The Brazilian national anthem has a story that involves Don Pedro I,
the Portuguese prince who declared Brazil independent from Portugal and then became the
first emperor of the new country.
By Alessandra Dalevi
Together with the French La Marseillaise, Brazil’s national anthem gets top
votes from musical experts for the excellence of its melody. While to the French it is a
"call-to-arms" battle hymn, the Brazilian anthem is a pastoral song talking
about "smiley pretty fields". What some experts are not able to explain is why
the author of such a musical jewel, Francisco Manuel da Silva (1795-1865), did not produce
other praiseworthy pieces. The answer might be that da Silva did not compose the Hino
Nacional Brasileiro, that is, he borrowed from his master, Father José Maurício
Nunes Garcia (1767-1830), a priest who excelled as a classic composer.
This controversy is not new, and accusations that the Brazilian national anthem was
plagiarized have become more frequent since 1995 when "Matinas de Nossa Senhora da
Conceição," a religious composition was sung during Juiz de Fora’s (state of Minas
Gerais) Colonial Music Festival. The audience, made up mostly of music experts, was amazed
to discover in the homage to the Virgin Mary, a good portion very similar to the national
anthem. Chronologically is quite possible that this borrowing really happened and several
experts have been trying to establish the truth. Although not dated, the
"Matinas" was written in 1821 or 1822.
In an interview with weekly newsmagazine Veja, maestro Marcelo Antunes Martins,
who will soon release the first commercial recording of "Matinas", accuses Silva
of crass plagiarism: "Soon after composing "Matinas", Nunes Garcia became
sclerotic. He was incapable of recognizing his own compositions. Francisco Manuel da Silva
took advantage of his master’s disease to copy the theme."
For maestro Sergio Dias, however, there is no case of plagiarism, but a mere homage
from a student to his master. Others say that there was only a coincidence since both
composers, Nunes Garcia and his disciple, were influenced by the Italian opera through the
companies that started going to Brazil in 1821.
The Brazilian national anthem has a colorful story that involves even Don Pedro I, the
Portuguese prince who on September, 7, 1822 declared Brazil independent from Portugal and
then became the first emperor of the new country. It was Dom Pedro, a composer himself,
who wrote the first Brazilian national anthem, a song still sung in schools now known as "Hino
da Independência" (Independence Hymn). As for the official anthem it only got
its definitive lyrics in 1922, thanks to the sometimes convoluted poetic style of Joaquim
Osório Duque Estrada (1870-1927). In one of the older versions, Ovídio Saraiva de
Carvalho e Silva made references in his text to the monarchy and to a wise reign.
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Ouviram do Ipiranga as margens plácidas Se o penhor dessa igualdade Ó Pátria amada, Brasil, um sonho intenso, um raio vívido, Terra adorada, Deitado eternamente em Do que a terra mais Ó pátria amada, Brasil, de amor eterno seja símbolo Mas se ergues da justiça a clava forte, Terra adorada! Dos filhos deste solo |
Brazilian National Anthem
The peaceful banks of the Ipiranga If with strong arm we have succeeded Oh adored Fatherland, Brazil, a sublime dream, a vivid ray Oh land adored Laid out eternally in the More flowers put forth in your fair, Oh adored Fatherland, May the star-scattered banner flown by you, But if the mighty sword of justice is drawn forth, Oh land adored You are the gentle mother |
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Já podeis da pátria Brava gente brasileira, Os grilhões que nos forjava, Brava gente … Não temais ímpias falanges Brava gente, … Parabéns, ó Brasileiros! Brava gente, … |
Independence Hymn
You already can, children Brave Brazilian people The shrewd ploy of treachery Brave people Do not fear impious phalanxes Brave people… Congratulations, oh Brazilians! Brave people… |
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