Satie and Jobim
Peter Freeman
"Imagina". Does anyone know if Jobim had a particular affinity for Satie's
music, played it, studied it ... ? Can't find too many references to Satie
in what I have of the Jobim literature, but I can definitely hear an
influence.
Peter Freeman
Wei Wei
I don't know exactly how it is. The song "Imagina" was composed in Jobim's
20, the age when most likey Jobim was still in the phase of self
developing and learning other musicians' composition skills, I guess.
Wei
>
> Peter Freeman
>
>
>
Daniella Thompson
> I'm struck by the strong similarity between Satie's "Je te veux" and
> Jobim's "Imagina".
I see no similarity between "Imagina" and "Je te veux" but hear more of
an Impressionist influence in the former.
As Wei pointed out, "Imagina" was a very early Jobim composition. At
the time, Tom was studying piano with Dona Lúcia Branco, who
introduced him to the work of Debussy and Ravel (among others) and
encouraged him to start composing.
--
Daniella
_______
Daniella Thompson on Brazil:
The Magazine of
Brazilian Music & Culture
http://daniv.blogspot.com
Musica Brasiliensis
http://daniellathompson.com
Emp...@aol.com
As Wei and Daniella both pointed out, Imagina was an early composition
of Jobim's. In fact it was his first composition, written at the age
of 18, according to the Songbook Cancioneiro Jobim. In Volume One it
states:
"Influenced by Lizst and Chopin, Jobim wrote, at the age of 18, a waltz
which he considered his first real composition. Many years later, with
lyrics by Chico Buarque, it became known as "Imagina", but when it was
originally written it had no name."
Joe Carter
Wei Wei
"This is the very first song written by Jobim, when he was 20, and he
titled it 'Valsa Sentimental.' Thirty-six years later, in 1983, Chico
Buarque added the lyrics, which then became known as 'Imagina.'"
from the track note of "Imagina" in the "Casa" album, written by Paula
Morelenbaum.
Wei
Ashok
>
>Peter Freeman wrote:
>
>> I'm struck by the strong similarity between Satie's "Je te veux" and
>> Jobim's "Imagina".
>
>I see no similarity between "Imagina" and "Je te veux" but hear more of
>an Impressionist influence in the former.
>
>_______
>
>Daniella Thompson on Brazil:
>The Magazine of
>Brazilian Music & Culture
>http://daniv.blogspot.com
>
>Musica Brasiliensis
>http://daniellathompson.com
But, Daniella, this is what you said past November
in your review:
<<
Quarteto Maogani’s third album, Água de Beber (Biscoito Fino BF 576),
is an exploration of that Elysian Tom, his precursors and inspirations.
In their customarily limpid arrangements and meticulous interpretations,
the four guitarists evoke the sound of a harp in “Canto do Sertão” from
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 (Heitor Villa-Lobos). Augmented by Jessé
Sadoc’s muted trumpet, the track expresses all the longing of which a
human heart is capable. Their “Imagina” (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Chico
Buarque) palpably reincarnates Erik Satie.
http://daniellathompson.com/Texts/Reviews/Jobim_to_Boteco.htm
>>
Agreed it is about their interpretation and no specific precursor
is named. Still ...
The Press Release itself points out the influence of Satie
on 'Imagina':
<<
Sakamoto's affinity for both Jobim and French impressionism picks
up echoes of Satie in "Imagina," Ravel in "Estrada Branca" and,
reaching further back, Chopin in "Sabia."
http://www.sitesakamoto.com/projects/m2s/pressrelease.html
>>
Do interpreters sometimes interpret what's not there?
Ashok
Daniella Thompson
> But, Daniella, this is what you said past November
> in your review:
> << Quarteto Maogani's [...] "Imagina" (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Chico
> Buarque) palpably reincarnates Erik Satie.
Gee, it's nice to know that someone reads my articles...
> Do interpreters sometimes interpret what's not there?
Interpreters bring their own sensibilities to the table. If they did
not, there'd be no room for more than a single recording of each
composition.
DT
Peter Freeman
"Daniella Thompson" <da...@brazzil.com> wrote in message
news:1120628555.5...@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Well at least there's two reviewers and an innocent bystander who thinks
that there's a noticeable affinity between Satie and Jobim in "Imagina".
Thank you Ashok.
I still tend to think it's not so much the interpretation as it is something
in the music itself. Jobim said "Imagina" was inspired by Liszt and Chopin,
but I can't help hearing Satie, especially in the solo piano version (that I
believe Tom Jobim played on the album Inedito).
Ah well, great minds ...
BTW, I also read your articles Daniella (although not the review in
question). I appreciate them enormously.
Peter Freeman