Improvising in popular music: a study of choro, frevo and baião and its relation to música instrumental brasileira (brazilian instrumental music)

Author(s)

Almir Cortes

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Artes
• Defense date: 2012-02-24

Examining board members

Esdras Rodrigues Silva; Antônio Rafael Carvalho dos Santos; Jorge Luiz Schroeder; Sérgio Paulo Ribeiro de Freitas; Paulo José de Siqueira Tiné

• Advisor: Esdras Rodrigues Silva

Abstract

This work presents a survey of musical elements from three Brazilian popular music genres, choro, frevo and baião, which have been important on the development of música instrumental brasileira (Brazilian instrumental music) produced from the 1970's onward. Subsequently, it offers insight into the use of this material in idiomatic improvisation. Bibliographic sources related to each genre provide the basis for identification of major characteristics, musical procedures, social and cultural background. Further support for their relationship to música instrumental brasileira is found through analysis of selected pieces, transcription of recordings by major musicians, and performance of part of this repertory. The transition from theory to practice follows from a study of methodologies in jazz theory as developed by the following authors: Aebersold (1992), Baker (1989), Coker (1991), Crook (1991), Haerle (1980) and Levine (1995). Field work research complements this study, involving observation of classes and interviews with teachers, musicians, and other researchers related to the three genres and to improvisation. The data analysis is based both on theoretical reflection and on the author's practical experience as instrumentalist and educator. It was thus possible to obtain an overview of the current state of popular music pedagogy, and also to present other tools, suggestions, and activities related to the practice of improvisation in the styles of choro, frevo and baião. It is expected that the results achieved here can contribute to the study of improvisation in Brazilian popular music, as well as to point out alternative approaches to research in the field of performance (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 06/06571-6 - Improvising in popular music: A study of choro, frevo and baião - three sources of música instrumental brasileira (Brazilian instrumental music)
• Grantee: Almir Côrtes Barreto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate