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.), the other Brazilian (Embolada, O Canto da Nossa Terra, etc.).

The works are:

  • No. 1 for 8 cellos (1932):
    • Introdução (Embolada)
    • Prelúdio (Modinha)
    • 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)