Bachianas brasileiras

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The Bachianas Brasileiras constitute a series of nine suites by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written for various combinations of instruments and voices between 1930 and 1945. Each represents a fusion between Brazilian folk and popular music and the style of Johann Sebastian Bach. Most of the movements in each suite have two titles: one 'Bachian' (Prelúdio, Fuga etc.) and one Brazilian (Embolada, O Canto da Nossa Terra).

The works are:

• No. 1 for 8 cellos (1932). This contains three movements: Introdução (Embolada); Prelúdio (Modinha); and Fuga (Conversa).
• No. 2 for chamber orchestra (1933). There are four programmatic movements, each reworking an earlier piece for piano or for cello and piano:
  • Prelúdio (O Canto do Capadocio)
  • Ária (O Canto da Nossa Terra)
  • Dança (Lembrança do Sertão)
  • Tocata (O Trenzinho do Caipira).
• No. 3 for piano and orchestra (1934).
• No. 4 for piano (1930-41); orchestrated in 1942.
• No. 5 for soprano and 8 cellos (1938/45). This is probably Villa-Lobos's single most popular work.
  • Aria (Cantilena)
  • Dança (Martelo). .
• No. 6 for flute and bassoon (1938).
• No. 7 for orchestra (1942).
• No. 8 for orchestra (1944).
• No. 9 for chorus or string orchestra (1945).