VILLA-LOBOS, Heitor
b Rio de Janeiro, 5 March 1887
d Rio de Janeiro, 17 June 1959, aged seventy-two
He was taught viola, clarinet and piano as a child, but when his father died his mother forbade him to continue his music studies. He ran away from horn e at the age of sixteen, helped by an uncle, and travelled all over Brazil, listening to folk music. In 1923 he went to Europe for the first time, chiefly to Paris where he fell under the influence of Debussy and Ravel. He returned to Brazil in 1930, and rose to become superintendent of musical education in Rio de Janeiro.
1908 (21)
Recouli, for small orchestra
1910 (23)
Suite dos canticos sertanejos, for small orchestra
1912 (25)
Aglaia, opera
1913 (26)
Suite da terra, for small orchestra
Suite for piano
1914 (27)
Izaht, opera
Suite popular, Brasiliera, for guitar
Ihericarabé, symphonic poem
Dansas dos Indios Mesticos, for orchestra
Suite for strings
1915 (28)
String Quartets No 1 and 2
1916 (29)
Symphony No 1, The Unforeseen
Centauro de Ouro, symphonic poem
Miremis, symphonic poem
Naufragio de Kleonica, symphonic poem
Marcha religiosa No 1, for orchestra
Sinfonietta on a Theme by Mozart
Cello Concerto
String Quartet No 3
1917 (30)
Uirapuru, ballet
Amazonas, ballet for orchestra
Symphony No 2, The Ascension
Fantasia, symphonic poem
lara, symphonic poem
Lobishome, symphonic poem
Saci Perere, symphonic poem
Tédio de alvorado, symphonic poem
Sexteto mistico, for flute, clarinet, saxophone, harp, celesta and
double-bass
String Quartet No 4
1918 (31)
Jesus, opera
Marcha religiosa No 3, for orchestra
Marcha religiosa No 7, for orchestra
Vidapura, oratorio
1919 (32)
Zoé, opera
Symphony No 3, The War
Symphony No 4, The Victory
Dansa frenetica, for orchestra
1920 (33)
Symphony No 5, The Peace
Dansa diabolica, for orchestra
Choros No 1, for guitar
1921 (34)
Malazarte, opera
Quartet for harp, celesta, flute and saxophone, with women's voices
1923 (36)
Suite for voice and viola
1924 (37)
Choros No 2, for flute and clarinet
Choros No 7, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, violin and cello
1925 (38)
Choros No 3, for clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, three horns and trombones, with male voice choir
Choros No 8, for two pianos and orchestra
Choros No 10, for choir and orchestra
1926 (39)
Choros No 4, for three horns and trombones
Choros No 5, for piano
Choros No 6, for orchestra
Choros No 6 bis, for violin and cello
1928 (41)
Choros No 11, for piano and orchestra
Choros No 14, for orchestra, band and choir
1929 (42)
Suite sugestiva, for voice and orchestra
Choros No 9, for orchestra
Choros No 12, for orchestra
Choros No 13, for two orchestras and band
Introducao aos Choros, for orchestra
Twelve Studies for guitar
1930 (43)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 1, for orchestra: Preludio, Aria, Fuga
Bachianas Brasilieras No 2, for orchestra: Preludio, Aria, Dansa, Toccata
1931 (44)
String Quartet No 5
1932 (45)
Caixinha de Boas Festas, ballet (also an orchestral suite)
1933 (46)
Pedra Bonita, ballet
1936 (49)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 4, for piano: Preludio, Aria, Coral Dansa (1930-6)
1937 (50)
Currupira, ballet
Sebastiao, for three voices
Descobrimento do Brasil, four suites for chorus and orchestra
1938 (51)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 3, for piano and orchestra: Preludio, Aria, Toccata
Bachianas Brasilieras No 6, for flute and bassoon: Aria, Fantasia
String Quartet No 6
1939 (52)
New York Skyline, for orchestra (Villa-Lobos 'drew' the melody by following the outline of skyscrapers on graph paper. He then harmonized the resultant melodic line and scored it for orchestra.)
1940 (53)
Saudades da juventude, Suite No I
Preludes for guitar
1942 (55)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 7, for orchestra: Preludio, Giga, Toccata, Fuga
String Quartet No 7
1944 (57)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 8, for orchestra: Preludio, Aria, Toccata, Fuga
String Quartet No 8
1945 (58)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 5, for voice and orchestra of cellos: Aria, Dansa (1938-45)
Bachianas Brasilieras No 9, for vocal orchestra
Piano Concerto No 1
Fantasia for cello
Villa-Lobos also composed much chamber music and many songs.