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Samba Essay

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The mass of almost one hundred thousand is edgy. The night is hot, humid, and alive with a feeling in the air so palpable you can almost trace it with your finger. The bleachers are filled to maximum capacity, along a mile-long stretch of paved roadway adjacent to an old brewery. People from all races, classes, and countries are celebrating together at the culmination of the orgiastic, pre-Lenten, hedonistic festival of Carnival. Soon, the first marchers proceed down the corridor to the booming cacophony of bass, snare, and friction drums. The rattling of tambourines, bells, and scrapers add flavor and accent. Like a bird set free, the singing cavaquinho (ukulele) emits its high pitched cries, adding to the frenzy. The marchers and …show more content…

The only stringed instrument is the high pitched cavaquinho (ukulele). Together these instruments fuse to create polyrhythyms that align and cross, reinforce and contrast with each other in a lively style less formal than maxixe or marcha. Couples often dance to samba in physically close, tight movements similar to the lundu and lambada, employing voluptuous movements, gyrating hips, and heel and leg movements often said to imitate the act of lovemaking.

To better appreciate Samba, one must understand the history of the country and the people that gave it life. Brazil's individual national character and rich musical tradition are the result of a profound mingling of races that has been ongoing in the country since the landing of Pedro Alvares Cabral in April 1500. Even before this event the indigenous Indians of Brazil had an already established musical culture; they sang solo and in chorus, played whistles, horns, and flutes, and beat out rhythms with hand-clapping, foot-stamping, rattles, beats, and drums. With the Portuguese invasion came the piano, violin, guitar, clarinet, and tambourine. These were incorporated into the musical forms of moda, modinha, acalanto, fofa, and fado, which were songs of sentiment, lullaby, and dance. The Portuguese also brought religious festivals and pageants such as the reisado and bumba-meu-boi. The former in celebration of the Epiphany and the latter an elaborate enactment of the death

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