50 unreleased songs are in ‘Pixinguinha Como Nunca’, a project that brings together different phases of the composer, who died in 1973
“Pixinguinha it’s unchallenged.” Here’s how Chico Burque defined the musician, arranger, composer and conductor Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Filho (1897-1973) in song lyrics For everyone1993. And it’s not just Chico who knows that Pixinguinha’s talent and importance for the Brazilian popular music they are not subject to doubt.
Before, the regent Guerra-Peixe – related to classic music – had already warned candidates for the position of conductor: Pixinguinha is the starting point to follow.
This month, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Rio de Janeiro musician’s death, comes a series of four albums featuring previously unreleased instrumental music to reinforce just these perceptions: the composer of Tender, rose AND regrets – just to be among the compositions that gained lyrics and, inevitably, became more popular – he was a genius.
The project named Pixinguinha like never before it is artistically directed by the composer’s nephew, musician and actor Marcelo Vianna, and musically directed by Henrique Cazes, arranger and researcher of the composer’s work. All in all, they will about 50 songs unreleased, creations of different phases, in albums to be released digitally until April on the Deck label.
All this has been possible because Pixinguinha has left a vast collection, with many scores, arrangements for radios and symphonies. All very well organized in folders. Firstly, it was owned by Alfredinho, the musician’s only son. Subsequently, he turned, on loan, to the Moreira Salles Institute who subsequently acquired the collection permanently – that’s where most of the songs that will be released now come from.
The first of the albums is already on the platforms. Pixinguinha Virtuoso contains 12 songs recorded by musicians handpicked by Vianna and Cazes – something essential when it comes to presenting something new from a composer whose notes are so ingrained in popular memory. It was necessary to create above the melodies left by the composer.
The sextet includes the musicians Carlos Malta (flute and sax), Silvério Pontes (trumpet), Marcelo Caldi (accordion), Marcos Suzano (percussions), João Camarero (7-string guitar) and Cazes himself, who signs the arrangements and plays the cavaquinho. “It was a challenge to find the right tone, the instrument that would make the most of any tune, the ideal soloist. We didn’t want it to sound like something old or something that had already been done. , rather than have that conservative bias, that , in my opinion, is so detrimental to the choro and always puts it in a place of the past,” explains Cazes.
Modern
Vianna says her grandfather was extremely modern in his day. “He always put the musicians at ease. His modernity was not only in the melodies, but in the path he proposed. Pixinguinha exercised all his musicality. This is what we want people to understand,” he says.
“It was common for black performers to be considered spontaneous, improvisers. They were hardly considered structuring,” says Cazes, noting the arranger side of Pixinguinha, who also wrote for orchestras. “The word that defines him is fluency,” he adds.
Cazes draws attention to the diversity of the compositions, which once again reinforces the fact that, despite having consolidated the choro and its counterpoints, Pixinguinha does not deserve to be imprisoned only within this musical genre.
Among the unreleased tracks there is, for example, slow polka (Jagunca), polka march (Greetings from Cafundá) – precursor of the June march -, Argentine tango, waltz, modinha and punto macumba.
Partner
One of the developments of Pixinguinha like never before it will be a fifth album, which will bring 11 songs by the composer that will receive lyrics, that is, they will become songs. The works, scheduled for April, will allow names such as Arnaldo Antunes, Eduardo Gudino, Guinga, Paulo Cesar Feital, In the Lopes, Paulinho Moscow, Salgado Maranhao AND Cecilia Stanzione become a partner of Pixinguinha.
Moscow played fashionthat turned around Where pain brings the gift. Antunes wrote about the tune called poeticthe letter drizzle on the tile. Among the other singers who will participate are Leila Pinheiro, Nilze Carvalho, Cecilia Stanzione AND João Cavalcanti.
two verses
Paulinho da Viola has also been called up for the mission, but he hasn’t finished writing the text yet. “He told me the other day that he had already written two verses,” says Cazes. The partnership should remain for a possible new volume of unpublished works.
For this 50th anniversary of the death there is also the launch of the book Pixinguinha, a biographical profile, by André Diniz (In a publisher). It is, in fact, a new edition of the photobiography Pixinguinha – Genius and timefrom 2012. The recent version has a cover signed by the artist Melo Menezes, discography commented by Cazes and lyrics signed by Vianna.
Pixinguinha died on February 17, 1973, at the age of 76, inside the church of Nossa Senhora da Paz, in Ipanema, Rio. He had gone there to attend the baptism of a friend’s child. The musician had a serious heart attack. It was Carnival Monday.
Ignoring any bureaucracy regarding religious rites, he became something of a saint – with popular acclaim. São Pixinguinha, as his devotees usually say. From an improvised but no less sacred altar, he watches over Brazilian music.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
