Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carl St Clair.
I - Allegro non troppo: 0:00
II - Lento - Adagio: 5:52
III - Allegretto quasi animato: 15:14
IV - Allegro: 19:44
Villa-Lobos's Symphony No. 6 (Sobre a linha das montanhas do Brasil) was composed in 1944. It was premiered in Rio de Janeiro on April 29 of 1950, performed by the Orquestra do Theatro Municipal conducted by the composer. Villa-Lobos would later conduct it in Buffalo, Salzburg, and Havana. It is dedicated to his second wife, Arminda, whom he called Mindinha. After the trilogy of war symphonies from 1919-20, Villa-Lobos took an extended period to work on other pieces and refine his language, abandoning the French-influenced romantic language towards a more nationalistic one, as exemplified by the Chôros.
With the Revolution of 1930, Villa-Lobos became a notable cultural figure during the authoritarian government of Getúlio Vargas, conducting concerts through the country, writing patriotic music as well as leading an ambitious program of music education. Villa-lobos's return to the genre of the symphony from 1944 onwards was done with a mature style and firmly established Brazilian language, comprised of modernism, Brazilian folk and popular music, as well as European elements and forms heavily modified to suit this nationalistic style. Symphony No 6, which launched his mature symphonic style, derives partially from his educational work.
In 1939, while staying in New York, he had sketched the skyline of New York City as seen from his hotel on a sheet of graph paper, and assigned a pitch level to each major line. He then transcribed this melodic series onto regular music paper and used it as a melody for a piano piece that he called New York Skyline. This symphony follows the same technique (coined as "Millimeterization"), as most of the material is derived from the contours of the mountains known as the Serra dos Órgãos, a low mountain range near the city of Petrópolis, as well as the famous hills of Rio de Janeiro: Corcovado and Pão de Açúcar.
The first movement is very free in form, with no standard structure. It begins with a sinuous main theme on strings, whose opening with reappear in subsequent movements either in sequential form or as part of free counterpoint. We don't find contrasting material or new themes, but instead a continuous development similar to a developing variation. Despite this, Villa-Lobos explores different moods through a colourful orchestration. We also don't find a recapitulation either, instead a decided coda ends the allegro.
The second movement is written in form of an arch. It opens with a lyrical and sinuous main theme presented by solo English horn, clearly derived from the work's opening. It is unravelled in a delicate way through woodwind solos supported by evocative string glissandi. This serves to create a misty, richly impressionist texture. An almost atonal clarinet solo leads to a brief passage dominated by woodwind bird call-like figures. The music then gradually grows more intense and expressive, leading to a severe climax with a forceful descending motif on the brass, emphasized by the intervention of percussion. The main theme is then recapitulated in a varied way, a gentle coda ends the lento.
The third movement is a scherzo in ternary form. It begins with a rhythmic and vigorous main theme, comprised of several short motives from different instrumental groups. As with the previous movements, they are derived from the symphony's opening. The harmonies in this movement begin to move away from the relatively conventional chord structures of the first two movements to produce more clashing and unresolved dissonances. The trio section opens with the clarinet, with lyrical phrases from woodwinds and strings juxtaposed with the scherzo material. This material then dominates and leads us to a dissonant climax with which the movement ends.
The fourth movement is structured in a modified sonata form. It opens with loud timpani blows, followed by the exposition of an agitated and passionate main theme of folkish nature. It goes without saying that it is also derived from the opening sinuous line. A more melodic and contemplative second theme is introduced by divided cellos and violas. The return of the main theme leads to a powerful climax. The development opens with a flowing fugato dominated by woodwinds, before the main theme returns with striking cross-rhythms. A varied recapitulation of the material ensues, with a bucolic interpretation of the second theme on English horn. The symphony then ends with a vigorous coda.
Picture: "Postcard" (1929) by the Brazilian painter Tarsila do Amaral.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/27n8c6da, tinyurl.com/27g9fsme, tinyurl.com/2d747ksx, tinyurl.com/284m2ymk and tinyurl.com/226e93nm
Unfortunately, the score is not freely available.
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carl St Clair.
I - Allegro non troppo: 0:00
II - Lento - Adagio: 5:52
III - Allegretto quasi animato: 15:14
IV - Allegro: 19:44
Villa-Lobos's Symphony No. 6 (Sobre a linha das montanhas do Brasil) was composed in 1944. It was premiered in Rio de Janeiro on April 29 of 1950, performed by the Orquestra do Theatro Municipal conducted by the composer. Villa-Lobos would later conduct it in Buffalo, Salzburg, and Havana. It is dedicated to his second wife, Arminda, whom he called Mindinha. After the trilogy of war symphonies from 1919-20, Villa-Lobos took an extended period to work on other pieces and refine his language, abandoning the French-influenced romantic language towards a more nationalistic one, as exemplified by the Chôros.
With the Revolution of 1930, Villa-Lobos became a notable cultural figure during the authoritarian government of Getúlio Vargas, conducting concerts through the country, writing patriotic music as well as leading an ambitious program of music education. Villa-lobos's return to the genre of the symphony from 1944 onwards was done with a mature style and firmly established Brazilian language, comprised of modernism, Brazilian folk and popular music, as well as European elements and forms heavily modified to suit this nationalistic style. Symphony No 6, which launched his mature symphonic style, derives partially from his educational work.
In 1939, while staying in New York, he had sketched the skyline of New York City as seen from his hotel on a sheet of graph paper, and assigned a pitch level to each major line. He then transcribed this melodic series onto regular music paper and used it as a melody for a piano piece that he called New York Skyline. This symphony follows the same technique (coined as "Millimeterization"), as most of the material is derived from the contours of the mountains known as the Serra dos Órgãos, a low mountain range near the city of Petrópolis, as well as the famous hills of Rio de Janeiro: Corcovado and Pão de Açúcar.
The first movement is very free in form, with no standard structure. It begins with a sinuous main theme on strings, whose opening with reappear in subsequent movements either in sequential form or as part of free counterpoint. We don't find contrasting material or new themes, but instead a continuous development similar to a developing variation. Despite this, Villa-Lobos explores different moods through a colourful orchestration. We also don't find a recapitulation either, instead a decided coda ends the allegro.
The second movement is written in form of an arch. It opens with a lyrical and sinuous main theme presented by solo English horn, clearly derived from the work's opening. It is unravelled in a delicate way through woodwind solos supported by evocative string glissandi. This serves to create a misty, richly impressionist texture. An almost atonal clarinet solo leads to a brief passage dominated by woodwind bird call-like figures. The music then gradually grows more intense and expressive, leading to a severe climax with a forceful descending motif on the brass, emphasized by the intervention of percussion. The main theme is then recapitulated in a varied way, a gentle coda ends the lento.
The third movement is a scherzo in ternary form. It begins with a rhythmic and vigorous main theme, comprised of several short motives from different instrumental groups. As with the previous movements, they are derived from the symphony's opening. The harmonies in this movement begin to move away from the relatively conventional chord structures of the first two movements to produce more clashing and unresolved dissonances. The trio section opens with the clarinet, with lyrical phrases from woodwinds and strings juxtaposed with the scherzo material. This material then dominates and leads us to a dissonant climax with which the movement ends.
The fourth movement is structured in a modified sonata form. It opens with loud timpani blows, followed by the exposition of an agitated and passionate main theme of folkish nature. It goes without saying that it is also derived from the opening sinuous line. A more melodic and contemplative second theme is introduced by divided cellos and violas. The return of the main theme leads to a powerful climax. The development opens with a flowing fugato dominated by woodwinds, before the main theme returns with striking cross-rhythms. A varied recapitulation of the material ensues, with a bucolic interpretation of the second theme on English horn. The symphony then ends with a vigorous coda.
Picture: "Postcard" (1929) by the Brazilian painter Tarsila do Amaral.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/27n8c6da, tinyurl.com/27g9fsme, tinyurl.com/2d747ksx, tinyurl.com/284m2ymk and tinyurl.com/226e93nm
Unfortunately, the score is not freely available.
