O choro orquestrado na Rádio Inconfidência: uma perspectiva a partir de Elias Salomé, José Torres e Moacyr Portes

Abstract

Based on archival research carried out in the Radio Inconfidência Collection, which is part of the Collections Center of the Escola de Música da Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (ESMU/UEMG Collections Center), this work is based on the choros arranged for the orchestras of the Radio from Belo Horizonte. An initial survey identified 79 orchestrated choros from the 1950s and 1960s - considering different spellings and related genres, such as maxixe, samba-choro, Brazilian tango, etc. In order to comprehend how orchestrated choro can contribute to an understanding of this musical genre in its social and temporal context, we selected specific works and arrangements by three Radio employees - Elias Salomé, José Torres and Moacyr Portes - as a starting point for constructing the biography of an entity like Rádio Inconfidência and a local history of music in the capital of Minas Gerais in the mid-20th century. Thus, in methodological terms, this research includes archival, bibliographic, hemerographic and musicographic research to support the theoretical component on the one hand and, on the other, to substantiate the editorial and practical choices for the performance of the pieces worked on by the Choro Orchestra of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. The dissertation is structured in three chapters, with the first historically situating choro in Belo Horizonte and on Rádio Inconfidência, the second dealing with archival-musicographic research, selection and editing of works for the performance of the UFMG Choro Orchestra and, the third, with a proposed biography of the radio station based on the biographical profiles of three of its staff musicians. In short, the research is justified by the need to rescue and value this musical patrimony, offering a significant contribution to the understanding of orchestrated choro for the social fabric of the time, not only filling a gap in musicological knowledge, but also rescuing repertoires and composers who played crucial roles in the musical scene of Belo Horizonte in the last century.