Lua branca, Chiquinha Gonzaga

The waltz Lua Branca is a classic by the Brazilian pianist and composer Chiquinha Gonzaga. Francisca Edwiges Neves Gonzaga was one of the most important women for the Brazilian music. She left her aristocratic family and way of life to fully dedicate herself to the music, in a time when being a professional musician was hard for a man; for a woman, it was something socially unacceptable.

Her large repertoire is made up of polkas, waltzes, Brazilian tangos and so on. Some of her compositions became very famous and her music is played by any kind of musicians, from traditional “chorões” (Choro players) until classical pianists.
In order to represent that connection, I decided to insert a Chopin’s citation — I think it beautifully fits into the waltz Lua Branca. I hope you enjoy my arrangement.

Marco Ruviaro, Mandolin, clarinet and 7-string guitar. This video was recorded at Estúdios Chorísticos Irineu de Almeida — Bologna (Italy), January 2017.