Frevo Frevo Pernambuco’s Pernambuco’s Carnival MusicCarnival Music

Frevo Frevo Pernambuco’s Pernambuco’s Carnival MusicCarnival Music

The Term FrevoThe Term FrevoThe Term FrevoThe Term Frevo

Related to the verb “ferver” (to boil over) Vernacular slang for the exuberance of

carnival revelers in Recife 1907: term “frevo” first appears in print

Timeline of the FrevoTimeline of the FrevoTimeline of the FrevoTimeline of the Frevo

1800s European marching band and Afro-Brazilian capoeira mix

1880s Pedestrian Carnival Clubes, marcha-frevo, fanfarras develop

1920s Blocos Carnavalescos, Marcha de Bloco

1930s Frevos recorded by orchestras and broadcast in Brazil’s music industry

1950s First recording studio in Recife opens (Rozenblit)

1960s Modern frevo orquestra develops

Military and Civic BandsMilitary and Civic Bandsin Nineteenth-Century Brazilin Nineteenth-Century Brazil

Military and Civic BandsMilitary and Civic Bandsin Nineteenth-Century Brazilin Nineteenth-Century Brazil

National impact cutting across region, social class, race

Bandmasters and European-style musical literacy Civic Bands and cultural cosmopolitanism Rivalry and Competition

Contexts of Marching Band Contexts of Marching Band PerformancePerformance

Contexts of Marching Band Contexts of Marching Band PerformancePerformance

Community-wide religious processions Elite masquerade balls during Carnival

time Civic parades and functions of state

Pernambuco BandsPernambuco BandsPernambuco BandsPernambuco Bands

Strong tradition of Rivalry Capoeira groups and enthusiastic

fans

CapoeiraCapoeiraCapoeiraCapoeira

Afro-Brazilian resistance in colonial times

19th-century urban street culture Link to Bands in Pernambuco

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Roda de CapoeiraRoda de CapoeiraRoda de CapoeiraRoda de Capoeira

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Passistas Passistas Frevo Frevo

DancersDancers

Passistas Passistas Frevo Frevo

DancersDancers

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Frevo de RuaFrevo de RuaFrevo de RuaFrevo de Rua

Instrumental frevo Played by fanfarra (marching bands)

during Carnival Two-part structure Syncopated melodic lines

Capitão ZuzinhaCapitão ZuzinhaJosé Lourenço da SilvaJosé Lourenço da Silva

(1889-1952)(1889-1952)

Capitão ZuzinhaCapitão ZuzinhaJosé Lourenço da SilvaJosé Lourenço da Silva

(1889-1952)(1889-1952)

FanfarrasFanfarrasEarly 1900sEarly 1900sFanfarrasFanfarras

Early 1900sEarly 1900s Requinta/Clarinet Trumpet Two Trombones Two Horns Two Tubas Bombardino Snare, Surdo

Expanded FanfarrasExpanded Fanfarras19101910--1920s1920s

Expanded FanfarrasExpanded Fanfarras19101910--1920s1920s

Additional trombones

Pandeiro added

Blocos CarnavalescosBlocos CarnavalescosBlocos CarnavalescosBlocos Carnavalescos

1920s Middle-class Family Oriented Coral Feminino Orquestra de Pau

e Corda

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Coral FemininoCoral FemininoCoral FemininoCoral Feminino

Orquestra de Pau e CordaOrquestra de Pau e CordaOrquestra de Pau e CordaOrquestra de Pau e Corda

ClarinetFluteSaxophoneTrumpetGuitarCavaquinhoMandolinBanjo

Frevo and Brazil’s Popular Frevo and Brazil’s Popular Music IndustryMusic Industry

Frevo and Brazil’s Popular Frevo and Brazil’s Popular Music IndustryMusic Industry

1930s and 1940s– Frevos recorded in Rio de Janeiro– PRA-8 Radio Orchestra in Recife under

direction of Nelson Ferreira

1950s Discos Rozenblit opens in Recife

1960s Modern orchestras

Recorded FrevosRecorded FrevosRecorded FrevosRecorded Frevos Frevo

– Two-part instrumental frevo based on the frevo de rua

– Performed by a frevo orchestra Frevo-canção

– Solo song frevo sung by popular singer– Accompanied by a frevo orchestra

Frevo de bloco– Marcha de bloco song sung by a coral feminino– Accompanied by an orchestra de pau e corda

Orquestra de FrevoOrquestra de FrevoOrquestra de FrevoOrquestra de Frevo

Radio and society orchestras from Recife 1920s-1950s– Added saxophones– Upright bass and piano often added– Accompanied popular singers

Modern Frevo Orchestra (1960s-present)– Added electric bass – Added drum set

José MenezesJosé MenezesJosé MenezesJosé Menezes

Early band experience (1930s) Jazz Band Acadêmica (1940s) PRA-8 Radio Orchestra under Nelson

Ferreira (1950s) TV Radio Club Musical Director and

Bandleader (1960s-present)

José MenezesJosé MenezesJosé MenezesJosé Menezes

Orquestra de Frevo de Orquestra de Frevo de José MenezesJosé Menezes

Orquestra de Frevo de Orquestra de Frevo de José MenezesJosé Menezes