Bachianas brasileiras No. 5

• Villa-Lobos composed his set of nine Bachianas brasileiras between 1930-1945.¹
  • The composition of the Bachaianas brasileiras coincides with the regime of Gétulio Vargas, who came to power in 1930 and established the authoritarian Estado Novo (New State) government in 1937. Vargas’ government gave extensive support to Villa-Lobos’ artistic projects, and held the composer up as an example of Brazilian musical excellence, giving him leadership of the Superintendency of Musical and Artistic Education for Rio in 1931. It is unclear how much Villa-Lobos personally subscribed to Vargas’ policies. 
• The Bachianas brasileiras are loosely inspired by the concept of the Baroque dance suite. Each consists of several dance movements, most of which have two titles: a neo-Baroque title and a Brazilian one.²

“[A] homage to the great genius of Johann Sebastian Bach … [who I] consider a kind of universal folkloric source, rich and profound … [a source] linking all peoples”

Heitor Villa-Lobos, on his Bachianas brasileiras³

• Villa-Lobos composed the first movement (Ária – Cantilena) of Bachianas brasilerias No. 5 in 1938, and the second movement (Dança – Martelo) in 1945. The work is scored for soprano solo and eight cellos.⁴
• The first movement, Ária – Cantilena, premiered on March 25, 1939 in Rio de Janeiro. The soprano soloist was Ruth Valadares Corrêa (1904-ca.1963), who was also the piece’s lyricist.⁵ 
  • You can find the Portuguese lyrics, and links to a selection of translations, here. 
• Villa-Lobos dedicated this, and many other compositions, to Arminda Neves d’Almeida (“Mindinha”), Villa-Lobos’ life partner.⁶

1. Gerard Béhague, “Villa-Lobos, Heitor,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed March 26, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000029373.
2. Ibid.
3. Quoted in Ibid.
4. “Bachianas brasileiras No.5, W389-391 (Villa-Lobos, Heitor),” IMSLP, accessed May 26, 2021, https://imslp.org/wiki/Bachianas_brasileiras_No.5%2C_W389-391_(Villa-Lobos%2C_Heitor).
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.