Wednesday 16 June 2010

V is for Villa-Lobos

Many, many years ago, before I was married, I and my then gentleman friend used to buy and sell what was known in the trade as "smalls". Now I don't know if this is a word used for underwear in the US but let me reassure you that I did not buy and sell those sort of smalls. No, the expression referred to small items, usually china, of an antique or collectable nature. We went to fairs and auctions and eventually had a space in a couple of antique centres. Consequently I spent, or misspent, quite a lot of my youth trawling round car boot sales looking for bargains. One day I bought a record. You remember those big black circular things, don't you? The cover informed me that it was some work or other of the composer Vivaldi. I checked it for scratches and it was fine and I paid my pennies and took it home. Then I looked at it more closely and found that it was not in fact Vivaldi at all, but some works by a composer called Hector Villa-Lobos that had been put into a wrong cover. I put it on the record player and was transported, amazed, delighted. Since then, over the years, I have got to know his work and loved most of it. In fact, if I could only ever listen to the music of composers whose names began with just one letter of the alphabet, then I would choose V. Vivaldi, Villa-Lobos and a bit of Verdi would cover most of my moods. And if you would like to know what that first ever piece of Hector's work was that I heard then you can HEAR IT HERE
Curiously I am presently reading the book "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel (thoroughly recommended by the way) and Villa-Lobos means, roughly, the same thing.
Find out what other people thought of for "V" HERE

19 comments:

  1. A great V to you - that is a CHurchillian one of course!

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  2. Oh and there was I thinking knickers!!!

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  3. I didn't know that composer at all - thanks for the introduction.

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  4. I really enjoyed hearing about him. What a surprise to find a different album under the cover.

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  5. That was new to me.....but, you know, we could have hung out together back in the day.

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  6. I'm always looking for new books to read. . .I will put that one on my list!

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  7. Hi again - super ‘V’ post & I've learned a new meaning of "smalls"!

    Am enjoying Wolf Hall too,

    LOLA:)

    PS Mine this week is HERE. Hope you can join me!

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  8. OH I'm so glad you found Villa Lobos by accident!!! Isn't his music wonderful? I grew up singing songs to his tunes, (I lived in Brazil for a while) And can't imagine guitar music without thinking of him. I think I lot of people may be familiar with Aria #5. (that may be his most famous piece.)

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  9. what a wonderful case of serendipity for you :D

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  10. what a wonderful happy little accident!

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  11. What an exciting link to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter "V"!

    I am always intriqued by happy coincidences...how fun for you to find new music you loved...and how fun for me to learn of an artist I have never heard of!

    I will see if I can find that recommended book at the library. I am always looking for new authors!

    Thank you for adding your special charm each week to this meme!

    You are a joy!

    A+

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  12. That's amazing. I guess it's a good think you appreciated the error. We still have a lot of old vinyl records. I think I might even have some 45's, ha.

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  13. Hector Villa-Lobos is new to me, but not for long. I still have a turntable, too, and I love to play records. I'll be on a crusade now to find Villa-Lobos' works. The internet has certainly changed MY world!

    Your piece is charming, and I thank you for sharing it.

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  14. What a delightful surprise that's given you so many years of joy.

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  15. I'm totally in agreement about the V composers. Thanks for an interesting post! ~ Sarah

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  16. I had never heard of Villa-Lobos, but I have now. Thank you.

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  17. A delightful musical V-post!
    Best wishes,
    Anna

    Anna's V-word

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  18. great post...I too like Vivaldi...I'll have to look for this other dude!
    Susan

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