Canon
Where to start with Villa-Lobos
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
Chamber5 Prelúdios, A.419
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OrchestralBachianas Brasileiras no. 2, A.247
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VocalBachianas Brasileiras no. 5, for voice and 8 cellos, A.389
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KeyboardChôros no. 5, A.207, "Alma brasiliera"
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ChamberBachianas Brasileiras no. 1, for 8 cellos, A.246
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VocalChôros no. 10, A.209, "Rasga o Coraçao"
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KeyboardRudepoêma, A.184
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OrchestralBachianas Brasileiras no. 4, for piano and orchestra, A.424
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OrchestralBachianas Brasileiras no. 7, A.432
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OrchestralChôros no. 11, for piano and orchestra, A.228
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OrchestralChôros no. 6, A.219
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ChamberChôros no. 7, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, violin, cello, and off-stage gong, A.199, "Setemino"
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OrchestralFantasia, for saxophone, 2 horns, and strings, A.490
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OrchestralGuitar Concerto, A.502
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OrchestralMomoprecoce, fantasy for piano and orchestra, A.240
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Villa-Lobos's catalogueMost Popular
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Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (soprano + 8 cellos)
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Guitar Preludes (5)
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Chôros No. 10
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Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2 (The Little Train)
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Guitar Étude No. 1
Most Acclaimed
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Bachianas Brasileiras Nos. 1-9 (complete)
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Rudepoema (piano)portrait of Arthur Rubinstein — 30 demanding minutes
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String Quartet No. 6
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Chôros No. 11
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Piano Concerto No. 1
Most Weird
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Chôros No. 10orchestra + chorus — incorporates indigenous Brazilian folk material; the chorus howls, clicks, whispers
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Rudepoemapiano — a 30-minute portrait of Rubinstein’s personality; one of the most technically demanding piano works of the 20th century
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Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5the humming prelude is one of the most hypnotic openings in all music — soprano over 8 cellos
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The New York Skyline Melody (piano)the Manhattan skyline photographed and traced onto graph paper; each building’s height = a pitch; he actually meant this
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Chôros No. 11 (piano + orchestra)1 hour and 15 minutes — his longest single work; never performed in his lifetime
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 196
- Chamber
- ● 5 Prelúdios, A.419
- ● Bachianas Brasileiras no. 1, for 8 cellos, A.246
- Chôros no. 7, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, violin, cello, and off-stage gong, A.199, "Setemino"
- Sexteto místico, for flute, oboe, saxophone, harp, cello, and guitar, A.131, "Mystic Sextet"
- String Quartet no. 6, A.468
- String Quartet no. 7, A.435
- String Quartet no. 8, A.446
- 12 Etudes, A.235
- 2 Chôros, for violin and cello, A.227bis
- Alma Brasileira, for cello and piano
- Assobio a jato, for flute and cello, A.493, "The Jet Whistle"
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 6, for flute and bassoon, A.392
- Berceuse, for cello and piano, A.88
- Capriccio, for cello and piano, A.91
- Cello Sonata no. 2, A.103
- Chôros no. 1, A.161, "Tipico brasileiro"
- Chôros no. 2, for flute and clarinet
- Chôros no. 4, for 3 horns and trombone, A.218
- Concerto Grosso for Winds, A.565
- Distribuiçao de flôres, for flute and guitar, A.381, "Distribution of Flowers"
- Divigaçao, for cello, piano, and drum, A.461
- Duo for Oboe and Bassoon
- Duo for Violin and Viola, A.463
- Fantasia, for saxophone and piano, A.490bis
- Melodia sentimental, A.556
- O canto da nossa terra, for cello and piano, A.250
- O canto do capodócio, for cello and piano, A.251
- O canto do cysno negro, for cello and piano, A.122
- Pequena suíte for Cello and Piano, A.64
- Piano Trio no. 1, A.42
- Piano Trio no. 2, A.105
- Piano Trio no. 3, A.142
- Quintet for Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Harp, A.538
- Quinteto em forme de choros, for flute, oboe, clarinet, English horn, and bassoon, A.231
- Sonata Fantasia no. 1, for violin and piano, A.51
- Sonata Fantasia no. 2, for violin and piano, A.83
- Sonhar, for cello and piano, A.86
- String Quartet no. 1, A.99
- String Quartet no. 10, A.468
- String Quartet no. 11, A.481
- String Quartet no. 12, A.496
- String Quartet no. 13, A.503
- String Quartet no. 14, A.519
- String Quartet no. 15, A.523
- String Quartet no. 16, A.526
- String Quartet no. 17, A.537
- String Quartet no. 2, A.100
- String Quartet no. 3, Quarteto das pipocas, A.112, "Popcorn Quartet"
- String Quartet no. 4, A.129
- String Quartet no. 5, A.263, "Quarteto Popular"
- String Quartet no. 9, A.457
- Studio, for guitar
- Suite para quinteto dupio de cordas, A.54, "Suite for Double String Quintet"
- Suite populaire brésilienne, A.20, "Brazilian Folk Suite"
- Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon, A.182
- Élégie, for cello and piano, A.108
- Orchestral
- ● Bachianas Brasileiras no. 2, A.247
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 4, for piano and orchestra, A.424
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 7, A.432
- Chôros no. 11, for piano and orchestra, A.228
- Chôros no. 6, A.219
- Fantasia, for saxophone, 2 horns, and strings, A.490
- Guitar Concerto, A.502
- Momoprecoce, fantasy for piano and orchestra, A.240
- A lenda do caboclo, A.166
- Alvorada na floresta tropical, A.513
- Amazonas, A.118 — Symphonic poem
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 3, for piano and orchestra, A.388
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 8, A.444
- Canção do Amor, for guitar and orchestra, W546
- Cello Concerto no. 2, A.516
- Chôros no. 12, A.233
- Chôros no. 8, for 2 pianos and orchestra, A.208
- Chôros no. 9, A.232
- Ciranda das sete notas, for bassoon and strings, A.325, "Dance in Seven Notes"
- Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
- Cortejo nupçial, for organ and orchestra, A.491
- Dança dos mosquitos, A.187
- Dança frenética, A.144
- Danças africanas, A.107, "Danses des indiens métis du Brésil"
- Descombrimento do Brasil: Suite no. 1, A.377
- Descombrimento do Brasil: Suite no. 2, A.378
- Descombrimento do Brasil: Suite no. 3, A.79
- Descombrimento do Brasil: Suite no. 4, A.380
- Erosão, A.495, "Origem do Rio Amazonas"
- Fantasia, for cello and orchestra, A.454
- Floresta do Amazonas, symphonic poem for voice, male chorus, and orchestra, A.551
- Genesis, A.522
- Guitar Concerto, A.501
- Harmonica Concerto, A.524
- Harp Concerto, A.515
- Introduction to the Choros, for guitar and orchestra, A.239
- Introduction to the Chôros, W239
- Ouverture de l'homme tel, A.508
- Rudepoêma, A.310
- Rudá, symphonic poem and ballet, A.504, "Dio d'amore"
- Sinfonietta no. 1, A.115
- Symphony no. 10, for 3 soloists, chorus and orchestra, A.511
- Symphony no. 12, A.539
- Symphony no. 2, 'Ascensão', A.132
- Symphony no. 3, "A guerra"
- Symphony no. 4, for orchestra and brass, A.153, "A Vitória"
- Symphony no. 6,, A.447, "Sobre a linha das montahnas do Brasil"
- Symphony no. 7
- Symphony no. 8, A.499
- Symphony no. 9, A.510
- Vocal
- ● Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5, for voice and 8 cellos, A.389
- ● Chôros no. 10, A.209, "Rasga o Coraçao"
- 2 Paisagens, A.462
- As Costureiras
- Ave Maria
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 9, A.449
- Bazzum
- Bendita Sabedoria: Biblical Settings for Chorus, A.543
- Bendita sabedoria
- Cair de tarde, song for voice and piano, A.544
- Cançao do Amor, for voice and orchestra, A.546
- Canção de cristal, A.494
- Canção do poeta do século XVIII, A.486
- Canções típicas brasileiras, A.159
- Chôros no. 3, for male chorus and winds, "Picapau"
- Cor dulce, cor amabile
- Duas lendas amerindias em nheengatu
- Epigramma, song for voice and orchestra,, A.173a/4
- Historiettes, for voice and piano, A.165
- Jardim fanado, A.525
- Jose
- Magnificat alleluia, for voice, chorus and orchestra, A.553
- Modinhas e canções, A.365
- Modinhas e canções, A.441
- Poème de l'enfant et de sa mère, for voice, flute, clarinet, and cello, A.193
- Preces sem palavras
- Samba clássico, A.498, "Ode"
- Serestas, A.216
- Suite para canto e violino, A.95
- Teirú, song for voice and piano, A.223/2
- Veleiros, song for voice and piano, A.560
- Vocalises-Estudos, A.245
- Keyboard
- ● Chôros no. 5, A.207, "Alma brasiliera"
- ● Rudepoêma, A.184
- 12 Cirandinhas, A.210
- 16 Cirandinhas, A.220
- 5 Canções de cordialidade, A.deest
- A Fiandeira, A.176
- A Prole do bebê, A.140, "A família do bebê"
- Album 1, A.277
- Album 10, A.284
- Album 11, A.473
- Album 2, A.276
- Album 3, A.279
- Album 4, A.280
- Album 5, A.281
- Album 6, A.282
- Album 7, A.283
- Album 8, A.358
- Album 9, A.359
- As três Marias, A.411
- Bachianas Brasileiras no. 4, A.264
- Baliado infantil, A.35
- Baliado infernal, A.160
- Brinquedo de Roda, A.45
- Caixinha de música quebrada, A.256
- Carnaval das 8 crianças brasilieras, A.157
- Carnaval de Pierro
- Children's Carnaval
- Chôros no. 1
- Chôros no. 2, A.198
- Ciclo brasileiro, A.374
- Danças características africanas, A.85
- Feijoada Sem Perigo, A.deest
- Francette e Piá, A.237
- Guia Prático, folkloric melodies in 2 volumes, A. 276
- Histórias da carochinha, A.148
- Homenage a Chopin, A.474
- Impressões Seresteiras
- Lembranco do sertão, A.252
- Marquesa de Santos, A.396
- Melodia da montanha, "Mountain Melody"
- New York Skyline Melody, A.407
- O Gato e o rato, A.76
- Ondulando, A.82, "Undulating"
- Petizada, A.48
- Poema singélo, A.434
- Saudades das selvas brasileiras, A.226
- Simples coletânea, A.134
- Suite Floral, A.117
- Suite infantil no. 1, A.53
- Suite infantil no. 2, A.67
- Sul América, A.217
- Tristorosa, A.34
- Valsa da dor in D major, A.316
- Valsa lenta, A.43
- Valsa romãntica, A.16
- Valsa-scherzo, A.70
- Stage
- Menina nas nuvens, opéra-comique in 3 acts, A. 540
- Uirapurú, symphonic poem and ballet A.133, "The Enchanted Bird"