Heitor Villa Lobos - Choros No.5 "Alma Brasileria"
Albert K.
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Choros No.5 "Alma Brasileria" (Brazilian Soul) is part of Heitor Villa Lobos's Choros, which means "weeping" in Portuguese. In this piece, Villa Lobos uses a rhythmic pattern called jeitinho brasileiro, where triplets are played over quadruplets, accompanied by a melody on the top. This rhythm is common in Brazilian dances including the Maxixe, which is a style of tango that originated from Rio de Janeiro. While I was learning the piece, one challenge was the middle section, which required a percussive sound. Experimenting with varying pedal, I was able to bring out the melody while keeping the sound of drums in the background. Looking back, learning this piece broadened my rhythmic and tonal senses, and I look forward to exploring more works by Heitor Villa Lobos including his 20-minute Rudepoema.
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Creativity is the ability to try anything. As a animator, graphic novelist, and pianist, I've learned that by exploring diverse interests, I'm able to broaden my skills as an artist. With the more knowledge I gain, I'm able to synthesize–such as creating animations based on Scriabin.
