Please watch the below video about the history of Brazilian music, by our very own professor Henrique Eisenmann :
Brief History of Brazilian Music
Then, leave a comment below in which you describe:
3 influences in Brazilian music
2 things you learned
1 question you still have
There were around 6 million people enslaved in Portugal and this has a big impact on culture and music developed.At the time recently freed slaves had nowhere to go and so majority of them went to the big cities.This is where the European music with a lot of African rhythm was born.This is how choro started.
Something that I learned and very shocked to learn was that the teacher said that rich people used to hate “poor people” music at first.When the music got famous then they decided to embrace it.I also learned that there are so sos many different types of music in Brazil.I didn’t know that there are so many.They are all so different and beautiful as well.
If back then rich people didn’t want to listen to “poor people” music, what was the type of music that they were listening to?
Brazilian music is studied from a certain period in time and beyond because when the Portuguese invaded Brazil they did not document their music or any form of culture and was essentially forgotten when they were invaded. Brazil had the largest number of slaves in the world at the time, around 6 million.
People from the West African coast {Yoruba People), also places like Angola and the Congo were arrested and sent to brazil. This played a role in Brazilian music influence. The abolition of slavery also played a major influence because when the slaves were freed they went to big cities. In the big cities the european music and african rhythm combined and created what is known as choro.
Who invented the martial art of Capoeira and is there is a specific rhythm in which it most be practiced in?
When the music was fast it was usually influenced by Portugal/Europe. This reflected the more individualist nature of Portugal. When the music was slower it was usually influenced by African culture, which is more collectivist. This allowed for more time to sing and do call and response. Choro was emerged as a result of the working class reshaping the European music model by adding African rhythm.
I learned that the upper class/elite would go to slave houses to hear them play music. I also learned that Brasil wasn’t a colonial project, so society was set up differently than the US.
Is traditional Afro-Brasilian music still being made?
A few things I learned were that Brazillian music was only studied starting in the 1850s due to insufficient documentation before that time. I also learned that Samba comes from the Choro tradition, which is essentially just Choro with lyrics.
Some influences on Brazilian music are things like people in other places in the world enjoying Brazilian music, which caused it to be accepted in Brazil, leading more people to play and listen to it. Once slavery was abolished in 1888, the government offered no way for the slaves to reintegrate themselves into society. So they moved into big cities. The music blended – the delicate European music and the African rhythm. This started Choro. People from Angola were arrested and sent to Brazil, with them, they brought their rhythms.
A question I still have is, when did the Portuguese become competent in terms of documenting their history?
My 3 Influences on Brazilian music:
1) The African rhythm that dances in our soul: From the drums of candomblé to the swing of samba, the African heritage pulses like a heartbeat. It taught us that music isn’t just heard—it’s felt in the body, celebrated with every dance step.
2) The Indigenous magic connecting to the earth: Indigenous roots gave Brazilian music an ancestral connection to nature, with flutes and percussion whispering stories to the wind. Tradition blends into every note, reminding us that music can be as deep as a river.
3) The Portuguese way of singing to love (and heartbreak): Ah, the Portuguese… they arrived with their guitars, melancholic fados, and religious chants. They mixed it all, leaving a touch of “saudade” that makes every Brazilian melody a mix of nostalgia and playful charm.
The 2 things I learned and liked:
1) Brazilian music is like a hearty “feijoada”—a pot full of cultural ingredients simmered to create something truly unique. And no, it’s not just samba and bossa nova; it’s a whole universe waiting to be explored.
2) Bossa Nova isn’t just for hopeless romantics on the beach with a guitar. It was a musical revolution that brought Brazilian poetry to the world, all in a smooth rhythm that leaves you humming “The Girl from Ipanema” for days.
My question:
If Brazilian music could talk, what secret story would it whisper to us, between chords and laughter, that we haven’t heard yet?
influences on Brazilian music
1-In Brazil, many cities were extremely poor and lacked proper infrastructure—there were no theaters, cinemas, libraries, gardens, or public spaces. Instead, everything was made up of large farms with hundreds of thousands of enslaved people. Because of this, there was little to no entertainment for the upper class. It was rare for people of the upper class to listen to music, so they would often go to the slave quarters to hear the music being played there. This became their main exposure to music, creating a unique influence on Brazil’s music culture.
2-Studying Brazilian music from 1850 onward makes sense because there isn’t much documentation about the music played before that time. The Portuguese colonizers didn’t focus on documenting culture—they didn’t write down music, study local languages, or record customs. Their main goals in Brazil were to enslave people, convert non-Christians, and send wealth, like gold, back to Portugal. Because of this, much of the earlier music and culture wasn’t preserved, which makes it harder to study what came before 1850.
3-The documentation and paintings by German, English, and French travelers captured music and culture that the Portuguese and Spanish did not prioritize. Their records help shape what we know about Brazil’s musical history.
I learn -in Brazil 6 millions were slaves
-Brazil was the last county in the America to abolish slavery
Question I have -Brazil has the largest concentration of slaves in the history of the planet why so many ?
– Three influences in Brazilian music are African, European, and American.
– I’ve learned that in the planet Brazil had the most concentration of slaves. And that there was not documentation of Brazilian music before the 1500s and if there was one it was because of travelers and artists that traveled to Brazil and documented about it.
– I would like to know more about the documentation from travelers according to what information has been gathered is there an idea of how music sounded?
Brazilian music was highly influenced by Africa and Europe. West Africa and South Africa with its different rhythms influenced the music and of course the culture in Brazil.
Something that I learned is how artists started to express their discontent and struggles through music. They started to show the world that brazil was not that colorful perfect paradise that Hollywood was showing the world. Música Popular Brasileira showed the world the real Brazil. Another thing that I learned and that was very interesting is the cultural differences between West Africa and South African specifically the differences in the musical rhythms that influenced Brazilian music and culture.
Was there any type of Spanish influence in Brazil?
One thing I learned was Brazil had more people enslaved than anywhere else at any other time, and they were the last American country to abolish slavery. I also learned that Choro mixes music from European ballroom dances with an urban class groove from Brazil.
Three influences on Brazilian music:
-In 1964, a military coup took over the government, implementing a dictatorship in Brazil. It lasted for twenty years. This caused artists to try to defy through music and talk about their struggles through music.
-The piano used to be an instrument of only the elite, but then a few higher-ups started playing music on the piano with African rhythms.
-Samba had a huge influence on Brazilian music as it gave them a greater sense of identity.
One question I still have is:
Did any of the elites that jumped on the bandwagon of Brazilian music find any success in terms of making music themselves?
3 influences in Brazilian music are samba, Europeans, and African heritage. 2 things that I learned from this video was the history of slavery in Brazil and how it evolved to the Brazil we know today. One question that I still have is how people of color can still be oppressed even though they played a major role in developing Brazil into the culture it is now ?
Something I learned is that Brazil has the most history of slaves because most of the salves were there. In Brazil around 6 million people were slaves in Brazil. also Brazil was more of African people.
African Music: When enslaved Africans were forced to move to Brazil, they brought their musical traditions with them. These traditions included complex rhythms, call-and-response vocals, and a strong emphasis on improvisation. You can still hear these African influences in many Brazilian musical genres, like samba, choro, and bossa nova.
European Classical Music: European classical music, especially from Portugal, had a big impact on Brazilian music, especially during the colonial period. This influence can be seen in the use of European instruments, like the piano and violin, as well as in the adoption of European musical forms, like the sonata and the concerto.
Indigenous Music: While not as well-known because of the colonization process, indigenous Brazilian music also played a role in shaping the country’s musical landscape. Indigenous musical traditions often used natural sounds, like bird calls and river currents, and were closely tied to spiritual and ceremonial practices. These indigenous influences can be found in some regional Brazilian music styles, especially in the Amazon region.
I don’t really have questions about the video.