Imitation/evocation of sounds of Nature and the imitation catalog by Flausino Valle

an analysis under the Tripartite Musical Semiology

Abstract

In this article we will focus on one of the aspects that we deem open to interpretation regarding the composer Flausino Valle (1894-1954), which would be referring to its musical language, more specifically in onomatopoeic characteristics contained in the Preludes. These characteristics appear sometimes in an obvious way, as in the title, sometimes in a less explicit way. With this, our objective was to analyze the Preludes under the bias of Molino/Nattiez's Tripartite Musical Semiology with the additional support of the idea of the “associated spaces” by Dominique Maingueneau. As a result, we came to the conclusion that in some of the Preludes certain evocations require knowledge about Valle and/or his “Catálogo de Imitação de Vozes da Natureza” (“Catalog of Imitation of Voices of Nature”) and a closer study to be identified, as they are not evident. We also came to the conclusion that, analyzing in this way, references to other instruments, more specifically the viola caipira, can be considered recurrent.