Arrigo Barnabé

Arrigo Barnabé is born in Londrina (Brasil) on 14 September 1951.

One of the first and most talented proponents of the "Vanguarda Paulista" movement (urban classically trained musicians of the city of São Paulo who added the wildest erudite experimentations to pop culture), Arrigo Barnabé is an internationally awarded composer/arranger with an expressive contribution to Brazilian music.
Mixing Webern and Weil's dissonant harmonies with creative dodecaphonic and atonal melodies with pop culture references (such as the throaty voice of the São Paulo's most popular crime radio reporter) and the strongest, heaviest Brazilian grooves, his releases had an unsurpassed energy.

1960/1968: Started studying piano at home since the age of nine and from 1962 to 1968 attended Filadélfia school of music in Londrina, perfectioning piano and studying musical theory.
In 1963 he entered at Colégio Marista in Londrina and performed with the band of the college at the Maracanà stadium in Rio de Janeiro before the soccer Intercontinental Cup final between Santos FC and AC Milan on November 14th, 1963.

1970: Moved to São Paulo to take the entrance exam at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, even though he joined the faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at USP.
It was during this period that he became interested in comic books, after visiting an exhibition of Luiz Ge at the Museum of Art of São Paulo (future illustrator of "Clara Crocodilo" cover and author of the strip "Tubarões Voadores" to which Barnabé will inspire for the realization of his second album).

1971: Turns back to Londrina and began to work on composition, crafting the first modules of "Clara Crocodilo" material.
In the same year he participated at a seminar held during the Winter Festival of Ouro Preto with the pianist Eduardo Hazan and composers Ernesto Widmer and Walter Smetak.

1973: On March 9th, presented his compositions to the public for the first time (material that will be part of "Clara Crocodilo") at the Theatre Filadélfia in Londrina for the the show "Na Boca do Bode" with Itamar Assumpção, among others.
Moved back to São Paulo to sign up for a course in composition and arrangement at the Escola de Comunicações e Artes with Willy Correa de Oliveira and Caio Pagano (which he attended until 1978) and won the Universitary Music Festival in Londrina with the composition "Lástima".

1976: He wrote the highly successful song "Clara Crocodilo" (with Mário Lúcio Cortes) and formed the band "Navalha" with his brother Paulo Barnabé on drums, Itamar Assumpção on vocals and guitar and Antonio Carlos Tonelli on electric bass, creating the first embryonic nucleus of the band "Sabor de Veneno" which will merge in 1978.

1979: He won the first edition of the Festival Universitário da TV Cultura organized by TV Cultura, with the composition "Diversões Eletrônicas" - a "song" that brought out the idea of the song (accompanied sung melody) - performed by the band "Sabor de Veneno" with which initiates a dense activity of concerts.
A few months later he won first place and received another award for best arrangement with the song "Sabor de Veneno" - which aroused considerable polemics - at the MPB Festival organized by TV Tupi of São Paulo.

1980: Thanks to the enormous success gaind at the festivals of 1979, Arrigo Barnabé is contacted by the record company Polygram for the publication of his first album "Clara Crocodilo", but after arguments with the label the work will be released self-produced on November 15th, with decisive financial support of his friend Robinson Borba.
It's estimated that the album has sold about 50,000 copies despite the lack of proper distribution.
The impact of LP "Clara Crocodilo" followed by a national tour in the world of Brazilian music culture was considered the greatest news since Tropicalia.

1981: Barnabé's been awarded as the revelation of the year by APCA (São Paulo's Art Critics' Association) prize and "personality of the year" by ABPD (Brazilian Association of Record Manufacturers).
He debuted as an actor in the movie "O Olho Magico de Amor" by José Antonio Garcia and Ícaro Martins, a classic work in the pornochanchada genre.

1982: Participated at the Berlin Jazz Festival with the "Arrigo Barnabé Project", a performance with Brazilian, European and North American musicians and realized the single produced by Robinson Borba "Cançao dos Vagalumes / Londrina" interpreted by the singer Tetê Espíndola, that recorded the strong appreciation of Antonio Carlos Jobim.

1983: Presented "A saga de Clara Crocodilo", work for orchestra, rock band, female voice and narrator, performing it at the Teatro de Cultura of São Paulo with the Orquestra Sinfônica Juvenil do Estado de São Paulo directed by Jamil Maluf and received the award for The Best Soundtrack at the Gramado Film Festival for "Janete" directed by Chico Botelho, his first score that contains the theme track sung by Caetano Veloso.

1984: After signing a record deal with Ariola/Barclay label, released his second work "Tubarões Voadores" born from a strip developed by the author of comics Luiz Ge, that sold about 40,000 copies and get awards in Europe being named disc of the month and selected as one of two best "jazz albums" of the year by the French magazine "Jazz Hot".

1985: He increased his film career starring in the film "Nem tudo é verdade" by Rogério Sganzerla and "Cidade Oculta" by Chico Botelho of what he also wrote the soundtrack (released in LP).
He's also awarded with the Governor's Award of São Paulo at the Rio Cine Festival for the soundtrack for the motion picture "Estrela Nua" directed by José Antonio Garcia and Ícaro Martins.

1986: He received awards at the Festival de Cinema de Brasília DF for the soundtracks of "Vera" directed by Sérgio Toledo (Brasilia Festival) and "Santa Joana" by José Possi Neto (APETESP of São Paulo). His soundtrack for "Cidade Oculta" was awarded at the Rio Cine Festival He received an award from the Association of Theatres of the State of São Paulo for composing the music for the film "Santa Joana".

1987: Released his third album "Suspeito" for 3M label, his most deliberated commercial attempt promoted through proper pop music channels (music television appearances and realization of video clips) that guaranteed a certain popularity.

1988: He was awarded at the Festival de Cinema de Curitiba prize for the soundtrack of "Lua Cheia" directed by Alain Fresnot, organized a seminar of composition at the Winter Festival in Belo Horizonte and was part of the international jury at the Youth Festival in Solti in Soviet Union.

1989: In addition to having participated at the celebrations of the bicentennial of the French Revolution in Paris and playing at the Jazz Festival in Brussels, he's called by Fernando Moraes (Secretary of State for Culture of São Paulo State) to take the institutional role of Assessor added for music (which will play until the end of 1990), helping to establish the Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo and the Banda Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, active to this day.

1990: He wrote and produced an opera "Gigante Negão", released on CD by label Núcleo Contemporâneo in 1997.

1991: Received a grant to produce a work inspired by Macbeth and realized "Algumas Ideias Sobre Macbeth" composition in two movements for two pianos, percussion, rock band and string quartet, with which inaugurates a new phase of more focused activities in contemporary classical music production, although introducing elements drawn from popular culture.
He toured in all Brasil with Itamar Assumpção.

1992: Released his album "Façanhas", with which he performed ballads and versions in piano solo of his former material, in which a subtle romanticism gives room for passages reminiscent of a person on the verge of insanity.

1993: Returns in Germany to perform a very succesful show at Podewil, Berlin and worked with Bruno Bayen in Rennes, France, in a seminar with students of the National School of Theatre of Brittany based upon Goethe's "Faust, Part Two".

1994: Created and directed the first edition of Percpan (Percussive Panorama Mundial) in Salvador in the state of Bahia and performed his piece "Nunca conheci quem tivesse levado porrada", "Música Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica, Quarteto de Cordas and Banda de Rock" for América Latina Memorial in São Paulo with Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica directed by Luther Rodrigues, the String Quartet of São Paulo and the rock group of his brother Paulo, Patife Band.

1995: He performed at the first Festival de Jazz e Música Latino-Americana of Córdoba in Argentina.br> Experimenting with new languages, he made several public performances (including at the Teatro Municipal in São Paulo) presenting his piece "Música para Dois Pianos, Percussão, Quarteto de Cordas e Banda de Rock", for two pianos, percussion, string quartet and his brother's rock band Patife Band.

1996: Invited to Carnegie Hall in New York to "Sonidos de las Américas: Brasil" and conducted a master-class at the Princeton University.
He play at the Teatro Rival in Rio de Janeiro, a concert for two pianos with Paulo Braga for the series "Encontros Notáveis".
With singer Tetê Espíndola play at Centro Cultural in São Paulo.

1997: He released the CD for his soundtrack of the movie "Ed Mort" (Rob Digital) directed by Alain Fresnot and he's invited to write a composition for the closing ceremony of the celebrations for 400th anniversary of the death of Father Anchieta (the founder of the city of São Paulo), directing "Pátio do Colégio Anchieta-tribute" for symphony orchestra, rock band, indigenous instruments and lyrical content and also presents three new works for two pianos and three percussionists at the Music Biennale in Rio de Janeiro.

1999: At this stage starts a job of reworking the "Clara Crocodilo" material, which continue to this day, recording the performance presented at SESC Ipiranga in São Paulo on the 28th and 29th of February for the label Tranx God with the title "A Saga de Clara Crocodilo".

2000: He continues his intense activity as a composer of contemporary music, creating a single piano sonata (which has never been recorded), composed "Celebração" for violin and piano in two movements, commissioned by the Vitae Foundation (presented on June at the Sala São Luís in São Paulo), "Um Case Para Psicólogos" for violin, viola, cello and double bass for the play "NXW" by Gerald Thomas and "Estudo Sinfonico com Guitarra Elétrica".

2001: He wrote a chamber version of his most celebrated songs for the singer Tuca Fernandes and the quintet Delas (violin, viola, cello, double bass and piano) to be published in 2003 for YB Music label with the title "Luar".
On November he presents one of his most complex works, the opera "O Homem dos Crocodilos" with libretto by Argentina's Alberto Muñoz, inspired by Sigmund Freud, which runs for two weeks at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil in São Paulo,
2002: Presents the work "22 - and Antes Depois" composed in collaboration with Tim Rescala and plastic artist Guto Lacaz at the SESC Ipiranga in São Paulo, played the role of consultant and coordinator of integrated training courses at ULM (Free Musical University of São Paulo), a work for string quartet composed in two movements over a short piece for clarinet (Luis Alonso), floor (Paulo Braga), violin (Luis Amato) and cello (Raif Dantas Barreto), as a complement to an execution program of the "Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps" by Messiaen and composed "a Hora do Lobo" to the 25th anniversary of FM public radio station Culture, presented in the Theatre Artistic Culture of São Paulo directed by Luther Rodrigues.

2003: He wrote the music for "Plaidoyer em faveur des larmes d'Héraclite" by Bruno Bayen, presented on June at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris.
He presented "Missa in Memoriam Arthur Bispo do Rosário", for choir of twelve voices and chamber orchestra in the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, in São Paulo with the direction of Tiago Pinheiro, published later by label Tranx God.

2004: Began his radio experience, hosting on a weekly basis "Supertônica" program on Cultura FM channel that is awarded on 2005 by APCA, Associação Paulista dos Críticos de Arte of São Paulo as as "Radio Program Revelation" of the year.
He composed a second "Missa in Memoriam" for the friend, recently missed, Itamar Assumpção presentented on October at the Teatro Sérgio Cardoso, in São Paulo.
Took part in recording "Beleza Estranha" by Benjamin Taubkin, submit to the São João National Theatre in Porto at the Festival de Teatro de Língua Portuguesa.
He composed the soundtrack for the feature film-documentary "Doutores em Alegria" directed by Mara Mourão.

2005: He composed "Engrenagem Canora nº 1" for two pianos and percussion and presented it to the Chamber Music Festival of Tatuía and writes "Totens", an opera for symphony orchestra, presented on June at the Teatro Sérgio Cardoso in São Paulo.
He composed the work "Até que os if apaguem avisos luminosos", premiered on August at SESC Ipiranga of São Paulo, with libretto loosely based on Santos Dumont and direction by Bruno Bayen, with choreography by architect and cartoonist Luiz Ge.
He performed piano solo concert in Paris at the Theatre de l'Opprimée.
Se apresenta como narrador numa versão em português da "Ode a Napoleão" de Arnold Schoenberg, juntamente com o "Quarteto de cordas da cidade de São Paulo" e Paulo Braga (piano).
Escreve a ópera "Enquanto estiverem acesos os avisos luminosos" com libreto de Bruno Bayen.

2006: Received "SESI-Festival de cinema da FIESP" Prize as Best Soundtrack for the score of the feature film "Doutores em Alegria".
He premiered "Missa in Memorian Itamar Assumpção" at Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil in São Paulo.

2007: Tranx God published "Missa in Memoriam Itamar Assumpção".

2008: Composed "Caixa da Música" and "Out of Cage" for percussion group "Drumming", which choreography by Ricardo Pais, made his debut at the Teatro Nacional São João in São Paulo on June.
From january to June he assumes the role of a resident-artist at the Unicamp of São Paulo during the first half of the year and realized with his scholars and students and professors from other courses of the Instituto de Artes da Unicamp, the show "Salão de Beleza", staged at the Centre de Convivencia in Campinas on September 8th and 9th.
He curated and held the artistic direction of "Crisantemúsica", a series of recitals at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil in São Paulo, event commemorating the 100 years of Japanese immigration to Brazil, composing "Viver" for piano, violin, koto and electric guitar, premiered on May 20th.

2009: He wrote the soundtrack for the movie by Alain Fresnot "Família muda e vende tudo" that is premiered the following year.
He works as an actor, playing the delegate Justino in the movie "Luz Nas Trevas", remake of the classic Rogerio Sganzerla, "O Bandido da Luz Vermelha", directed by Helena Ignes and Ícaro Martins.
Began to compose the work "Caixa de Odio - o universo de Lupicinio Rodrigues", a production in collaboration with Canal Brasil with which revisits the repertoire of the great Porto Alegre's musician, that will be released on DVD in 2012.
He displays another outstanding rework of "Clara Crocodilo" with Orchestra a Base de Sopro de Curitiba, performing it at Centro Cultural Teatro Guaíra in Curitiba.

2014: With the release of "De Nada Mais a Algo Além" (published by the record company Atração) sees the return of Arrigo composing popular songs in company of his old friend Luiz Tatit and the young singer Livia Nestrovski.
Barnabé published a work containing brand new arrangements of "Clara Crocodilo" material, entitled "Suite Claras and Crocodilos" performed by the band "Claras e Crocodilos".
Began performing with another freshly formed combo called "O Neurótico e as Histéricas" revisiting the songs of his old friend Hermelino Neder who released in 1984 an album by the band Hermelino e a Football Music called "Como Essa Mulher".

2015: "O Homem dos Crocodilos" it's staged at the Teatro São Pedro in São Paulo.

2016: He play in Italy with his female band quintet "O Neurotico e as Histericas"

2017: He play in Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris with his septet presenting "A saga da Clara Crocodilo"

 

Scarica la Biografia in italiano (aggiornamento luglio 2016)

• short bio •

Arrigo Barnabé is born in Londrina, Paraná on September 14, 1951.
One of the first and most talented proponents of the "Vanguarda Paulista" movement (urban classically trained musicians of the city of São Paulo who added the wildest erudite experimentations to pop culture), Arrigo Barnabé is an internationally awarded composer/arranger with an expressive contribution to Brazilian music.
Mixing dissonant harmonies with creative dodecaphonic and atonal melodies with pop culture references (such as the throaty voice of the São Paulo's most popular crime radio reporter) and the strongest, heaviest Brazilian grooves, his releases had an unsurpassed energy.
His best-known record is the critically acclaimed Clara Crocodilo.
He hosts Supertônica, a radio show at Rádio Cultura in São Paulo.
Arrigo Barnabé is cited in the songs "Língua" by Caetano Veloso.

 

• other links •

"Biografia" (português) - Enciclopédia da Mùsica Brasileira - Art Editora e PubliFolha

"Biografia" (português) - Studio Clio website

"Biografia" (português) - Letras website

Biographie (en français) @ label Défis

"Suite Claras e Crocodilos" presentation of the CD by Arrigo Barnabé - label Défis

 
AKAMU - Arrigo Barnabé
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