Some time ago I promissed to search the field of published choro music for guitar/violão, the following items mentioned below, however, are just a small selection of what has been issued recently and is still available for purchase from the publishers.
If the guitar choro playing is new to you, the shown book by Carlos Almada may be a good way to get started. As the title states, it contains 13 exercises of choro pieces arranged for solo guitar/violão. From the publisher's notes: "It has 13 studies (in the 13 more commonly used keys for the choro guitar) written in a reduced form and in the principal stylistic choro variants: besides real choros, there are polkas, maxixes, Brazilian tangos and xotis. The more used and characteristic rhythmical figurations are present in each of the studies as the principal. Also aiming at the simplification of execution, all studies were composed with only two voices (melody and bass) and with no chords (although harmonies are quite evident due to the choro melodic particularities). A CD with all 13 studies is included." Click on picture to learn more about the contents.
To expand your knowledge of the roots of the Brasilian guitar styles besides choro the shown anthology by Henrique Medeiros & Carlos Almade may be of interest. From the publisher's notes: "The main goal of this anthology for solo guitar is to put several styles together--the lundu, the polca, the maxixe, the valsinha, the quadrilha, the choro, the xótis, and the samba--to display the Brazilian musical scenery (especially from the city of Rio de Janeiro) of the last half of the 19th century and first years of the 20th century. The five composers chosen for inclusion are among the most important of that period: Francesco Manuel de Silva, Chiquinha Gonzaga, Joaquim Callado, Patápio Silva, and Anacleto de Medeiros. All twelve of the selections appear here in notation and tablature." More info, click on picture.
Duda Anizio and Nelson Caiado, two highly accomplished classical guitarists, have recorded a cd exclusively featuring compositions by Sérgio da Pinna, professor of the violão and father of Marco da Pinna. According to available info, "Sérgio de Pinna continues a tradition of brazilian classical guitar school descending directly from João Pernambuco and Dilermando Reis. His compositions are a combination of melodic simplicity and harmonic surprises." The music has been transcribed and is available in a seperate book, learn more by clicking the picture above.
Guitarists interested in playing the challenging arrangements of pieces recorded by the renown master of the violão, Raphael Rabello, may find inspiration in the shown book by Fernando Presta. The book has 11 arrangements included of the tunes "André de sapato novo", "Anos dourados", "O bem e o mal", "Conversa de botequim", "Dindi", "Luiza", "Modinha", "Samba do avião", "Samba de verão", "Samurai" & "Todo sentimento" - arrangements written in music and tablature for solo guitar/violão. Click picture to learn more.
You cannot dig into the Brasilian tradition of the solo violão without having knowledge of the compositions by Garoto. Paulo Bellinati's transcriptions of the guitar works by Garoto in two volumes are indispensable, if you'll try to master Garoto's compositions. The books are still available and so is the cd recorded by Paulo Bellinati of Garoto's guitar works.
These few items mentioned above are just an appetizer for guitarists interested in getting started with a challenging study of the Brasilian choro guitar.
Jo
In September 2000, president Fernando Henrique Carsoso signed an official document to announce 23 April the National Day of Choro in Brazil in honor of Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Filho, Pixinguinha, who was born 23 April 1897. Every year since then choro has been celebrated officially on the 23th of April through countless events in Brazil and around the world where Brasilian culture is a part of the local community. Let's follow this tradition and celebrate the day by playing some choro music. - I insert three video performances below to relive the spirit of Pixinguinha and his musical legacy to the world.
