fascinating. I hope you guys learned something from this post, as I know I did !

Also, personally, I think choro is incredibly entertaining. I could dance to that music all night long. 

Brown, Sarah. "10 Traditional Brazilian Music Genres You Need to Know About." Culture Trip. The Culture Trip, 29 Nov. 2017. Web. 01 July 2021.

Lonely Planet. "Brazil in Detail: Music." Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet, 09 Aug. 2019. Web. 01 July 2021.

Pareles, Jon, Ben Ratliff, Jon Caramanica, and Nate Chinen. "The Essentials of Brazilian Music for Olympic Listening." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Aug. 2016. Web. 01 July 2021.

"Pixinguinha." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 June 2021. Web. 01 July 2021.