Viola caipira

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Traditional viola caipira with fine marquetry work

The viola caipira, often simply viola,[1] is a Brazilian ten-string guitar with five courses of strings arranged in pairs.[2] It was introduced in the state of São Paulo, where it is widely played as the basis for the música caipira.

Origins

Violeiro playing, by Almeida Júnior

Has its origins in the portuguese viola, deriving from arabic instruments such as the lute. The violas, or guitars, descend directly from the latin guitar, that, in its turn, has a persian-arab origin. The portuguese violas came to Brasil firstly brought by a man called João Pedro dos Passos, and it was used by jesuits in the cathechism of indigenous people. Later on, the first cabokles started to build their own violas with rough wood from the land. It was the start of the viola caipira.

Some have described the viola caipira as Brazil's national instrument,[3] but others argue that the tambourine-like pandeiro has a stronger claim.[4][5][6][7] The Brazilian Embassy in Washington lists a national flower among the official symbols of Brazil, but no national musical instrument.[8] What is undisputed is that the viola caipira was introduced in São Paulo before the violão, and is the basis for the música caipira, or São Paulo's folk music, as Inezita Barroso states.

Tuning and playing technique

A large number of tunings are used; open tunings are common.[9] Unlike most steel-string guitars, its strings are plucked with the fingers of the right hand similarly to the technique used for classical and flamenco guitars, rather than by the use of a plectrum.

Popularity

Viola caipira on display

Violas are present in nearly all Brazilian music forms, anywhere in the country (although it is declining in some places). It most often associated with Caipira Music (Brazilian country music), with some forms of North-Eastern music and with folkloric music. It was once used to play urban music, like choro, samba and Maxixe, but has been replaced by the acoustic guitar.

A National Association of Viola Players (Associação Nacional dos Violeiros) has been founded in 2004 and the Ministry of Culture has declared the preservation of the Viola tradition as of national interest.

Notable performers

Modern viola caipira

See also

References

  1. ^ Moura, Reis (2000). Descomplicando a Viola: Método Básico de Viola Caipira (in Portuguese) (by the author ed.). Brasília. p. 62. ISBN 85-901637-1-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Corrêa, Roberto (2000). A Arte de Pontear Viola (in Portuguese) (by the author ed.). Brasília. p. 259. ISBN 85-901603-1-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ See for example Brad Hoyt's essay which also includes some photos of the viola caipira
  4. ^ http://www.brazilproductions.com/html/instrument.html
  5. ^ "Pandeiros for Sale". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  6. ^ "CharlieHunter.com". CharlieHunter.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  7. ^ MusicLink - http://www.musiclink.co.uk. "Programming natural sounding percussion parts". Petelockett.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)
  8. ^ Brazilian Embassy website
  9. ^ Rosso, Piede (2009-02-08). "The Jazz Guitar Blog: Tuning". Jazz-guitar-talk.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  10. ^ "Tião Carreiro- Portal". Tiaocarreiro.com.br. 1993-10-15. Retrieved 2014-03-30.

External links

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