Choros #06
Written for orchestra in Rio in 1926, Choros #06 is dedicated to Arminda Neves d'Almeida.
Prof. Tarasti calls this work Villa-Lobos's Pastoral Symphony: "...it is by nature a lyrical work." He quotes Villa-Lobos:
"...the atmosphere of the work relects a sort of imprssion of the deserts of Northeastern Brazil: the climate, colors, temperature, light, birdsong, the fragrance of the capim grass blending with the capoeiras and all the elements of nature in a desert." Tarasti (1995), p. 109
You can listen to the work online; it's included in this episode of the radio series on Villa-Lobos on Antena 2:
Aug 23, 2008 - Choros Nº6 ; Dois Choros-bis and Uirapuru
| piccolo | 2 flutes | 2 oboes | English horn |
| clarinet | bass clarinet | 2 bassoons | contrabassoon |
| 4 horns | 3 trumpets | 4 trombones | tuba |
| timpani | tam-tam | saxophone | xylophone |
| bells | cymbals | bass drum | celesta |
| 2 harps | strings | tartaruga | camisao grande |
| cuica | reco-reco | tambu | tambi |
| tamborim | roncador | chocalhos | tamborim de samba |
Villa-Lobos, Heitor. 1987. Chôros no 6 pour orchestre. Paris: M. Eschig.
This score should be available in most larger academic libraries, or through Interlibrary Loan from your local library.
For many years we were without a commercial recording of Choros #06, but things are much better now.
The ASV disc of the first seven Choros, Adrian Leaper conducting the Orquestra Filarmonica De Gran Canaria, contains a fine version of Choros #06.
But my first recommendation is the new disc from BIS, the first in a projected series of the complete Choros, with John Neschling conducting the Orquestra Sinfónica do Estado de São Paulo - OSESP.
The premiere performance of the work was on July 18, 1942, at the Teatro Municipal in Rio, with Villa-Lobos conducting the Orquestra do Teatro Municipal.
Only two performances in the Villa-Lobos Concert database, as of August 2008, and neither are that recent.