Choro is a mostly instrumental genre with a vast repertoire, born in the late 1800’s. It is the first true national music of Brazil, evolving as did our ragtime out of slavery, and as a way to play European music in Brazil. Through successive waves of revival and progression, it has continued to evolve - new choros are being written today. ~~~ It's quite different from American jazz idioms. Yet choro shares vocabulary, groove, and its generous and adventurous spirit with its sister US genres, ragtime and jazz. The basis of choro involves a rondo structure and melodic/harmonic terrain familiar to anyone who likes Bach, Mozart, and Chopin. Choro is both a true “musician’s music” in its technical challenges and deep beauty, and a highly accessible music for listeners. ~~~ And what’s a Roda? Roda is the Portuguese word meaning “wheel” or “circle.” The name roda is used for certain types of Brazilian gatherings, including those where the dance-like martial art capoeira is performed. A roda de choro is a choro jam session. Choro grew out of such all-night jam sessions in Rio de Janeiro - house parties with plenty of food, drink, and musical acrobatics. In a roda de choro, the players are typically seated in a circle facing one another. ~~~ This series will examine choro from several perspectives, providing limited but insightful contextual information as we listen to this hundred-year-old genre. We'll focus sometimes on composers, sometimes on performers, and sometimes on a specific period in the music's development. Occasionally, we'll meander down a tributary or two of this great Brazilian river, exploring some of the music that has and continues to evolve from choro, the musical heart and soul of Brazil. Hide full description
Choro is a mostly instrumental genre with a vast repertoire, born in the late 1800’s. It is the first true national music of Brazil, evolving as did our ragtime out of slavery, and as a way to play European music in Brazil. Through successive waves of revival and progression, it has continued to evolve - new choros are being written today. ~~~ It's quite different from American jazz idioms. Yet choro shares vocabulary, groove, and its generous and adventurous spirit with its sister US genres, ragtime and jazz. The basis of choro involves a rondo structure and melodic/harmonic terrain familiar to anyone who likes Bach, Mozart, and Chopin. Choro is both a true “musician’s music” in its technical challenges and deep beauty, and a highly accessible music for listeners. ~~~ And what’s a... Show full description
