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Villa Lobos - Amazonia
Identifier
005962
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
With the following two pieces Villa Lobos created works dominated by indigenous Brazilian influences. The works use Brazilian folk tales and characters, imitations of the sounds of the jungle and its fauna, imitations of the sound of the nose-flute by the violinophone, and not least imitations of the uirapuru itself.
Amazonas (1916, first performed in Paris in 1929)
Uirapurú (1916, first performed 1935)
A description of the experience
The legendary Brazilian soprano sings the two most famous songs of Heitor Villa-Lobos' symphonic poem "Floresta do Amazonas": the "Canção do Amor" (Love Song) and the "Melodia Sentimental" (Sentimental Melody). This was Sayão's very last recording, made in 1959, two years after her last performance on stage.
The compiler of the youtube video has kindly added English subtitles in this video for those who don't speak Portuguese and would like to understand the lyrics and how the music perfectly captures the feelings that are talked about in it.
Lyrics for the "Melodia Sentimental" (2nd song:
Acorda, vem ver a lua
que dorme na noite escura,
que fulge tão bela e branca
derramando doçura.
Clara chama silente
ardendo o meu sonhar.
As asas da noite que surgem
e correm no espaço profundo.
Ó doce amada, desperta!
Vem dar teu calor ao luar.
Quisera saber-te minha
na hora serena e calma.
A sombra confia ao vento
o limite da espera,
quando, dentro da noite,
reclama o teu amor.
Acorda, vem olhar a lua,
que brilha na noite escura.
Querida, és linda e meiga!
Sentir meu amor é sonhar.