[Digite texto] [Digite texto] [Digite texto]
[Digi e e ][Digi e e ][Digi e e ]
eISSN 2317-6377
A linha de baixo nos ritmos do sul do Brasil: proposi es
pr ticas, te ricas e suas aplica es no contrabaixo
ac stico
The ba li e i he h hm f S he B a il: ac ical a d he e ical
al a d i a lica i he d bleba
Ma he Me i a Pa ali1
matheuspasquali89@gmail.com
Leona do Pie ma i i1
1U i e idade d E ad de Sa a Ca a i a, CEART, Fl ia li , Sa a Ca a i a, B a i
ARTIGO CIENT FICO
Editor de Se o: Fe a d Chaib
Editor de Layout: Fe a d Chaib
Licen a: "CC b 4.0"
Data de submissão: 10 set 2024
Data final de aprovação: 27 out 2024
Data de publicação: 02 jan 2025
DOI: https:/ / doi.org/ 10.35699/ 2317- 6377.2025.54497
RESUMO: E e a ig e ma a li e da li ha de bai g e da mil ga e em i m imila e ,
ca ac e ic da egi l d B a il, a lica d - a c abai . C ide a- e a e a a ec ic
a a a b e de ma idade a iada, ma amb m a ec c cei al de e g e , e
dial gam c m c cei de cla e e mica adi i a. F i fei a ma a li e b e a cla e ada e e g e ,
e e a ame e a me ma e c ada em e il , ge i d ma el igem af ica a c m m.
E e m abalh i f mad ela ica, de m d a e a ici c m m ic c idad em
e f ma ce c m g Q a e C a de P , g e eciali ad e e i li , ediad em Lage -
SC. F i eali ada ma e e i a c m m ic J Gab iel R a, e amb m c m a ilh a e ce e e
ica . Ne e a ig e i cl da a c i e e a li e de ech de b a de e e e i a a c b a
a c cl e le a ada .
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Ri m li ; R mica adi i a; M ica; C abai .
ABSTRACT: Thi a icle e a a al i f ba li e i he mil ga ge e a d imila h hm , cha ac e i ic
f he he egi f B a il, a l i g hem he c aba . N l he ac ical a ec f b ai i g a
a ia e d i c ide ed, b al he c ce al a ec behi d he e ge e , hich dial g e i h he
c ce f cla e a d addi i e h hm. A h hmic a al i a made f he claff f h e ge e , hich a e e ac l
he ame a h e f d i he le , gge i g a ible c mm Af ica igi . Thi i a k i f med b
ac ice, he e e f he a h a ici a ed a a g e m icia i e f ma ce i h he g Q a e
C a de P , a g eciali ed i he e e i e, ba ed i Lage -SC. A i e ie a ca ied i h
m icia J Gab iel R a, h al ha ed hi e ce i . Thi a icle i cl de a c i i a d a al e f
e ce f m k f m hi e e i e c b a e he c cl i ai ed.
KEYWORDS: S he h hm ; Addi i e h hmic; M ic; D bleba .
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.26 | Gene al To ic |e252602 | 2025
From “Overcoated Singing” to Brazilian song:
rethinking Bel Canto in the Portuguese language
Do “Canto Encasacado” ao canto brasileiro:
repensando o Bel Canto em língua portuguesa
Kaio César Freitas Morais1
kaionac@gmail.com
Guilherme Antonio Sauerbronn de Barros1
1 University of the State os Santa Catarina
SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE
Section Editor: Fernando Chaib
Layout Editor: Fernando Chaib
License: "CC by 4.0"
Submitted date: 21 sep 2025
Final approval date: 25 dec 2025
Publication date: 03 mar 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2317-6377.2026.61842
ABSTRACT: This article examines the relationship between Bel Canto and Brazilian art song, highlighting the tensions and
convergences between European tradition and national identity. Drawing on Mário de Andrade’s critique of the “Canto
Encasacado,” it analyzes how the Italian technique dialogues with key aspects of the Portuguese language, such as prosody and
nasality. Based on an interdisciplinary approach combining musicology, vocal pedagogy, and cultural theory—and drawing on
authors such as Andrade, Santos, Miller, Bloem-Hubatka, and Carvalho—the study demonstrates that Bel Canto, when
reinterpreted, can serve as a technical and expressive resource in Brazilian repertoire. It concludes that the integration of
European heritage and national identity strengthens operatic singing in Portuguese as a distinctive practice, while also expanding
its interpretative possibilities and reaffirming its role as a vehicle of cultural affirmation.
KEYWORDS: Bel Canto; Brazilian art song; Operatic singing; National identity; Decolonial.
RESUMO: Este artigo discute a relação entre o Bel Canto e a canção brasileira, destacando tensões e aproximações entre tradição
europeia e identidade nacional. Partindo das críticas de Mário de Andrade ao “Canto Encasacado”, analisa-se como a técnica
italiana dialoga com aspectos centrais da língua portuguesa, como prosódia e nasalidade. A partir de uma abordagem
interdisciplinar que articula musicologia, pedagogia vocal e teoria cultural, com base em autores como Andrade, Santos, Miller,
Bloem-Hubatka e Carvalho, o estudo demonstra que o Bel Canto, reinterpretado, pode ser ferramenta de apoio técnico e
expressivo no repertório brasileiro. Conclui-se que a integração entre herança europeia e identidade nacional fortalece o canto
lírico em português como prática singular, ao mesmo tempo em que amplia suas possibilidades interpretativas e reafirma seu
papel como instrumento de afirmação cultural.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Bel Canto; Canção brasileira; Canto lírico; Identidade nacional; Decolonial.
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
2
1. Introduction
Operatic singing in Brazil has always been marked by tensions between European tradition and the search
for a distinct national identity. Since the nineteenth century, when Italian influence became consolidated
through Bel Canto, critics and musicologists have reflected on the implications of applying a foreign vocal
technique to a language with very different sonorities, such as Portuguese. In this context, Mário de Andrade
emerges as one of the most incisive voices, denouncing what he called the “Canto Encasacado” (“Overcoated
Singing”), the result of a mechanical application of the European model that disregarded essential aspects
of the Portuguese language, such as prosody, nasality, and textual intelligibility.
The debate is not limited to a simplistic opposition between European tradition and brasilidade. Rather, it
involves understanding how technical knowledge from a consolidated school such as Bel Canto can be
appropriated, reinterpreted, and integrated into Brazilian vocal practice. In this process, phonetic, rhythmic,
and stylistic issues become central, revealing that the search for a national vocal aesthetic is inseparable
from reflection on language, identity, and culture. Brazilian music—with its diversity ranging from modinha
and lundu to operatic, choral, and chamber repertoire—offers fertile ground for this dialogue, while also
bringing to the surface decolonial dilemmas and the need to overcome paradigms inherited from a
colonialist perspective, which for a long time considered Portuguese an unsuitable language for classical
singing (Kiefer 1977).
From a methodological standpoint, this article adopts an interdisciplinary approach that brings together
musicology, voice studies, and cultural theory. It draws upon historical and theoretical texts—such as the
reflections of Mário de Andrade (1972), Santos (2011), Miller (1996), and Bloem-Hubatka (2012)—as well as
more recent studies that problematize the notions of tradition and identity, such as Carvalho (2025). The
analysis privileges a comparative perspective, seeking to highlight both the points of tension and the
possibilities of reconciliation between Italian vocal technique and the demands of Brazilian song.
The aim is to demonstrate that Bel Canto, far from being an obstacle to the affirmation of Brazilian vocal
identity, can serve as a bridge between technique and culture, provided it is reinterpreted and adapted to
the specificities of the Portuguese language and national musicality. By exploring the tensions between
tradition and identity, this study seeks to contribute to the debate on the construction of a genuinely
Brazilian vocal aesthetic, one that dialogues with European heritage without losing sight of the uniqueness
of Brazilian culture.
2. Between tradition and identity: Bel Canto as a bridge for Brazilian song
The Brazilian songbook comprises a vast and diverse repertoire, filled with challenges and interpretative
possibilities. Santos (2011) argues that Brazilian songs can be employed as a resource for technical and vocal
development, emphasizing the importance of their recognition and appreciation.
The writer and musicologist from São Paulo, Mário de Andrade (1991), asserts that one of the obstacles to
the support of the national repertoire was the influence of Bel Canto. According to him, the use of this
technique made the songs sound as if they had not been written in Portuguese, hindering the audience’s
understanding of the sung text. This concern with Brazilian vocal identity—the need to move away from the
so-called “Canto Encasacado” (“Overcoated Singing”), which undermined the expression of brasilidade, and
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
3
to approach a manner closer to spoken language—was a widely discussed issue within the Brazilian musical
milieu of the twentieth century (Santos 2011).
From the perspective adopted in this article, the central question is: was Bel Canto
1
—namely, the technique
of the Italian school—truly the problem to be addressed? The main criticisms raised by musicologists
concerned the audience’s comprehension of the sung text and the fidelity of performance to the Portuguese
language and to national identity. Bel canto was identified as the problematic element by Andrade (1991)
and Santos (2011), as it was a technique of European origin. Its aesthetic standards, inherited from European
companies, reflected their language and culture rather than our own.
The debate was not directed against Bel Canto itself—after all, Andrade acknowledged the Italian tradition
as a consolidated foundation of vocal pedagogy—but rather against certain technical aspects when applied
indiscriminately to Portuguese. Timbral homogenization, the absence of nasalization, and the loss of textual
clarity were regarded as factors that distanced Brazilian song from its communicative function and from its
connection with orality. In this sense, Andrade did not reject the Italian technique, but emphasized the need
for adaptations that would respect the phonetic, rhythmic, and expressive specificities of the Portuguese
language.
It is by no means a matter of repudiating the European Bel Canto, which—as we have
already said—can perfectly serve as a technical development of the voice, to Brazilian
singing, which, technically, is assimilable to the European.
2
(Andrade 1991, 110)
His vision of how Brazilian operatic singing should sound was therefore oriented toward the construction of
its own vocal school, one that would reconcile European technical mastery with the valorization of Brazilian
speech. He advocated for a form of singing that would preserve the intelligibility of the text, approximate
the timbre and intonation of everyday speech, and reflect the cultural richness of the country—marked by
the interweaving of Indigenous, African, and Iberian influences. The proposal was for a “nationalized”
operatic singing, which would not renounce technical excellence, but which, at the same time, would not
sacrifice the identity of the Portuguese language or Brazilian musicality in the name of foreign standards.
When we consider Bel Canto as a vocal school, it is difficult to associate the problems indicated by Andrade
as originating from Bel Canto itself. This tradition has been employed not only for singing in Italian, but also
in languages such as Spanish, German, French, and English, while preserving the intelligibility of the text and
the diction proper to each of these languages. Such a practice does not seem to correspond to the so-called
“Canto Encasacado” (“Overcoated Singing”) identified by Andrade.
Richard Miller (1996) demonstrates that there are singers who are able to sing well in any language, since a
free voice does not present problems of diction. Intelligibility in singing is linked to the balance among vowels
1
In this article, the concept of Bel Canto is understood as the Italian school of singing, primarily characterized
by its bright timbre, the clarity and definition of vowels, and other related features. Morais and Barros (2025)
discusses the use of the term in two ways: in a broad sense, as a designation of a vocal school; and in a more
restricted sense, as some authors confine it to the Baroque period and to florid singing— i.e. with ornaments
and with coloraturas—associated with composers such as Bellini, Rossini, among others.
2
“Não se trata absolutamente de repudiar o Bel Canto europeu que, já o dissemos, pode perfeitamente servir
como desenvolvimento técnico da voz, ao canto brasileiro, que tecnicamente, é assimilável ao europeu.”
(Andrade 1991, 110)
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
4
and to articulatory clarity. This reinforces the idea that Bel Canto, when properly applied, can serve as a tool
for preserving textual clarity rather than as an obstacle.
It is important to note that this “Canto Encasacado” (“Overcoated Singing”), described by Andrade (1991)
and Santos (2011), displays the same characteristics identified in the modern twentieth-century voice by
Bloem-Hubatka (2012), in which vocal production approaches an artificial ideal, moving away from the
natural register of speech:
Present - day singers seem to possess a more corporate sound; we hear more of the
method they use than of themselves. Historical singers seem to sing after a method that is
not an obstacle to communication but an aid. (…) Present-day professional singers sing
after the same method that is now taught in conservatories all over the world, (…) The
present-day method also eradicates special-sounding voice types (…) Tenors sound the
same the world over. (Bloem-Hubatka 2012, 06-09)
The Bel Canto school, therefore, has nothing to do with a practice that undermines textual intelligibility or
distances itself from the natural characteristics of the sung language. This also applies to nasal sounds, which
are so important for the intelligibility and correct pronunciation of Brazilian Portuguese in singing, as we
shall briefly discuss.
2.1. Bel Canto and nasality in Brazilian Portuguese
Among the most challenging elements is the nasality of the Portuguese language. Unlike Italian—the
reference language for Bel Canto—Brazilian Portuguese features a large number of nasal vowels ([ɐ], [ẽ], [ĩ],
[õ], [ũ]) and nasal diphthongs, which create challenges both for vocal homogeneity and for maintaining the
legato line. Italian singing, grounded in the purity of oral vowels, tends to seek clear and uniform timbres,
whereas Portuguese requires a delicate balance between nasality and intelligibility.
Nasality must be controlled so as not to compromise vocal projection, but it should never be eliminated, as
it constitutes an essential part of the phonetic identity of the language. This discussion directly recalls
Andrade’s modernist concerns: singing in Portuguese meant respecting the particular sonority of the
language, without erasing it in the name of a foreign aesthetic.
The Italian school makes use of nasal sounds in Bel Canto, employing them extensively for placement
adjustments in the mask. The sensation of a bright timbre arises precisely from these adjustments. As Miller
(1996) notes:
For In describing the pedagogical uses of the nasal continuants, it was mentioned that the
entire oral cavity serves as a resonator in the execution of [m] (while remaining in a lateral
position). It has also been shown that in [n] the oral cavity is altered so the portion lying
behind the conjunction of tongue and alveolar ridge acts as a resonator without
contribution from the forward area between the teeth and the lips, and that in [q] the
mouth cavity (with the exception of the faucial area) is probably excluded as a
resonator.(…) The ultimate location of high "head sensation” is often experienced with the
phoneme [ji], pinpointing a feeling of “resonance” squarely in the center of the masque, or
behind the nose, the eyes, or in some related area of the face, depending on subjective
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
5
responses of the singer. It will be seen at once that these syllables are based on the Italian
word ogni, and that the exercise stems from the Italian School. The syllables, at the
repetition on the vocalise, are reversed, the initial sound then being the lingua-palatal-
nasal one. (Miller 1996, 86-87)
As we can see, nasality plays an important role in the production of the bright timbre, since the resonance
adjustments derived from it are fundamental for the sensation of “voice in the mask.” Within Bel Canto,
nasality is even employed as a pedagogical resource.
French also features nasal vowels ([ɑ], [ɛ], [œ ], [ɔ]), for which vocal pedagogy has developed specific
strategies. Modern teaching does not recommend eliminating nasality, but rather controlling it through the
predominance of oral resonance. In other words:
The singer should conceive of the French nasal vowel as an oral vowel enhanced with nasal resonance, rather
than as an exclusively nasal sound. The vocal emission must remain focused on the oral tract, ensuring
projection; nasality is added as a “shade,” avoiding the excess that produces muffling. The result is an
intelligible pronunciation, without compromising lyrical projection.
The same reasoning can be applied to Brazilian Portuguese: rather than attempting to “correct” the language
to conform to Italian Bel Canto, the challenge lies in balancing nasality and orality, preserving linguistic
identity without sacrificing clarity and projection. In short, it concerns oral vowels enhanced with nasal
resonance, rather than exclusively nasal sounds.
It is important to emphasize that French was one of the reference languages for the development of
pronunciation norms for Brazilian Portuguese in classical singing. These norms were established through the
joint effort of several researchers (Kayama et al. 2007), with the aim of providing Brazilians—and any singer
interested in performing in Brazilian Portuguese—with a document that systematizes a neutral
pronunciation of the language. The material does not include the specificities of regional accents, since
Brazil, with its continental dimensions, presents great phonetic diversity. Nevertheless, it represents an
important step toward the internationalization of Brazilian art music.
2.2. The stridency of the folk singers
The oral music of Northeastern Brazil—with its legends, ballads, aboios, and repentes, as well as street
singing and other manifestations of popular expression—can be described by the characteristics of a rustic
Figure 1 – Exercise attributed to the Italian school: alternation between nasal consonants and front and back vowels.
Reference: Miller 1996, 87
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
6
and strident singing style. This notion of stridency should not be understood as a lack of technique or vocal
control, but rather as a conscious aesthetic choice: the valorization of timbres regarded as rustic.
Carvalho (2025) refers to the sounds of the viola caipira, the rabeca, and the ballad singing tradition. As
Suassuna states: “harsh, archaic sounds, sharpened like the edges of a knife-point
3
” (Suassuna apud Carvalho
2025, 244). Thus, the question arises: how can these aspects be associated with a technique whose guiding
principle is a voice free of stridency?
Stridency itself is a debatable aspect. In Bel Canto, the bright timbre is valued; it is not, therefore, a matter
of removing the “brilliance” characteristic of a strident voice, but of covering it so that this brilliance is
distributed within a fuller timbre. In a certain sense, the control of this covering can be consciously managed
by the operatic singer in order to achieve sounds that are more or less “harsh,” depending on the interpretive
demands.
This resource can be observed in verismo operas, such as I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo. In the tenor aria Vesti
la giubba, the expressive indication is to sing a piena voce, straziante (“full voice, heart-rending”). In this
context, the tenor is expected to produce a timbre that is less beautiful and more “desperate,” rustic, and
surrendered to the character’s pain. In this aria, a singer with solid technical command is able to move
between these timbres and achieve the desired expressive outcome.
In the same way, the control and gradation of timbres can be applied to the national repertoire. Although
Bel Canto has as one of its aesthetic ideals the pursuit of a homogeneous, flexible voice free of stridency,
this characteristic does not prevent its assimilation into Brazilian repertoire. In fact, Bel Canto technique
privileges clarity of emission, precision of prosody, and clear articulation of vowels. Bel canto preserves a
bright, projected timbre capable of enhancing both text and expressivity. This proximity allows the Italian
technique to engage in dialogue with the national aesthetic, offering performers tools to explore nuances
between the smoothness of classical singing and the rusticity required by certain Brazilian repertoires.
3
“toques ásperos, arcaicos, acerados como gumes de faca-de-ponta” (Suassuna apud Carvalho, 2025, 244).
Figure 2 –Excerpt from the aria Vesti la giubba, from the opera I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo.
Reference: International Music Library Project - IMSLP
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
7
3. Brazilian national identity
In defense of Brazilian art song, the article by Castro, Borghoff, and Pádua (2003) raises an important point
regarding the valorization of the national repertoire within vocal training in Brazil. The authors argue that
the study of the national song should stand on the same level of importance as the European repertoire, not
only for its artistic value but also because it constitutes an essential means of building Brazilian musical
identity. This leads us to ask: why does Brazilian song not achieve the prominence it so greatly deserves?
What are the obstacles encountered in the popularization of the national songbook?
One possible answer to this question lies in the difficulty of accessing quality editions of scores and
recordings. Added to this is a historical factor: for much of its history, Brazil maintained a colonial mindset
that did not value national singing or our identity as a people (Pignatari 2009). Today, however, we can
observe the efforts of several researchers to highlight what has come to be known as decolonialism, an
intellectual movement that seeks to deconstruct the social, political, cultural, and epistemic structures
inherited from colonization, while promoting the recovery and appreciation of the experiences of historically
dominated peoples.
The Portuguese language, until the end of the nineteenth century in Brazil, was considered
unrefined and unsuitable for operatic singing—reason why it was almost banned from the
musical taste of the economically dominant society, which sought to preserve its
identification with European culture and resisted incorporating Brazilian popular values
and elements into its art.
4
(Kiefer 1977, 47)
Nevertheless, singing in Portuguese developed, and within the Brazilian territory it consolidated with
pronunciation characteristics and regional styles that are neither, nor should they be, easily standardized
into a single identity. Brazilian music, in its many forms, emerged from a broad mixture of peoples and
cultures, resulting in an immense variety of styles. Today, Brazil may perhaps be most widely recognized
worldwide for bossa nova, with its complex harmonies and Tom Jobim’s iconic song The Girl from Ipanema;
however, its musical production is by no means limited to this genre, extending both to the development of
popular music and to classical music. In the latter field, composers such as Carlos Gomes, Waldemar
Henrique, Lorenzo Fernandes, Oswaldo de Souza, Alberto Nepomuceno, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Cláudio Santoro,
Camargo Guarnieri, Francisco Mignone, Lycia de Biase Bidart, Lina Pires de Campos, Dinorá de Carvalho,
Hilda Pires dos Reis, Esther Scliar and Jocy de Oliveira, among others, stand out for having explored and
expanded the country’s musical diversity.
4
“O idioma português, até fins do século XIX no Brasil, era considerado língua inculta e imprópria para o
canto lírico, motivo pelo qual era quase banido do gosto musical da sociedade economicamente dominante,
que procurava preservar sua identificação com a cultura europeia e resistia em incorporar os valores e
elementos populares brasileiros à sua arte.” (Kiefer 1977, 47)
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
8
The Iberian melody, together with African rhythmic richness, Indigenous ritual songs and
dances, the music of religious cults, and military events, translated into a strong musical
identity for Brazil.
5
(Tinhorão 1991, 42)
The historical narrative highlights how the modinha and the lundu represented the first spaces of cultural
resistance and of the affirmation of brasilidade in the face of the colonial legacy and European prestige.
Another aspect to consider is the invention of traditions. The maintenance and repetition of cultural ideas
and practices create what is perceived as “traditional,” which may be associated with a so-called ideal past—
a past that may or may not have existed, but which, even in its possible nonexistence, affects and provides
a sense of identity to a people, even if that identity is invented.
The invention of traditions is a historiographical perspective that questions the
authenticity—and even the antiquity—of certain practices, rituals, symbols, and discourses
perpetuated in societies under the guise of a supposed ‘traditional’ character. By
investigating the origins and processes of dissemination of these elements, pointing to
them as productions—that is, as human ‘inventions’ often more recent than one might
imagine—this line of studies highlights the functions performed by traditions, such as
creating social bonds, strengthening collective identities, legitimizing authorities, or
establishing continuities with an idealized past, thereby serving as tools of cohesion and
social control.
6
(Carvalho 2025, 64)
In this respect, one might ask to what extent Brazilian identity can be described as “traditional.” More
profoundly, it is worth questioning to what extent the very set of ideas that constitutes European identity
and aesthetics can be considered “traditional.”
Mário de Andrade was incisive in defending Brazilian culture in its various manifestations and understood
that the European traditional ideal—or the knowledge originating from Europe—did not diminish the merit
or originality of the music created in Brazil. He recognized a tendency not to acknowledge Brazilian identity
or character in certain aspects, which contributed to what he called the “falsification of the Brazilian entity.”
But an important element coincides with this falsification of the Brazilian entity: the
opinion of the European. The dilettantism that demands music exclusively our own is
reinforced by what is genuinely ours and manages to obtain foreign applause. Yet, however
respectful we may be of European criticism, it must be recognized once and for all that
5
“A melodia ibérica em conjunto com a riqueza rítmica africana, os cantos e danças rituais indígenas, a
música de cultos religiosos e eventos militares se traduziram em uma forte identidade musical para o Brasil.”
(Tinhorão, 1991, 42)
6
A invenção das tradições é a uma perspectiva historiográfica que questiona a autenticidade, e até mesmo
a antiguidade, de certas práticas, rituais, símbolos e discursos perpetuados nas sociedades sob respaldo de
um suposto caráter ‘tradicional’. Ao investigar as origens e os processos de disseminação desses elementos,
apontando-os como produções, i.e., como ‘invenções’ humanas muitas vezes mais recentes do que se podia
imaginar, essa corrente de estudos põe em evidência funções desempenhadas pelas tradições, tais como a
de criar laços sociais, fortalecer identidades coletivas, legitimar autoridades ou estabelecer continuidades
com um passado idealizado, atuando como ferramentas de coesão e controle social. (Carvalho, 2025, 64)
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
9
success in Europe has no importance whatsoever for Brazilian Music. In fact, it only reflects
the expansion of the internationalized.
In music, even the Europeans who visit us persist in this search for the spiced exotic. If they
hear a vigorous batuque, fine, they are enjoying themselves; but if it is a modinha without
syncopation or certain lyrical effusions of Marcelo Tupinambá’s little tangos, then that is
‘Italian music’! They speak with a disdainful face. And those who think themselves
knowledgeable start criticizing and advising, which is a vast danger. In a toada, a lullaby, or
an aboio, they uncover at every step French, Russian, or Scandinavian phrases. Sometimes
they even specify: that it is Rossini, that it is Boris. Well, what does Brazilian Music have to
do with that! If Milk resembles Milch, do the words cease to be one English and the other
German? At most, one can observe that both came from the same root. No one ever thinks
of attacking the Italianness of Rossini because one of his phrases coincides with another
from French comic opera.
7
(Andrade 1972, 1)
The identity of national music results from an intense blending of cultures, which fused and generated an
intricate web of possibilities branching into different manifestations from north to south across Brazil’s vast
territory. We do not need the opinion of other countries to recognize the greatness of our repertoire, for
everything stems from the communion of cultures and ideas. Mário de Andrade (1972) continues:
One of the European pieces of advice I have often heard is that if we want to create national
music, we must search for elements among the Indigenous peoples, since only they would
be legitimately Brazilian. This is a puerility that reveals ignorance of sociological, ethnic,
psychological, and aesthetic problems. A national art is not created through the
discretionary and dilettantish selection of elements: a national art is already formed in the
unconscious of the people. (…)
If only what is Amerindian were to be considered national, then Italians could not employ
the organ, which is Egyptian; the violin, which is Arab; plainchant, which is Greco-Hebraic;
polyphony, which is Nordic, Anglo-Saxon, Flemish, and who knows what else. The French
could not use opera, which is Italian, and much less the sonata form, which is German. And
7
Mas um elemento importante coincide com essa falsificação da entidade brasileira: opinião de europeu. O
diletantismo que pede música só nossa está fortificado pelo que é bem nosso e consegue o aplauso
estrangeiro. Ora por mais respeitoso que a gente seja da crítica européia carece verificar duma vez por todas
que o sucesso na Europa não tem importância nenhuma prá Musica Brasileira. Aliás a expansão do
internacionalizado.
Na música, mesmo os europeus que visitam a gente perseveram nessa procura do esquisito apimentado. Se
escutam um batuque brabo muito que bem, estão gozando, porém se é modinha sem síncopa ou certas
efusões líricas dos tanguinhos de Marcelo Tupinambá, isso é musica italiana! Falam de cara enjoada. E os
que são sabidos se metem criticando e aconselhando, o que é perigo vasto. Numa toada, num acalanto, num
abôio desentocam a cada passo frases francesas, russas, escandinavas. Às vezes especificam que é Rossini,
que é Boris. Ora, o quê que tem a Musica Brasileira com isso! Se Milk parece com Milch, as palavras deixam
de ser uma inglesa outra alemã? O que a gente pode mais é contrastar que ambas vieram dum tronco só.
Ninguém não lembra de atacar a italianidade de Rossini porque tal frase dele coincide com outra da ópera-
cômica francesa.” (Andrade 1972, 1)
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
10
since all the peoples of Europe are the product of prehistoric migrations, the conclusion is
that European art does not exist.
8
(Andrade 1972, 3)
In this sense, Bel Canto can also be Brazilian. Since the standardization of sung Portuguese diction, possible
paths of reconciliation between technique and identity have emerged. The valorization of nasality as an
aesthetic element, the pursuit of greater textual clarity, and the incorporation of rhythms and inflections
unique to Brazil have expanded the interpretative possibilities of operatic singing in Portuguese.
The Brazilian modernist movement was the setting for the Anthropophagic Manifesto, written in 1928 by
Oswald de Andrade and considered the most radical cultural and political manifesto of the twentieth century
in Brazil. The text proposed the metaphor of “cultural anthropophagy” as a strategy for dealing with the
colonial legacy: rather than rejecting European tradition, it was a matter of “devouring” it, critically digesting
it, and transforming it into something of one’s own (Xavier, 2019). As the manifesto states, “only
anthropophagy unites us. Socially. Economically. Philosophically
9
” (Andrade 1928, 1).
Oswald’s proposal does not deny that European culture lies at the foundation of Brazilian
culture. From this perspective, by appropriating the culture of the Other, by devouring it,
the Anthropophagic Manifesto seeks to operate the same principle of violence as the
colonizer. Unlike physical violence, for Oswald the act of devouring is cultural, and his
language takes on a metaphorical character. The exaggerated ritual of the anthropophagic
act has a nature of desacralization: a pagan ritual of devouring the Other in order to
assimilate it.
10
(Xavier 2019, 6–7)
To devour the Other means to swallow and assimilate, not in a subordinate way, but by returning something
authentically Brazilian. This idea, proposed by Oswald, aimed to re-signify social and cultural relations,
transforming appropriation into creation. It is a way of incorporating the universal cultural legacy without
submission—on the contrary, as an act of transvaluation. In this sense, the modernist movement subverted
the relationship between former colony and metropolis, shifting the centers of symbolic power and affirming
the autonomy of national culture (Xavier 2019).
8
“Um dos conselhos europeus que tenho escutado bem é que a gente se quiser fazer música nacional tem
que campear elementos entre os aborígenes pois que só mesmo estes é que são legitimamente brasileiros.
Isso é uma puerilidade que inclui ignorância dos problemas sociológicos, étnicos psicológicos e estéticos. Uma
arte nacional não se faz com escolha discricionária e diletante de elementos: uma arte nacional já esta feita
na inconsciência do povo. (...) Se fosse nacional só o que é ameríndio, também os italianos não podiam
empregar o órgão que é egípcio, o violino que é árabe, o cantochão que é grecoebraico, a polifonia que é
nórdica, anglo-saxônica flamenga e o diabo. Os franceses não podiam usar a ópera que é italiana e muito
menos a forma-de-sonata que é alemã. E como todos os povos da Europa são produto de migrações pré-
históricas se conclui que não existe arte européia.” (Andrade 1972, 3)
9
“só a antropofagia nos une. Socialmente. Economicamente. Filosoficamente” (Andrade 1928, 1).
10
“A proposta de Oswald não nega que a cultura europeia está na base da formação da cultura brasileira.
Nessa perspectiva, ao se apropriar da cultura do Outro, ao devorá-lo, o Manifesto Antropófago procura
operar o mesmo princípio de violência do colonizador. Ao contrário da violência física, a deglutição, para
Oswald, é cultural, e sua linguagem assume um caráter metafórico. O ritual exagerado do ato antropofágico
possui uma natureza de dessacralização: um ritual pagão de devorar o Outro a fim de assimilá-lo.” (Xavier
2019, 6-7)
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
11
Within the Brazilian modernist movement, “O grupo dos cinco” (the Group of Five) stands out, perhaps the
most renowned for its pursuit of a national cultural identity that has inspired — and continues to inspire —
artists in Brazil and around the world. The group was composed of Anita Malfatti, Tarsila do Amaral, Menotti
Del Picchia, Oswald de Andrade, and Mário de Andrade, the latter two being directly connected to the
reflections discussed in this study (Silva 2017).
Tarsila do Amaral is now recognized as one of the foremost representative artists of Brazil. Her painting
Abaporu (1928) has become one of the greatest symbols of Brazilian culture and established a direct parallel
with the idea of anthropophagy.
The title is a word from the Tupi-Guarani language. Abaporu is composed of different
elements: aba means man; poru means to eat. This formation directly refers to the term
anthropophagy, which comes from the Greek: anthropos (man) and phagein (to eat).
11
(Neckel 2007, 150)
Abaporu symbolizes a movement of affirmation of Brazilian national identity, marking artistic protagonism
while pointing toward innovation and inspiration in the country’s cultural imagination. Tarsila do Amaral’s
work not only inaugurates a unique aesthetic but also echoes the principle of modernist anthropophagy,
which advocated the critical assimilation of the foreign in order to create something authentically Brazilian.
In this sense, the painting goes beyond the visual arts, finding resonance in various artistic and cultural
expressions of the Brazilian people.
It is also worth noting that Tarsila do Amaral had musical training and even composed a song — until recently
the only known musical work attributed to her. The manuscript was discovered in 2021 and received its
world premiere recording on January 25, 2022, at the Onofre Lopes Auditorium of the School of Music at
UFRN. The performance featured singers Elke Riedel and Kaio Morais, together with pianist Durval Cesetti,
with the present author himself taking part as one of the interpreters. The recording is available on YouTube,
was featured in the newspaper Folha de São Paulo, and the score edition can be found on the official
publishing site of the UFRN School of Music. The information regarding this discovery is documented in
11
“O título é uma palavra da língua tupi-guarani. Abaporu é composto de diferentes elementos: aba significa
homem; poru significa comer. Essa formação remete diretamente ao termo antropofagia, que vem do grego:
antropos (homem) e fagia (comer).” (Neckel 2007, 150)
Figure 3 –Abaporu, oil painting on canvas by Tarsila do Amaral
Reference: Neckel 2007, 150
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
12
Morais, Barros and Cesetti (2024). The contributions of Tarsila do Amaral, even within an anthropophagic
framework, are undeniably Brazilian and attest to the breadth of her artistic expression.
Another noteworthy movement in the path toward the valorization of the Brazilian national identity is the
Armorial Movement. The Northeast of Brazil, a region of immense cultural richness, produces a unique art
that represents another facet of Brazilian identity. Carvalho (2025) examines in greater depth the notion of
the “invention of the Northeast” and the so-called Northeastern aesthetic, beginning with the figure of Luiz
Gonzaga, one of the most prominent representatives of the region’s popular culture. His discussion
highlights the historical panorama in which this cultural ideal was constructed, as well as the distinctive use
of modalism in various forms to illustrate Northeastern identity. Within concert music, the Armorial
Movement, led by Ariano Suassuna, stands out as one of the most remarkable initiatives in this process of
cultural affirmation.
The Armorial Movement was conceived by the writer and poet from Paraíba, Ariano Suassuna (1927–2014).
Officially launched in 1970, its proposal was to merge Northeastern popular traditions with European erudite
forms, creating an artistic aesthetic that was genuinely Brazilian. Music, in this context, was not an isolated
manifestation but a constitutive part of a broad project that also encompassed literature, popular theater,
dance, and visual arts.
Suassuna understood literature, music, and the visual arts as inseparable dimensions of a single ideal. In
music, this conception translated into performances that sought to preserve the spontaneity of popular
orality without erasing the formal sophistication of written erudition. Northeastern cantoria, aboios, and
toadas, with their narrative and often improvised character, were incorporated into concert structures. In
this sense, the Armorial did not propose abandoning erudite tradition, but rather rooting it in the practices
and sonorities of Brazil’s cultural depth.
The movement included composers who, under the leadership of Ariano Suassuna, gave musical form to the
ideal of fusing popular and erudite traditions. Among them, César Guerra-Peixe stands out, with works such
as Mourão and other pieces that translate Northeastern rhythmic elements into symphonic writing; and
Cussy de Almeida, violinist and conductor, founder of the Armorial Chamber Orchestra, responsible for
disseminating works such as Aboio and Nordestinados. Also noteworthy are Capiba, with the vigorous and
austere piece Sem Lei nem Rei; and José Tavares de Amorim, who incorporated the universe of pífanos and
ciranda in works such as Pífanos em Dobrado. (Nóbrega 2007; Carvalho 2025)
Another key figure is Clóvis Pereira, author of the celebrated Missa Nordestina, which integrates modalities
of liturgical chant with popular melodies. Antônio José Madureira, then a young composer, created works
such as Repente, which directly relate to the tradition of cantoria. Finally, Elomar Figueira Melo deserves
special mention. Although autonomous in relation to the core of the movement, his production is often
associated with the Armorial for its aesthetic proximity. Elomar developed an original language that fused
the sertanejo songbook and the medieval troubadour tradition with erudite writing, resulting in a style
deeply connected to the orality and religiosity of the Brazilian sertão. (Nóbrega 2007; Carvalho 2025)
These composers, each in their own way, projected Northeastern brazilian music into the concert hall
without erasing the traits that characterized it. In other artistic fields, one can highlight the painting of
Francisco Brennand; the theater of Ariano Suassuna; the novels of Maximiano Campos; the poetry of Janice
Japiassu, Ângelo Monteiro, and Marcus Accioly; the engravings of Gilvan Samico; the drawings of Fernando
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
13
José Torres Barbosa; the cinema of George Jonas; the sculpture of Fernando Lopes; and the architecture of
Arthur Lima Cavalcanti—all under the direct influence of Ariano Suassuna as mentor (Nóbrega 2007, 02).
The Armorial Movement thus represented a true aesthetic transformation: music from the sertão, previously
restricted to the popular domain, began to occupy concert halls and academic spaces while still preserving
the vitality of its orality. This proposal also expanded to other artistic languages—painting, sculpture,
literature, theater, and cinema—constituting an integrative and multifaceted aesthetic that reaffirmed the
cultural diversity of the Northeast of Brazil as an essential part of Brazilian identity.
The relevance and contemporary significance of the Armorial Movement were reaffirmed in 2022, on the
occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, with the exhibition Movimento Armorial 50 anos, held at the Museu do
Estado de Pernambuco (MEPE) in Recife. The event underscored the enduring legacy of Suassuna’s proposal
as a landmark of Brazilian culture, celebrating the influence of the Armorial on multiple generations of artists
and highlighting its vitality as an aesthetic project still present in the twenty-first century (Cultura-PE 2023).
The trajectory analyzed in this chapter shows that the search for a Brazilian vocal and musical identity takes
place on different fronts, yet all share a common principle: the creative dialogue between foreign tradition
and national culture. Bel canto, far from being an obstacle, proved capable of being “devoured” in the
modernist sense, adapted to the prosody and sound of Portuguese, and transformed into a tool of cultural
affirmation. The Modernist Movement, with the radicality of the Anthropophagic Manifesto, followed this
same logic of critical appropriation, devouring the European legacy and returning it in an authentically
Brazilian form. The Armorial Movement, led by Ariano Suassuna, expanded this perspective by fusing
Northeastern popular traditions with erudite forms, projecting them into concert halls without erasing their
oral vitality. Thus, whether in vocal pedagogy, visual arts, literature, or concert music, we observe the
construction of a plural Brazilian aesthetic, rooted in orality yet open to dialogue with the universal.
3. Interpreting a song by Waldemar Henrique
12
: preparatory stages
The adopted interpretative approach aimed at applying the technical principles of Bel Canto—such as
continuous legato, timbral gradation, and prosodic clarity—to the specific demands of Brazilian song,
reconciling technical tradition and national identity.
Preparation began with a meticulous analysis of the score, focusing simultaneously on technical and
expressive aspects. To this end, exercises involving reciting the text aloud were employed, followed by the
practice of reciting the text on a single note. This method made it possible to dissociate the articulation of
consonants from the continuous emission of vowels, favoring the homogeneity of the vocal line.
The sections that required greater technical attention were identified, such as passages in transitional
regions between registers. At these points, a timbral treatment was adopted based on the balance between
chiaro and scuro, applying the scuro timbre systematically in the high registers, in accordance with the
historical guidelines of Bel Canto.
12
Waldemar Henrique da Costa Pereira was a Brazilian pianist, conductor writer and composer (Belém do
Pará, 1905-1995)
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
14
Prosody constituted the central axis of interpretative preparation, being decisive in locating the textual
accents and adjusting the emission according to the style of the song. In a work of a regional character, as it
is the case, the aim was to preserve a local accent compatible with the repertoire, respecting the sonority of
Brazilian Portuguese and avoiding the vocal uniformity criticized by Mário de Andrade (1991). This procedure
reinforces the naturalness and authenticity of the interpretation, valuing the marks of the language as an
expressive element. Focus was on the accent and natural cadence of Northeastern Portuguese, bringing the
performance closer to everyday speech, without sacrificing technical rigor.
The phonographic recording by the first author of this article, with piano accompaniment by Prof. Dr. Durval
Cesetti, can be found at the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-apiO9A0TC6Op0HzFtC7QNPjXjvrkWbB/view?usp=sharing
The study of the piece followed these stages:
Stage 1 – Separation and translation of the text
Stage 2 – Analysis of the context, subtext, diction, and declamation
Stage 3 – Relationship between text and musical elements
13
Matinta Perêra (Music by Waldemar Henrique; lyrics by Antonio Tavernard)
Matinta Perêra chegou na clareira e logo silvou...
No fundo do quarto Manduca Torquato de medo gelou.
Matinta quer fumo quer fumo migado, meloso, melado que dê muito sumo.
Torquato não pita, não masca nem cheira Matinta Perêra vai tê-la bonita.
Matinta Perêra de tardinha vem buscar
O tabaco que ontem à noite eu prometi.
Queira Deus ela não venha me agoirar...
Queira Deus ela não venha me agoirar... Ah!
Matinta Preta velha, mãe maluca, pé de pato
Quera Deus ela não venha me agoirar...
Matinta Perêra chegou na clareira e logo silvou...
No fundo do quarto Manduca Torquato de medo gelou.
Que noite infernal, soaram gemidos,
Resmungos, bulidos do gênio do mal
E até de manhã, bem perto da choça,
A fúnebre troça dum vesgo acaúan!
Acaúan! Acaúan!
The piece is part of the "Amazonian Legends" series, in which Henrique transforms regional myths into
musical narratives, emphasizing orality, the magical nature of popular imagination, and the appreciation of
13
Regarding stage 3, it is important to note that the identification of musical elements occurred not only
through the performance of the work, but also through analytical-musical procedures applied to it.
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
15
Amazonian culture. The figure of Matinta, a witch or sorceress who demands tobacco in exchange for silence,
takes on dramatic and sonorous contours that evoke fear and respect. The legendary character is intensified
by modal writing and vocal resources that require the performer to balance lyrical singing and declamation,
something that Isabela Santos (2009) underlines as part of the interpretative difficulty of the repertoire.
Application of technical concepts:
The prosody of Matinta Perêra explores the narrative character of the Amazonian legend, incorporating
elements of almost spoken declamation into the song. The frequent use of syncopation and ternary
subdivisions creates a sense of irregularity that evokes the sudden and mysterious appearance of the
character. The emphasis falls on keywords such as "medo" (fear), "fumo" (smoke), "tabaco" (tobacco), and
"goirar" (to jinx), which concentrate the semantic weight of the legend and demand careful timbre from the
performer, reinforcing the dramatic effect.
“Matinta Perêra chegou na clareira e logo silvou...” (Matinta Perêra arrived at the clearing and immediately
hissed...) The line presents a narrative, almost declamatory rhythm. The natural accent of speech falls on
“Matínta” (on the second syllable) and on “clareira” (on the second syllable), which should guide the vocal
emission. The onomatopoeia “silvou” requires an expressive prolongation of the closed vowel [o],
reinforcing the imitative character of the witch's hiss.
The following verse — “No fundo do quarto Manduca Torquato de medo gelou” (In the back of the room,
Manduca Torquato froze with fear) — focuses its strength on the melodic cadence of the words “Torquato”
and “froze,” which mark the climax of the narrative tension.
The piece demands sudden contrasts in dynamics (marked as abrupt f and agitato) and a clear differentiation
between the narrative and evocative passages. The singer needs to maintain firmness in the middle register
and resonant low notes, since the vocal line constantly explores the mid-low region of the tessitura. Open
vowels reinforce the rustic and threatening character, while nasals can be carefully articulated so as not to
compromise intelligibility.
The use of rubato and rallentando, indicated in the score (e.g., measures 16 and 22), suggests expressive
flexibility that can be adjusted according to the dramatic intensity of the text. The insistent repetitions of
"Matinta Perêra" in the chorus function as a hypnotic and ritualistic element, favoring the use of portamenti
and changes in vocal tone to intensify the supernatural aspect.
"Matinta quer fumo quer fumo migado, meloso, melado que dê muito sumo” (Matinta wants tobacco, wants
crumbled tobacco, sweet, syrupy, that gives lots of juice). The emphatic repetition of "fumo" (tobacco)
creates a ritualistic character, and the use of alliteration in m and l (migado, meloso, melado) reinforces the
internal musicality of the text. The performer can highlight these repetitions with dynamic gradations and
contrasting timbres.
The phrase “Torquato não pita, não masca nem cheira…” (Torquato doesn’t smoke, chew, or sniff…) has a
marked binary rhythm, with syntactic parallelisms reminiscent of popular oral formulas. Clarity of diction
here is essential to maintain the narrative effect.
In the lines “Matinta Perêra de tardinha vem buscar / O tabaco que ontem à noite eu prometi” (Matinta
Perêra in the late afternoon comes to fetch / The tobacco that I promised last night), the prosodic emphasis
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
16
falls on “tardinha” (late afternoon), “buscar” (to fetch), and “prometí” (promised), calling for melodic
expansion and the use of a dark timbre to highlight the seriousness of the threat.
The repeated plea “Queira Deus ela não venha me agoirar...” (May God grant that she does not come to
bring me bad luck) can be interpreted with rubato, reinforcing the pleading tone.
“Que noite infernal, soaram gemidos, / Resmungos, bulidos do gênio do mal...” (What an infernal night,
groans, grumbles, / and the rumblings of the evil genius resounded). The rhythm here is fragmented,
imitating the noises described. Words like “gemidos” and “resmungos” call for clear attacks and consonantal
energy.
Finally, the insistent repetition of “Acaúan!” (an ominous bird from Amazonian mythology) functions as a
prosodic ostinato, ending the piece on a threatening note. It is advisable to articulate the diphthong [ɑ]
clearly, allowing the nasality to resonate.
In short, the prosody of Matinta Perêra perfectly articulates the oral universe of Amazonian legends,
combining ritualistic repetitions, expressive use of alliteration, and a strong presence of open and nasal
vowels. The performer can work with the contrast between chiaroscuro and scuro timbres, exploring the
phonetic richness of Brazilian Portuguese to highlight the supernatural and popular character of the song.
4. Final Considerations
The analysis undertaken throughout this article demonstrates that the relationship between Bel Canto and
Brazilian song should not be understood as a clash between opposing poles—European tradition versus
national identity—but as a fertile field of mediation, adaptation, and reinvention. As shown, Mário de
Andrade did not condemn Italian technique itself, but rather its mechanical application, inattentive to the
phonetic, rhythmic, and expressive specificities of the Portuguese language. The so-called “Canto
Encasacado” thus appears as a warning against the loss of intelligibility and naturalness of the language, and
not as a rejection of Bel Canto as a pedagogical and aesthetic tradition.
Recognizing that Bel Canto can, when reinterpreted, serve as a foundation for singing in Portuguese opens
the way toward a hybrid vocal aesthetic: a practice that benefits from the Italian technical heritage—with
its rigorous breath support, clarity of emission, and expressive richness—while at the same time valuing
Brazilian identity markers such as nasality, rhythm, and orality. This synthesis not only preserves technical
excellence but also strengthens the voice as an instrument of cultural affirmation.
Prosody played an absolutely central role in the preparation of the piece by Waldemar Henrique, reaffirming
that clear textual structures are one of the indispensable pillars of authentic Bel Canto. By applying these
principles, it became evident that the long, open vowels characteristic of Portuguese can—and should—be
worked in full continuity with the legato vocal flow, while the consonants, function primarily as rhythmic
elements providing structural support to the musical discourse.
The implications of this debate go beyond the historical or theoretical sphere. In the pedagogical field, they
point to the need for vocal training programs that systematically include Brazilian repertoire, placing it on
equal footing with the European canon. In performance, they highlight the importance of interpreters
capable of moving between different styles and aesthetics, balancing smoothness and rusticity, tradition and
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
17
innovation. In research, they open new perspectives for interdisciplinary studies that link operatic singing,
linguistics, cultural anthropology, and decolonial studies.
For those interested in the pedagogical use of Brazilian art song in vocal development, the work of Santos
(2011) is particularly noteworthy. Aimed at democratizing access and facilitating the use of this repertoire
as a teaching tool, the author selected forty songs by various Brazilian composers, organizing them in order
of progressive difficulty. In addition, he included pedagogical suggestions for each piece, provided English
translations of the texts, and produced an edition of the scores that presents, directly below each word, a
transcription in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) — an essential resource for singers unfamiliar with
Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation.
Thus, far from being an obstacle, Bel Canto can become a bridge: a resource that, while preserving the
heritage of the Italian school, creates space for the construction of a genuinely Brazilian vocal aesthetic.
Ultimately, this means understanding singing not merely as technique but as a space of cultural dialogue and
identity affirmation—a space where tradition and brasilidade meet in dynamic and constant interplay.
5. Data Availability Statement
The entire dataset generated or analyzed during this study is included in the published article.
6. References
Andrade, Mário de. 1991. “Aspectos da música brasileira.” Belo Horizonte - Rio de Janeiro: Editora Villa
Rica.
_____. 1972. “Ensaio sobre a música brasileira.” 3ªed. São Paulo: Vila Rica; Brasília: INL.
Andrade, Oswald. 1928. “O manifesto antropofágico.” In: Teles, Gilberto Mendonça. 1976. “Vanguarda
européia e modernismo brasileiro: apresentação e crítica dos principais manifestos vanguardistas.”
3rd ed. Petrópolis: Vozes; Brasília: INL.
Bloem-Hubatka, Daniela. 2012. “The Old Italian School of Singing: A theoretical and practical guide.”
Jefferson, NC: MC Farland and Company inc.
Carvalho, Marília do Espírito Santo. 2025. “Nordestinidade Musical Modal: Tons de Brasilidade em a
Chegada dos Candangos, de Tom Jobim e Vinicius de Moraes.” Doctoral dissertation, Florianópolis:
UDESC.
Castro, Luciana Monteiro de, Margarida Maria Borghoff, and Mônica Pedrosa de Pádua. “Em defesa da
canção de câmara brasileira.” Per Musi - Revista de Performance Musical, V.8: 74-83 doi:
10.35699/2317-6377.2003.55792
Cultura-PE. 2023. “Exposição Armorial 50 anos abre as portas no Museu do Estado de Pernambuco.” Portal
de Cultura Pernambucana.
https://www.cultura.pe.gov.br/canal/museudoestado/exposicao-armorial-50-anos-abre-as-portas-no-
museu-do-estado-de-pernambuco/.
Garcia, Manuel. Traité complet de l’art du chant. Paris: E. Troupenas, 1840.
Kayama, Adriana, Flávio Carvalho, Luciana Monteiro de Castro, Martha Herr, Mirna Rubim, Mônica Pedrosa
Per Musi | Belo Horizonte | v.27 | General Topics | e262715 | 2026
18
de Pádua, and Wladimir Mattos. 2007. “PB Cantado: Normas para a Pronúncia do Português Brasileiro
no Canto Erudito.” Opus Goiânia, v.13, n.2: 16-38.Kiefer, Bruno. 1977. “História da Música Brasileira.”
Porto Alegre: Movimento.
Miller, Richard. 1996. “The Structure of Singing: System and Art in Vocal Technique.” New York: Schirmer
Books.
Morais, Kaio César Freitas, Guilherme Sauerbronn de Barros, and Durval da Nóbrega Cesetti. 2024. “Tarsila
e seu Rondó do Amor.” Anais do 10º Nas Nuvens, congresso de música. Vol.10, 1st ed: 1-8. doi:
10.5281/zenodo.14251913
Morais, Kaio César Freitas, and Guilherme Sauerbronn de Barros. 2024. “Bel canto e a controversa disputa
de conceitos.” Anais XXXIV Congresso da ANPPOM. V.34: 1-14.
Neckel, Nádia Régia Maffi. 2007. “A Tessitura da Textualidade em “Abaporu”.” Linguagens – Revista de
Letras, Artes e Comunicação. v.1, n.1: 145-157.
Nóbrega, Ariana Perazzo da. 2007. “A música do movimento armorial.” Anais XVII Congresso da ANPPOM.
V.17: 1-13.
Pignatari, Dante. 2009. “Canto da Língua: Alberto Nepomuceno e a Invenção da Canção Brasileira.”
Doctoral dissertation. São Paulo: USP.
Santos, Isabela de Figueiredo. 2009. Lendas Amazônicas de Waldemar Henrique: um estudo interpretativo.
Master's dissertation. Belo Horizonte: UFMG.
Santos, Lenine Alves dos. 2011. “O Canto Sem Casaca: Propriedades Pedagógicas da Canção Brasileira e
Seleção de Repertório Para o Ensino de Canto no Brasil.” Doctoral dissertation. São Paulo: UNESP.
Silva, Dalmo de Oliveira Souza e. 2017. “Abaporu e a “Invenção” da Arte Brasileira.” Anais do 26º Encontro
Anpap. V.26: 533-544
Xavier, Renato. 2019. “Reminiscências da Antropofagia oswaldiana.” São Paulo: Leviathan, 1-21.