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 VLADIMIR SAFATLE

O fim da música

 A música brasileira se transformou na trilha de fundo da

literalidade de nossos horizontes

Em todos os momentos em que teve desenvolvimento econômico, oBrasil soube acompanhá-lo de explosão criativa em sua produçãocultural, menos agora.

No interior de tais exploses, a m!sica costumava desempenhar um

papel de alta relev"ncia. # ideologia cultural nacional sempre $oi, emlarga medida, uma ideologia musical. Ela aplicava assim, em plenos%culo &', essa estrat%gia pol(tica da $ormação dos Estados-nação nos%culo )*, que consistia em utili+ar a m!sica para a construção dasnacionalidades.

omo tivemos de esperar at% )*' para começar a deixar de sermos ummero clube associativo de donos de $a+endas para sermos algo maispr/ximo de um pa(s, $oi a partir da( que a m!sica brasileira passou 0linha de $rente do debate cultural. # construção nacional de 1illa-2obos e das pesquisas musicais de 3ário de #ndrade são exemplosparadigmáticos nesse sentido.

Na Europa do s%culo )*, a 4unção entre Estado, nação e povo se $e+,entre outros meios, pela elevação da m!sica 0 linguagem de construçãodo espaço social e de reconciliação das populaçes como unidade.

riou-se o $olclore, instrumentos t(picos, particularidades que, muitas ve+es, eram apenas variaçes estruturais de constantes globais. #ssim,a narrativa do povo que encontra seu solo e os a$etos que osingulari+am vinha sob a $orma do canto, deste mesmo canto que, 4ádi+ia 5ousseau, era a $orma da primeira linguagem que nos deixariamais pr/ximos da origem e da autenticidade.

6ue tenhamos apreendido cirurgicamente a nos orgulhar da m!sica brasileira como expressão maior da espontaneidade bruta de nossossentimentos e modos de pensar, como modelo de conviv7ncia poss(velentre camadas sociais distintas e distantes 8a$inal, quando o samba $alaalto tudo se mistura9, % algo que não dever(amos estranhar. omo

 vários outros, este pa(s $oi constru(do a $erro, $ogo e m!sica.

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No entanto, toda operação de ideologia cultural sempre produ+ mais doque consegue controlar. Essa alta import"ncia da m!sica acabou porprodu+ir um sobreinvestimento. 3esmo que a m!sica brasileira tenhase redu+ido, em larga medida, aos limites da canção 8a $orma musicalpor excel7ncia de consolidação de laços sociais devido a suaestereotipia $ormal e de $ácil recognição9, % inegável que o Brasil, comoalguns poucos outros pa(ses, soube extrair genialidade de tais limites.

6ue, nos anos )*:' e )*;', m!sicos populares tenham setrans$ormado em expoentes maiores da consci7ncia cr(tica nacional,tra+endo para a es$era da alta circulação cultural aquilo que tinha acapacidade de complexi$icar nossa imagem de pa(s, de sociedade e dea$etos, apenas demonstra como toda construção de um solo e de umterrit/rio acaba por ter de lidar com o que procura nos levar para al%m

de tal territ/rio. < desenvolvimento econômico parecia levar a umaexplosão cultural que tendia a complexi$icar as imagens produ+idas pornossa ideologia cultural.

3as algo de peculiar ocorre a partir dos anos )**', chegando a seuápice neste !ltimo dec7nio. # partir de certo momento, impera omovimento que vai do = o >chan, da era ?@, ao $unA e sertane4ouniversitário do lulismo.

 # despeito de experi7ncias musicais inovadoras nestas !ltimas

d%cadas, % certo que elas conseguiram ser deslocadas para as margens,deixando o centro da circulação completamente tomado por umaprodução que louva a simplicidade $ormal, a estereotipia dos a$etos, asegurança do 4á visto, isso quando não % a pura louvação da inserçãosocial con$ormada e con$ormista. # m!sica brasileira $oipaulatinamente perdendo sua relev"ncia, para se trans$ormar apenasna trilha de $undo da literali+ação de nossos hori+ontes.

ltimamente, todas as ve+es que se levanta a regressão da qual am!sica brasileira % ob4eto se % acusado de elitista. #$inal, tais m!sicas

teriam vindo dos estratos mais pobres da população brasileira. < quese chora seria, na verdade, o $im da domin"ncia cultural da classem%dia urbana e o advento das classes populares e das classes do Brasilpro$undo.

omo se $osse o caso de aplicar um esquema tosco de luta de classes aocampo da cultura. Cara esses que escondem sua covardia cr(tica pormeio de tal exerc(cio, lembraria da necessidade de desconstruir a $arsade um popular que não tra+ problema algum para o dominante.2embraria de como não há arte proletária, cultura proletária, religiãoproletária, moral proletária, Estado proletário, pois, como di+ia 3arx,os proletários são aqueles que não t7m religião, Estado, moral 8e

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acrescentaria m!sica, cultura9. Cor isso, eles são a indicação do queainda não tem $orma nem imagem. Dendo assim, em ve+ de aplicaresquemas sociol/gicos primários, melhor seria ouvirmos de $ato o quese produ+ e nos perguntarmos por que chegamos a esse ponto.

Brazzil Magazine - Music - March 2004 

Brazil's Melgaço: The Music of Silence

Brazilian Otacílio Melgaço has a languid, caressing, quiet voice.

Like Chet Baker's or João il!erto's singing, Melgaço's voice is

"eightless, its de#th in$inite, it is haunting, haunted, insular. %e

teaches us the sound o$ stillness. &utunal, sensual, re$lective,

intiate, so#histicated, elegant, suer(. & l(rical hero.

William Frias

I've been talking about Otacílio Melgao an! his music all the time"

Otacílio Melgao !evelo#e! his st$le%singing &uietl$ ithout vibrato to create his on tem#o in

relation to his violão or acoustic guitar (an! viola caipira) sa*) scaletta) #iano) sitar) electric

guitar) kalimba) bass an! so +orth,) +ocusing on a cool) so+t) an! intimate st$le o+ singing"

(istorical .arenthesis,

/he name Brazil comes +rom the eltic or! 1bress') hich means the blesse! lan!" /here is no!oubt that Brazil is a blesse! lan! hose inhabitants are knon to be the most musical #eo#le

in the orl!) an! here an$thing an! ever$thing makes samba" /his has been so since the 3th

centur$) although u# to the late 00's blacks an! mulattos) the #rogenitors o+ the genre) ere

still being #ersecute! b$ the #olice +or #la$ing it"

5amba as con+ine! to the back$ar!s then) an! onl$ #la$e! an! en6o$e! b$ the loer classes"

5amba culture ha! its beginnings in Bahia) Brazil's +irst ca#ital" It as brought there b$ 7+rican

slaves that the .ortuguese colonizers mercilessl$ e*#orte! to their nel$ +oun! lan!" It as

!evelo#e! in 8io !e 9aneiro +olloing the abolition o+ slaver$ in "

In :;) <.elo /ele+one< (B$ .hone, became a carnival hit o+ huge success an! as +irstregistere! un!er a co#$right b$ its author) =onga" From then on) samba became the Brazilian

musical genre #ar e*cellence" From slum ki!s #ro!ucing its rh$thms on tins an! match bo*es to

the so#histication o+ the clubs o+ 8io here in the +orties armen Miran!a enthralle! the cro!s

ith her Ban!o !a >ua (Bunch +rom the Moon, ban!) samba crosse! all +rontiers"

It ent to oll$oo! an!) on its !evelo#ing #ath) #ro!uce! the most ingenious com#osers +rom

all backgroun!s" =uring the har!est times o+ the militar$ !ictatorshi# in the :30's) some o+ the

most illustrious re#resentatives o+ Brazilian music lent their contribution to a countr$ hich ha!

lost its +ree!om o+ s#eech but not their uni&ue abilit$ to !eal ith its mis+ortunes"

/he$ inclu!e! hico Buar&ue) ?ilberto ?il) aetano @eloso) an! ?al osta" /hese artists)hose musical ork as seen as a threat to the militar$) ere e*ile! b$ the har!liners" /he$

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ha! to com#ose un!er #seu!on$ms an! ere o+ #aramount im#ortance as conve$ors o+

messages to a hole nation%#rotest songs) or!s o+ comman!" hico Buar&ue) aetano

@eloso an! ?ilberto ?il became the ever #olitical s#eakers o+ the masses"

/he #erio! o+ bossa nova began in the mi!!le 20th centur$) also leaning on the e*isting Brazilian

st$les" /his music as strongl$ su##orte! b$ 7r$ Barroso) one o+ the greatest sambacom#osers an! #la$e! b$ >uiz Bon+A) =orival a$mmi an! others" But the best knon name

an! #robabl$ the greatest Brazilian com#osers o+ all times) consi!ere! o+ten as the inventor o+

this music as 7ntnio arlos 9obim) better knon as /om 9obim"

5till 9obim oul! not have been hat he is to!a$ i+ there ere no 9oCo ?ilberto) the

greatest bossa #la$er ever" /om as strongl$ in+luence! b$ 7merican 6azz music) hich is

#robabl$ the reason h$ his music is o+ten calle! 6azz samba"

/he secon! most im#ortant musician +rom that time is surel$ Ba!en .oell) com#oser an!

e*traor!inar$ guitar #la$er" 5till) to get the hole #icture) one must mention the greatest #oet)

@inicius !e Moraes) the author o+ the or!s +or the ma6orit$ o+ the greatest songs ritten b$

9obim) .oell) >$ra an! others"

International #o#ularit$ +or this music came a+ter French !irector Marcel amus receive! the

?ran! .ri* in annes in :D: +or the +ilm Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus,) hich as +ilme! in

Brazil) an! also another e&uall$ im#ortant eventE the +irst 7merican recor!ing o+ 9obim's)

Barroso's an! Ba!en's songs b$ 6azz stars harlie B$r! an! 5tan ?etz in :32"

?etz ha! b$ the en! o+ his li+e been !evote! to bossa nova an! is b$ no #robabl$ best knon

b$ his bossa inter#retations that he !i! ith 9obim) Bon+A) ?ilberto an! his i+e 7stru!"

=uring the late 30's a ne generation o+ musicians arose) lea! b$ hico Buar&ue !e ollan!a)

a man e&uall$ goo! in #oetr$ an! music" ollaborating ith 9obim an! @inicius) his songs have

been #la$e! o+ten b$ aetano @eloso) the man ith the e*&uisite voice ho) together ith his

sister Maria Bethnia an! +rien! musicians ?ilberto ?il an! ?al osta) +oun!e! the +amous

/ro#icalismo movement) a re+lection o+ :3 an! the hi##$ generation +rom other #arts o+ the

orl!"

5till) the #icture o+ Brazil o+ all times oul!n't be com#lete ithout the omen ith a thousan!

voices) the master o+ all +emale singers) the +abulous Glis 8egina" /ogether ith other

musicians) such as G!u >obo) /o&uinho) 9orge Ben) Milton Hascimento) Ivan >ins) =6avan an!

man$ others) she create! an image o+ Brazilian music that is knon to!a$" /his music is e&uall$

in+luence! b$ tra!itional Brazilian an! other >atin 7merican st$les) ol! Guro#ean an! 7+rican

roots) 7merican 6azz an! rock music"

In Brazil) the !ance is calle! samba too" /he samba) to the #urist) since it is the original or! in

ongo an! ambezi" ere also) like blues) the samba is an <invention< +rom black 7+rican

#risoners interne! in the huge 5outh 7merican #lantations) the +amous latifúndios" But i+ the

blues is sa! like a cotton +iel!) samba is cheer+ul) +urious) an! sunn$"

/he >atin environment an! a less +ierce +orm o+ slaver$ then #romote! a com#letel$ !i++erent

Hegro-7merican-e*#ression) resulting +rom the same reasons but in com#letel$ !i++erent

con!itions" /he samba gre) o+ course) in the most colonize! regions) +irst) in 8io !e 9aneiro)

but also in 5Co .aulo an! Bahia"

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Guro#e took an interest in samba +rom :20" =arius Milhau! inclu!e! samba ithin some o+ his

com#ositions" In +act) @illa->obos also rote a classical samba at the beginning o+ the D0's"

oever) it seems that the #re!ominance o+ rh$thmical +igures an! their accentuation have not

been a!o#te! easil$ b$ the aca!emic culture e*ce#t on the occasion o+ e*otic &uotations%

among others) b$ Milhau! in his Scaramouche"

Ho) the most brilliant o++s#ring o+ samba as the bossa nova" /he #aternit$ is grante! to /om

9obim an! 9oCo ?ilberto) at the beginning o+ the D0's) hen Brazil initiate! a cultural an!

economic revolution) hich as orth a ne nameE the He Wave%Hova Bossa" /he

movie Orfeu Negro%gol!en #alm o+ the annes Film Festival%an! the 6azz sa*o#honist 5tan

?etz #o#ularize! bossa nova be$on! its il!est !reams"

<M$ contem#oraries an! I learne! a lot +rom the Brazilian com#osers ho came be+ore us)< /om

9obim) invulnerable to so#histic arguments or reasoning) once sai!" <.eo#le like .i*inguinha)

 7r$ Barroso an! =orival a$mmi le+t a rastro) a track o+ beaut$ +or us to +ollo" When bossa

nova +irst a##eare! in Brazil) though) it ha! so man$ a!versaries) so man$ puristas +ull o+

animosit$" Jet the K"5" love! us" We receive! so man$ no's in Brazil) an! so man$ $es's in the

5tates"

<With hin!sight) I can see that the more the K"5" sai! $es) the more Brazil sai! no" Our a++init$

+or 6azz as #art o+ the #roblem) an! it has come to !ominate man$ #eo#le's thinking about our

music" Instea! o+ going into histor$ as a branch o+ samba) hich it is) bossa nova is viee! b$

the orl! as a branch o+ 6azz"

<O+ course) an$thing that sings to!a$ is calle! 6azzL the term has become so encom#assing"

 7n! the onl$ countries that reall$ sing in their music are the K"5") uba an! Brazil"<

Post-Bossa Otacílio

Otacílio Melgao's music is com#le* melo!icall$ in a$s that coinci!e ith the other si!e o+

the bossa nova) <#ro+oun!< bossa%l$ric) enigmatic) soul+ul" oinci!e ith the ver$ im#ortant

#ost-bossa (hear 9obim's recor!s Urubu) Matita Perê) +or e*am#le," oinci!e ith the best

riting +rom the D0's to the #resent) but his st$le goes ahea!E un+orgettable melo!ies are built

on ver$ challenging #rogressions that soun! e++ortless) an!rog$nous an! ethereal"

Melgao has a langui!) caressing) &uiet voice" >ike het Baker's singing or 9oCo ?ilberto's

singing) Melgao's voice is eightless) its !e#th in+inite) it is haunting) haunte!) insular" e

teaches us the soun! o+ stillness" 7s time goes b$) like smooth velvet his voice kne no boun!s

an! nee!e! no embellishment" is se!uctive vocals caresse! the ear as ell as the soul"

 7utumnal) sensual) re+lective) intimate) so#histicate!) elegant) summer$""" e's a kin! o+ l$rical

hero to!a$"

oever) Melgao's elaborate harmon$ is unonte!) instinctive) s#iritual (Otacílio #la$s

h$#notical songs,%in other or!sE he's also a <bossanovaman< but his music is be$on!" Far

be$on!" Music an! +olklore +rom mountainous Minas ?erais (+or e*am#le%N oco !o

8iachCo) 7r$ Barroso) 7taul+o 7lves) 9oCo Bosco) =6alma orreia) Milton Hascimento) <lube !a

Gs&uina< an! so on,) samba (artola) Helson ava&uinho) .aulinho !a @iola""",) chorinho)

Brazilian .o#ular Music (=orival a$mmi) Glomar) G!u >obo) aetano @eloso) /ro#icAlia""",)

cool 6azz (Miles =avis) ?il an! Bill Gvans""",) contem#orar$ 6azz (9ohn Mc>aughlin) .haroah

5an!ers) 8al#h /oner) Weather 8e#ort""",) orl! music (8avi 5hankar) HanA @asconcelos)

octeau /ins) 7+ro-soun!s""", et cetera"

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5$ncretism Miscegenation 5omething <an!< nothing </he st$le is the man<) sai! Hovalis" /he

Melgao's st$le is <this< manE Melgao himsel+"

One more time) the master /om 9obim con+i!esE <I have those ne harmonies coming +rom me

onl$" I as ala$s revolting against the establishment) against normal harmonies" It is a ver$

#ersonal thing" 5ure) I hear! =ebuss$ an! 8avel) but the$ !i!n't have this 7+rican beat e havehere"<

It's like Otacílio's consonance i+ e think about 1harmonies)' but the Melgao's beat is the

silence /he result is an intimate atmos#here) su!!enl$) illingl$%because the music moves us"

Melgao's soun! is too beauti+ul) the se!uction too irresistible) to resist reminiscing" <>ess is

more" Fe notes) right notes"<

Gnchantingl$ seet an! angelic) sa$s slol$ to the rh$thms o+ a #lace here music is a a$ o+ 

li+e" I +eel Otacílio <in a silent a$< because he <re-invente! the silence< ever$ time he <#la$e! it<

 6ust as basilar$ Miles =avis ith the horn" In +act) silence as the cornerstone o+ his entire

#er+ormanceL ste# b$ ste# Melgao his#ere! the emotion"

is l$rics" .recisel$ Melgao%like +ather) like son%the men o+ letters 9oCo ?uimarCes 8osa

an! arlos =rummon! !e 7n!ra!e are +rom the same m$sterious Brazilian region (Minas

?erais,L the$'re +rom the same s#iritual #ath) b$#ath) +oot#ath" 5#iritual +amil$) ascen!ance"

 7scension) essence"

Melgao's #oetr$ is en!less) ine*haustible) originalL his #oetr$ em#lo$s con!ense! +igures an!

unortho!o* s$nta* there+ore he knos that the #oint o+ a #oem is the beaut$ o+ the language"

/he +unction o+ #oetr$ in his songs is to #reserve moments o+ e*treme sensation an! uni&ue

im#ressions" It is #ossible to make #oetr$ (or music, out o+ an$thing) es#eciall$ out o+ zero)

hich et$mologicall$ also signi+ies ci#her"

<7n! I) trul$) I am the center that !oesn't e*ist e*ce#t as a convention in the geometr$ o+ the

ab$ssL I am the nothingness aroun! hich this movement s#ins""" It is ala$s a mistake not to

close one's e$es) hether to +orgive or to look better into onesel+" I rite an! sing in .ortuguese)

5#anish) Italian) French) Gnglish""" because each #oem is buil! aroun! a central s$mbol) i!ea)

or meta#hor +rom m$ #articular an! im#risoning Babel< he) in high s#irits) sai!"

 7 com#lete contem#orar$ artist) Melgao crosses over all musical boun!aries" From Belo

orizonte cit$) Minas ?erais state) Brazil%the com#oser) singer) multi#le instrumentist)

arranger) l$ricist an! s$mbolist #oet #ossess an unusual !e#thL avant-gar!e tra!ition alking

han! in han! ith the in!escribable" <Observing) an! +olloing along"<

<Jou must not in6ure silence) +or it is sacre!)< 9oCo ?ilberto once sai!"

Otacílio Melgao knos ver$ ell 7n! he goes ahea!"""

Melgaço's Official Site:

htt#EPP"buriti!osgerais"h#g"ig"com"br 

William Frias is a Brazilian +reelance riter an! can be reache!

at kiss$oumin!l$Q$ahoo"com"br