A SERTANEJA BY BRAZILIAN COMPOSER BRASÍLIO ITIBERÊ: NATIONAL OR FOREIGN, AMATEUR’S OR SOPHISTICATED?

Abstract

Historical and analytical aspects about A Sertaneja (The Countryside Lady) for solo piano by Brazilian composer Brasílio Itiberê. In this work published in 1869, one is to find one of the first quotations of the Brazilian folklore in concert music, excerpted from Balaio, meu bem, balaio (The basket, my dear, the basket) within the European instrumental virtuosity and sound conception reminiscent of pianists-composers such as Liszt and Frédéric Chopin. A more sophisticated, structured and unified compositional style of Brasílio Itiberê is revealed, who is still remembered in the musicological circles as an amateur composer of light music.
Keywords: Brasílio Itiberê; A Sertaneja; Brazilian music nationalism; Liszt pianism; Chopin pianism; Romantic piano