Nascido a 5 de março de 1887, no Rio de
Janeiro,Heitor Villa-Lobos teve por pais pessoas oriundas de distinta classe social.
Muito cedo o próprio pai, Raul Villa-Lobos, inicia-o
nos estudos de solfejo e teoria musical, bem como na prática do clarinete e do
violoncelo.
Com a morte de Raul Villa-Lobos, aos 36 anos de idade,
vitimado pela varíola, a situação econômica de sua numerosa família entra em fase
crítica, aliviada quando o Senado Federal adquire, para sua biblioteca, parte dos livros
raros de propriedade de Raul Villa-Lobos, ex-funcionário do Senado.
Outras referências à difícil fase vivida pela
família Villa-Lobos são poucas. Sabe-se que, ao terminar seu curso de humanidades, e por
pressão materna Heitor Villa-Lobos matriculou-se na Escola de Medicina e cursou ó
primeiro ano.No ano de 1903 em diante começam a aparecer referências às atuações de
Villa-Lobos como intérprete em clubes e teatrinhos particulares e, posteriormente,
integrando-se em pequenas orquestras que animavam sessões de cinema mudo.
Os biógrafos de Villa-Lobos narram que, com o dinheiro
obtido pela venda de livros raros, herdados do pai, Villa-Lobos percorreu vários Estados
brasileiros, em íntima convivência com a música do povo. Sempre com a finalidade de
assimilar as manifestações do folclore, percorre as regiões do Sul e Centro Oeste,
fechando a rota com uma permanência na Região Norte. Foi um período de vital
importância para sua obra, porquanto vivenciou o mundo tropical da Amazônia, o que o
levou a fixar-se no indigenismo.
De volta ao Rio de Janeiro, em 1912, conhece a pianista
Lucilia Guimarães, que se tornou sua esposa, em 1913. Nessa época Villa-Lobos
encontra-se em intensa atividade criadora, abordando os mais variados gêneros.
Em 1917 conhece o músico de vanguarda francês Darius
Milhaud, que, dois anos após, Ihe proporcionaria, embora de forma indireta, o seu
fundamental encontro com o famoso pianista Arthur Rubinstein.
Villa-Lobos começa a se impor no cenário cultural
brasileiro. Em 1922 tem destacada participação na Semana de Arte Moderna em São Paulo,
cujo sucesso permitiu-lhe viajar para a Europa em 1923. Sua permanência foi de apenas um
São Paulo onde, através de sociedades artísticas, deu concertos e obteve o amparo
oficial para o projeto da Caravana Artística que, em trem, percorreu inúmeras cidades
paulistas.
A convite da Sociedade Wagneriana de Buenos Aires viaja
para a capital argentina e Montevidéu onde dá concertos e se torna conhecido nos meios
artísticos.
Viaja para Paris em companhia de Lucilia. Dessa vez
obtém o sucesso desejado, ao apresentar-se em 24 de outubro e 5 de dezembro de 1927, na
Sala Gaveau. Daí em diante é reconhecido e consagrado. Em 1930 volta ao Brasil, apesar
de já famoso em toda a Europa, com obras apresentadas por grandes regentes.
Inicia-se, então, sua fase de preocupa,cão com o
desenvolvimento do país. Em São Paulo obtém apoio governamental para a realização de
caravanas musicais pelo interior do Estado. Mais tarde, no Rio de Janeiro, promove
gigantescas concentrações orfeônicas em estádios de esporte. Escolhe o canto coral
como meio de formar musicalmente a juventude brasileira. Para isso, compõe o Guia
Prático (1932), antologia folclórica que também publica em versão para piano.
Desde o retorno da Europa, a genialidade de Villa-Lobos
foi-se incorporando ao patrimônio artístico-cultural do Brasil. Suas composições
empolgam as platéias européias e americanas. A suíte Prole do Bebê (1918-1926), para
piano, levou o nome de Villa-Lobos a figurar nos programas dos grandes pianistas, entre
eles Arthur Rubinstein. São também obras-primas as Cirandas ( 1 926).Com as Bachianas
Brasileiras, cuja origem remonta às suas peregrinações pelo interior do país, quando
constatou a semelhança de modulações e contracantos do nosso folclore com a música de
Bach, Villa-Lobos caracterizou-se como um dos maiores músicos do nosso tempo. Em todo o
mundo as Bachianas são as mais conhecidas de suas obras.
Reconhecido como gênio musical, recebeu toda a sorte de
homenagens, privou com reis e chefes de Estado, conheceu a glória em vida e em glória
faleceu em 17 de novembro de 1959, no Rio de Janeiro.
Museu Villa-Lobos FUNDAÇÃO NACIONAL PRÓ-MEMÓRIA
Heitor Villa-Lobos was born on March 5th,
1887 in Rio e Janeiro/Brazil. His parents came from an eminent social class. Early in his
life, his own father Mr Raul Villa-Lobos introduce him to the schooling of solfege and
musical composition as well a to the study of clarinet and violoncello.
When Raul Villa-Lobos died of smallpox at the age of 36
th economical situation of his big family became critical. However later on, it was eased
when the Federal Senate bought to its library rare books belonging to Raul Villa-Lobos who
had been a Senate employee.
Exist only few references concerning the hard life of
Villa Lobos family. It is known that after the conclusion of his course in Humanities,
Villa-Lobos was pressed by his mother to register himself on the Medicine course at the
school of Medicine where answering his mother request, he finally attended the first year
c the mentioned course.
News about the performances of Villa-Lobos as a player
in clubs and private small theaters started to be reported from 1900 Later on, he carried
out the tasks of orchestral player for small orchestras that used to gladden the
performances of silent films.
The biographers of Villa-Lobos wrote that with the money
h got from the sale of rare books which he had received as heritage he traveled many
Brazilian States living together with people" music. Villa-Lobos had always purposed
assimilating folklore during his trips toward South/Central/West regions of Brazil ending
his route at the North where he decided to stay a certain period of time. It was a very
important period for his work, since he lived together with the tropical world of Amazon.
We can also consider it an experience that pushed him to themes related with Brazilian
Indians.
Back to Rio de Janeiro, in 1912, he met the pianist
Luciliz Guimarães who, in 1913, became his wife. In this period \/illa Lobos creation was
very rich spreading over several genres.
In 1917, he met the avant-garde French musician Darius
Milhaud who, two years later, in an indirect way, introduced Villa Lobos to the famous
pianist Arthur Rubinstein. This meeting was fundamental to his career Villa-Lobos started
then to be respected in the Brazilian cultural circles. In 1922 he had a towering
participation in a event called "MODERN WEEK OF ART". The success of his
performance in it gave him the opportunity to travel to Europe in 1923, where he stayed
only a year since he did not have enough money to support himself there. Under the
circumstances he returned to Brazil and went to São Paulo where, by means of Artistic
Associations he performed concerts and received official aid to organize an artistic
caravan that traveled by train toward several inland cities of the State of São Paulo.
Invited by Wagnerian Society of Buenos Aires he went to
the capital of Argentina and Montevideo city where he performed concerts and became a
known figure of the artistic life. With his wife Lucilia he traveled to Paris where he had
the desired success with the performances dated October 24th and December 5th, 1927 at
Gaveau room. From then on he became famous and renowned. In 1930 Villa-Lobos came back to
Brazil in spite of being already famous Europe wide and having his work performed by great
conductors.
Starts then the period during which he was worried with
the development of the country. In São Paulo city he got the Government's support to
organize musical caravans toward São Paulo's interior. Later on, in Rio de Janeiro he
organized giant choral performances in gymnasiums. The choral was the means chosen by
Villa-Lobos to form musically the Brazilian youth. In order to make effective his purpose
he prepared "GU/A PRÁTICO" (1932) a folklore anthology which was also published
in a version to piano score.
Since he returned from Europe his genius was little by
little incorporated into the Brazilian artistic/cultural patrimony. His work aroused the
enthusiasm of the European and American audiences. With the suite "Prole do
Bebê" (1918/1926) Villa-Lobos' name became part of .the program of famous pianists
like Arthur Rubinstein. The "Cirandas" (1926) is also considered a masterpiece
With the "Bachianas Brasileiras" whose origins return to his trips toward the
interior of the country - when he had the opportunity of verifying the similar features
existing between the modulations/chants of Brazilian folklore and Bach music - he became
the foremost composer of today. World-wide Bachianas is his most famous work.
All kind of homage was paid to him since he was
recognized as a musical genius. Villa-Lobos was the one who had the opportunity to meet
privately kings and Heads of State. He found fame during his life as musician and died
famous on November 17th , 1959, in Rio de Janeiro.
Villa-Lobos Museum NATIONAL FOUNDATION
"PRÓ-MEMÓRIA"
