Victoria de los Angeles worked within a type of music that demands that the singer’s voice be heard without a microphone, over a large orchestra in a large theater. To sing loudly enough, most singers in this situation can’t avoid excessive vibrato (vibrating pitch), which to me this makes the voice sound in some ways less musical. Victoria de los Angeles (1923-2005) is one of the handful of classical singers I can think of who sing with a purer, more musical tone.
Brazillian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) conducted the Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise and wrote the liner notes for the album that the following two cuts come from.
“_The Bachianas Brasilieras_, comprising nine suites, were written in homage to the great genius of J. S. Bach. They were inspired by the musical atmosphere of Bach in respect to harmony and counterpoint and by the atmosphere of the folk music of Brazil’s northeastern region.”
About _Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for Soprano and Eight Cellos_ he wrote:
“The first movement of this work, _Aria_ (Cantilena) was written in 1938 with lyrics by Ruth V. Correa; the second, _Dansa_ (Martelo) in 1945 with lyrics by the great Brazilian poet Manuel Bandeira.
“The _Aria_, an original melody, is a kind of Brazilian lyric song, with the pizzicati support as in a serenade. _Danza_ represents a persistent and characteristic rhythm much like the emboladas, those strange melodies of the Brazilian hinterland. The melody suggests the birds of Brazil.”
I first heard the _Aria_ on Joan Baez’s fifth LP, and she did a pretty good job with it, eight cellos and all. But Victoria de los Angeles (L.A.’s Victory) takes it to a whole other level. I’ve heard it in the soundtrack of several lesser-known foreign movies decades ago. I guess the film-makers couldn’t create enough poignancy and depth on their own. There is a voice and guitar arrangement that I used to privately hum and pluck decades ago also.
See first comment for the _Danza_
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Quite apart from the fact that this is just ravishing - both the voice and the composition - the interesting thing is how you hear samba-like melody lines (not necessarily just for the voice) woven through both pieces. Villa-Lobos was probably too complex to be considered in the same breath with, say, Gershwin, but I always love it when composers play low off high in unexpected ways.
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very enjoyable. i need to get the discos marcus pereira’s series on the northeast popular music of brazil (i own the 4 volumes dedicated to the south) to undersand the influence on these pieces. but it is all about the more than fine arrangements of heitor villa lobos (hector wolftown) and his partner l.a.’s victory. these recordings makes me wonder if all arias should be re-arranged by villa lobos and sang by victoria, and i’m being serious here. the european school is a bit too dry on the sensual department, brazilians certainly don’t have that problem. another ace post, charles.
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guys, i will like to bring to your attention this new user. http://mog.com/dimitra
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soulrocket, thanks for the tips about dimitra and marcus pereira. Eight or nine years ago the French label Fremeaux & Associes put out a series of non-classical Brazilian recordings from the early twentieth century that might be of interest: "Bresil 1914-1945"; "Samba 1917-1947" and "Choro 1906-1947"; and the Buda Musique label put out "Musique du Nordeste Vol.1: 1916-1945" & "Vol. 2: 1928-1946." I know sort of what you mean about the dry European school. What's wrong with a hummable melody?
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i always found scary looking at italian divas singing arias, it is the antithesis of sensuality. i am taking note of those albums. thanks, charles. nothing wrong with a hummable melody at all.
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i second dimitra as being a great mogger. what a fantastic post, beautiful music for the early morning wake up, thank you.
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Thank _you_, LadyC
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Spike, you might find this New York Times article as interesting as I did....
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE2D9133EF93AA25752C1A961948260
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spike said:
_He was commissioned to write a Broadway musical, and he came to New York and wrote one, but I don’t know if it was even produced._
Damn, I can't imagine something even remotely like this playing on B'way...Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall,yes. If all arias were like this I'd prolly be a little more inclined to listen..beautiful.
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ivylander, I am truly moved that you dug that up. I must have read that in 1987, and my memory reduced it to the sentence that Cody quotes. Let's hope for a soundtrack album someday.
Cody, your comment about all arias applies also to all areas of -music- everything.
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Well I like ugly,nasty, dirty things, too..but beautiful works.
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I can see it in your face, and I agree.
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Spike..
Please excuse my ignorance when it comes to terminology in Opera singing but I felt that this first song had reminants of a vocalise which is a vocal exercise used by opera singers. This was only at the beginning of the song.
Here is a link from you tube that I found from what I was trying to share: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp5Z94U-rKM
Embeded here:Her voice exudes a regalness and clarity that I find in opera singers. Though I do not know that much about the genre the little that I know her voice truly stands out.
However as the song plays out I was in tears with whatever she was saying. I could feel it. I only speak English but whatever she was saying made sense to me. That is the beauty of music. You can feel the emotions and treasure them in your heart forever.
Happy Halloween to you and everyone here.
Thank you for sharing and posting an eloquent post, as always!
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I hear what you mean. Have a happy Halloween!
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I don't have anything to add except that was gorgeous :) Definitely a genre of music I don't explore enough
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An exquisite voice and composition indeed. Dimitra's posts are superb - greatly recommend as well. Merci.
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kat3260, gorgeous: I was trying to remember that word. I need to explore classical more as well.
Girlcrawl, exquisite is an exquisite word I'm now going to be tempted to pepper my comments with. I'm wearing out "great." Dimitra, here I come!
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Listening to classical music makes me feel more intelligent...I honestly enjoy it, but there's that aspect as well :)
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Indeed. I also enjoy just listening to it. Realizing that it makes me feel more intelligent adds to my enjoyment. If I see people noticing me listen to it and thinking to themselves that I must be intelligent because I listen to it, that adds even more to my enjoyment.
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Ahh...I'm glad I'm not the only one
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i just ADORE bachianas, love to listen this, one more time, thank you Spike!
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Thanks, dimitra. Now I have listen to more of his other Bachianas Brasileiras!
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spike i have to agree with you - Victoria de los Angeles is the very best at this and in my opinion this is probably the best aria ever. It hits on all accounts - absolutely timeless - in a million years from now (or any amount of time), this will be as pure and fresh and perfect as it is here. If it were possible to see her and Villa live now, I would melt into thin air!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this with us
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You are so right! (Sorry, you must get this all the time.) Check out her recordings of Joseph Cantaloube's _Songs of the Auvergne_ and Xavier Montsalvage's _Cinco Canciones Negras_, or at least certain songs from those. I find these much better than famous opera arias.