The Music of Antônio Carlos Jobim

Peter Freeman

Description

Antônio Carlos Jobim has been called the greatest of all contemporary Brazilian songwriters. He wrote both popular and serious music and was a gifted piano, guitar and flute player. One of the key figures in the creation of the bossa nova style, Jobim’s music made a lasting impression worldwide, and many of his songs are now standards of the popular music repertoire.

 

In The Music of Antônio Carlos Jobim, one of the first extensive musicological analyses of the Brazilian composer, Peter Freeman examines the music, philosophy and circumstances surrounding the creation of Jobim’s popular songs, instrumental compositions and symphonic works. Freeman attempts to elucidate not only the many musical influences that formed Jobim’s musical output, but also the stylistic peculiarities that were as much the product of a gifted composer as the rich musical environment and heritage that surrounded him.

Acknowledgments

Abstract

List of Musical Examples

Chapter 1: Introduction

Antônio Carlos Jobim: Introduction and Background

The Perception of Jobim: Reviews, Impressions, Quotations, Influences

Discussion of Sources

Chapter 2: Influences

Historical Background and Development

The Birth of Bossa Nova

Instrumental Pieces and Film Music

Rhythmic Influences: Samba, Maracatu, Baičo, Frevo

Folk and Popular Music Influences: Modinha, Choro

Western Art-Music Influences: Villa-Lobos, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Gnattali, Gershwin

Jobim’s Aesthetics and Philosophy

Chapter 3: Harmonic Language

Introduction

Harmonic Techniques: ‘Chega de saudade’

Melodic Sequence with Non-Sequential Altered Harmonies

Major-Minor Mode Changes

Descending Linear Chromatic Harmonic Relationships

Contextual Use of Extended Harmony

Parallel Harmonic Progression

Tonal Ambiguities

Guitar-based Sonorities

Chords for Harmonic Effect

Bitonal Influences and Chordal Superimposition

Comparison of Whole Works and Parts of Jobim’s Works: Saudade do Brasil

Bird Calls

Female Choir as an Orchestral Instrument

Arquitetura de morar

Conclusion

Chapter 4: Rhythmic Techniques

Samba

Clave Rhythmic Patterns

Polyrhythmic Techniques

Rhythmic Accent

Hypermetre

Pedal Tones

Melodic Timing

Conclusion

Chapter 5: Thematicism and Structural Design

Self-Referential Attributes of Bossa Nova

Juxtaposition of Static and Shifting Musical Material

Motivic Design Restrictions

‘Insensatez’

Descending Minor Second Motive

Musical Inter-dependence and Understatement

Transposed Motive Repetition

‘Águas de marćo’ (Waters of March)

Melodic Tributes

Melodic Contour

Whole-Tone Scales

Choro Structural Form

‘Dindi’

Alternative Melody

Conclusion

Chapter 6: Conclusion

Bibliography

Sujets

• Musique
• Culture musicale
• Histoire de la musique
• Musique
• Jazz
• Musiques du monde
• Pop
• Music
• Metal symphonique
• Cultural Studies
• Brazil
• General
• Classical
• World music
• Symphony
• General officer
• Contemporary classical music
• Multiple signal classification
• Philosophy
• Performing Arts

Informations

• Publié par: Intellect Books
• Date de parution: 15 février 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783209385
• Langue: English

Extrait

First published in the UK in 2019 by
Intellect, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3JG, UK
First published in the USA in 2019 by
Intellect, The University of Chicago Press, 1427 E. 60th Street,
Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Copyright © 2019 Intellect Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
“Águas de março” and “Saudade do Brasil” by Antônio Carlos Jobim
Reproduced by kind permission of Corcovado Music Corporation
Administered by Fairwood Music (UK) Ltd for the UK & Eire
© 1972 and © 1976 Corcovado Music Corporation.
Copy-editor: MPS Technologies
Cover designer: Alex Szumlas
Production manager: Tim Mitchell
Typesetting: Contentra Technologies
Print ISBN: 978-1-78320-937-8
ePDF ISBN: 978-1-78320-939-2
ePUB ISBN: 978-1-78320-938-5
Printed and bound by Hobbs the Printers Ltd, UK.
This is a peer-reviewed publication.
Contents

Acknowledgments
Abstract
List of Musical Examples
Chapter 1: Introduction
Antônio Carlos Jobim: Introduction and Background
The Perception of Jobim: Reviews, Impressions, Quotations, Influences
Discussion of Sources
Chapter 2: Influences
Historical Background and Development
The Birth of Bossa Nova
Instrumental Pieces and Film Music
Rhythmic Influences: Samba, Maracatu, Baião, Frevo
Folk and Popular Music Influences: Modinha, Choro
Western Art-Music Influences: Villa-Lobos, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Gnattali, Gershwin
Jobim’s Aesthetics and Philosophy
Chapter 3: Harmonic Language
Introduction
Harmonic Techniques: ‘Chega de saudade’
Melodic Sequence with Non-Sequential Altered Harmonies
Major-Minor Mode Changes
Descending Linear Chromatic Harmonic Relationships
Contextual Use of Extended Harmony
Parallel Harmonic Progression
Tonal Ambiguities
Guitar-based Sonorities
Chords for Harmonic Effect
Bitonal Influences and Chordal Superimposition
Comparison of Whole Works and Parts of Jobim’s Works: Saudade do Brasil
Bird Calls
Female Choir as an Orchestral Instrument
Arquitetura de morar
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Rhythmic Techniques
Samba
Clave Rhythmic Patterns
Polyrhythmic Techniques
Rhythmic Accent
Hypermetre
Pedal Tones
Melodic Timing
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Thematicism and Structural Design
Self-Referential Attributes of Bossa Nova
Juxtaposition of Static and Shifting Musical Material
Motivic Design Restrictions
‘Insensatez’
Descending Minor Second Motive
Musical Inter-dependence and Understatement
Transposed Motive Repetition
‘Águas de março’ (Waters of March)
Melodic Tributes
Melodic Contour
Whole-Tone Scales
Choro Structural Form
‘Dindi’
Alternative Melody
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Bibliography
Acknowledgements

I wish to acknowledge my appreciation of the meticulous critical feedback and support that my colleagues Dr Simon Perry and Professor Philip Bračanin provided during the course of my studies on stylistic diversity in the music of Antônio Carlos Jobim. I am also very grateful to Luiz Roberto Oliveira who sent me the Tom Jobim Songbooks , the CD Urubu and much encouragement and information from Brazil. Luiz’s launch of the outstanding Clube do Tom website coincided with the start of my research, and I am indebted to him for the many valuable research paths that I explored that were revealed by his comments to me and his web postings. The support and help of my colleague, Nathan Warfe has also been entirely welcome. Nathan’s interest, knowledge and enthusiasm for Brazilian music and the Portuguese language has been infinitely reassuring.
In Rio de Janeiro in February 2015 Paulo Jobim (Antônio Carlos Jobim’s son) was very accommodating and encouraging towards my publishing endeavours. I remember with fondness our walk in the Jardim Botanico and his kind guidance particularly in relation to the musical presentations in this book. Antônio Carlos Jobim’s grandson, Daniel Jobim, has also been very supportive and constructive, a wonderful source of information and recollections of life with his grandfather. Daniel’s international performances and upholding of the bossa nova tradition are uncannily reflective of the original gift of music handed down to him. In Ipanema, Carlos Alberto Afonso at the centre for bossa nova, Toca de Vinicius , has also been a fount of knowledge and encouragement. I owe Carlos so much for his enthusiasm and dedication in promoting Antônio Carlos Jobim’s music. He is a treasure.
My musician friends among the Brazilian community in Brisbane, interstate and overseas particularly Mauricio Hosi, Eddie Gazani, Mike Bevan, Heloise McMillan, Doug de Vries, Yamandu Costa, Anna Paes, Adriano Giffoni and André Gonçalves have been very encouraging, as has Eliane Costa in editing my Portuguese. My ‘companheira de viagem’, Kay Sullivan, who accompanied me to Brazil in 2013 and 2015, has been an enchanted godsend. Her embracement of Brazilian music has been a most welcome tonic and a catalyst to not only further musicological exploration but also to the discoveries and joys of playing together.
Finally, and most importantly, my wife Julie provided exceptional strength in her support of my undertaking of this book. Living with my pre-occupation for such an extended time required her to make considerable sacrifices, which she accepted without complaint. Instead her positive suggestions, encouragement and wise counsel often helped to overcome some of the more awkward aspects of my writing and helped me to look at things more objectively. Her dedication to my endeavours reached even to the extent of her learning introductory Portuguese. This in turn gave me the confidence and support to undertake what initially seemed like a formidable research task – that of persisting with the interpretation of many Portuguese sources. I now know it was worth the effort. Her passing in 2012 makes her support of my work even more poignant and meaningful.
Abstract

Antônio Carlos Jobim has been called the greatest of all the contemporary Brazilian songwriters. He wrote both popular and serious music and was a gifted piano, guitar and flute player. His songs have made a lasting impression worldwide to the extent that many are now standards of the popular music repertoire. Jobim was also attracted to languages – not only did he write the lyrics to many of his songs in his native Brazilian/Portuguese, but he showed a command and love of English, particularly its musical Anglo-Saxon sounds.
Jobim’s profound melodic and lyrical sensibility was enhanced and complemented by his inventive and peculiar harmonic idiom. This idiom, not the norm in either popular music or jazz, is characterized by dissonant and highly coloured chords that sound entirely natural and fit effortlessly into a personalized musical context.
‘Tom’ Jobim, as he was called by his friends, was trained in classical music and was well acquainted with the works of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky and the techniques of the twentieth-century serialist composers. His most important musical influence, however, was Heitor Villa-Lobos, whose works combined influences from classical, native Indian, folk and popular Brazilian styles. In the early 1960s, Jobim became the most important identity in the creation of the new, internationally recognized, popular music style called ‘bossa nova’. As well as this, Jobim’s musical works reveal a wide range of stylistic influences: from classical piano and French impressionism, samba rhythms from Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, American Tin Pan Alley songs, to popular Brazilian music composers such as Pixinguinha, Ary Barroso and Dorival Caymmi.
His success as a popular music composer is so well recognized that many of his songs form the heart of the ‘Latin’ jazz music repertoire and have been recorded by such celebrities as Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan, Sting and Diana Krall. Jobim also composed larger-scale orchestral works such as Sinfonia do Rio de Janeiro (1954), and Brasilia: Sinfonia da Alvorada (1960), as well as film scores and other orchestral pieces, such as the tone poem Saudade do Brasil (1975).
This book examines a selection of Jobim’s most important songs and instrumental pieces and attempts to elucidate not only the many musical influences that formed his musical output, but also the stylistic peculiarities that were as much the product of a gifted composer as of the rich musical environment and heritage that were so much a part of his life.
List of Musical Examples

Chapter 1: Introduction Ex. 1.1. System of registral designations.
Chapter 2: Influences Ex. 2.1. Basic rhythmic cell of many Brazilian melodies of African origin.
Chapter 3: Harmonic Language Ex. 3.1. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Chega de saudade’, introduction, measures 1–8. Ex. 3.2. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Chega de saudade’, main theme (upper voice), measures 9–16. Ex. 3.3. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Não devo sonhar’, measures 5–12. Ex. 3.4. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Engano’, measures 1–16. Ex. 3.5. Pixinguinha, ‘Ainda me recordo’ ( choro ), opening measures. Ex. 3.6. José Maria de Albreu, ‘Tomando sereno’ ( choro ), opening measures. Ex. 3.7. Heitor Villa-Lobos, Choros No. 1 , measures 1–8. Ex. 3.8. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Chega de saudade’, measures 17–24. Ex. 3.9. José Maria de Abreu, ‘Aguenta o leme’ ( choro ), measures 1–16. Ex. 3.10. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Oficina’, measures 13–24. Ex. 3.11a. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Discussão’, measures 13–21. Ex. 3.11b. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Chega de saudade’, measures 30–39 Ex. 3.12. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Chega de saudade’, measures 79–83. Ex. 3.13. Antônio Carlos Jobim, ‘Samba de uma nota só’, measures 6–13. Ex. 3