Catalogue W511 Language Portuguese/Latin | Genre Symphony / Oratorio | |
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English Sumé, Father of Fathers: Amerindian Symphony with Chorus (Oratorio) Occasion 400th Anniversary of the founding of the City of São Paulo Text "Beata Virgem" (Padre José de Anchieta) | ||
Symphony No. 10, Sumé pater patrium: Sinfonia ameríndia com coros (Oratorio) is a composition by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written in 1952–53. A performance lasts about an hour.
Contents
History
Villa-Lobos composed his Tenth Symphony for the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city of São Paulo. He began work in Rio de Janeiro in 1952, completing the score on 15 February 1953 in New York. It was first performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris on 4 April 1957. The soloists were Jean Giraudeau (tenor), Camille Maurane (baritone), and Jacques Chalude (bass). The Orchestre National et Choeur de la Radiodiffusion Française was conducted by the composer. The score is dedicated to Mindinha (Arminda Neves d'Almeida), the composer's companion for the last 23 years of his life (Villa-Lobos, sua obra 2009, 46).
Instrumentation
The symphony/oratorio is scored for tenor, baritone, and bass soloists, mixed choir, and an orchestra consisting of 2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, tam-tam, cymbals, chocalho, coconut hulls, lion's roar, bells, gong, sleigh bells, small frame drum, bass drum, xylophone, marimba, celesta, 2 harps, piano, organ, and strings.
Analysis
The symphony has five movements:
- Allegro: "A terra e os seres" (The Earth and Its Hills)
- Lento: "Grito de guerra" (War Cry)
- Scherzo (Allegretto scherzando): "Iurupichuna"
- Lento: "A voz da terra e a aparição de Anchieta" (The Voice of the Earth and the Appearance of Anchieta)
- Poco allegro