Songs Of The People: the use of folkloric and traditional Brazilian music styles by contemporary Brazilian composers

Author(s): Duarte Martins, Joao Tiago | Advisor(s): Hammel, Stephan | Abstract: This thesis investigates the influence of folkloric and traditional Brazilian music genres in the work of contemporary Brazilian composers. It demonstrates that traditional Brazilian music styles are an intrinsic element of contemporary Brazilian music and that they inform compositions in a multitude of contemporary genres. It begins by presenting a historical overview of the cultural and socio-economic forces that have shaped Brazilian music and society starting from the early modern period, with particular emphasis on the role of the transatlantic slave trade in Brazilian music. This is followed by a foundational framework of post-colonial theory as it pertains to a project of decolonization in musicology. Finally, it presents a series of transcriptions and analyses of Brazilian pieces and songs from a wide range of artists and genres to illustrate the influence of folkloric and traditional Brazilian music genres in the work of contemporary Brazilian composers at a rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic level. These analyses are further supplemented by several transcriptions of Brazilian folkloric styles to be used as comparative reference.