Villa-Lobos: Floresta do Amazonas, W 551

The subject of the Amazonian forests surfaces in a number of works throughout Villa – Lobos’s output. In Floresta do Amazonas, one of his very last works, Villa-Lobos again focused explicitly on the rain forest, the creatures that live in it, and the myths that have been woven around it. The work has been described as a symphonic poem for soprano, male-voice choir and large orchestra, The songs, Melodia Sentimental in particular, have also become popular as separate concert items. The suite's twenty-three movements have rousing titles such as ‘Forest Fire', ‘Head Hunters' and ‘Dance of the Indians', but also include numbers such as ‘Lullaby' and ‘Twilight'.