Biography
Among the foremost Brazilian composers active during the Belle Époque, Zequinha de Abreu helped lay the foundations of the choro style. His composition “Tico-tico No Fubá,” released abroad simply as “Tico-Tico,” continues to be interpreted by leading musicians across every genre. Already captivated by music at age five, he spent hours observing players at work and soon received a small harmonica on which he mastered basic tunes. Piano lessons began at seven under Dionísio Machado and later José Inácio; around the same time he assembled an ensemble of school friends. After relocating to Itu for studies at Colégio São Luís, he took up the ocarina. At ten he joined the ensemble led by José de Abreu, and in 1884 he entered the Episcopal Seminary to pursue the priesthood at his mother’s urging, where he studied harmony first with conductor José Pinto Tavares and Father Juvenal Kelly, then with Rossini Tavares de Lima. Ultimately choosing music over the clergy, he left the seminary and, en route home, wrote the waltz “Flor da Estrada.”
Back in his native town he assembled a locally celebrated band. The maxixe “Bafo de Onça” appeared in 1896; Casa Sotero in Rio published the schottische “D’alva” and the waltz “Soluços.” He married Durvalina Brasil in 1899. Shortly afterward he created both the Lira Santarritense and the Smart Orchestra—the latter performing at the cinema of the same name—and the groups enjoyed success throughout the surrounding countryside; the Lira placed second in a 1911 band competition. While also serving as a local politician, he produced a steady stream of choros, marchinhas, waltzes, tangos, and other forms, reaching nearly one hundred works by about 1915. During a 1917 ball his orchestra introduced an untitled, brisk new piece that sent dancers into a frenzy; comparing them to tico-ticos pecking at cornmeal, he sought a title, and bassist Artur de Carvalho proposed “Tico-tico No Fubá.”
Following his father’s death on 19 June 1919, Zequinha moved his family to São Paulo, where he worked as a sheet-music demonstrator for Casa Beethoven, performed with the Bar Viaduto Orchestra, and played throughout the city, often visiting homes to sell his music directly. The humorous “Sururu Na Cidade,” which chronicled the 1924 revolution, proved highly popular that year. Also in 1924 Casa Vitale issued the waltz “Branca,” composed in 1918 and dedicated to the daughter of the local railway-station manager; it became the firm’s first commercial hit. “Tico-tico No Fubá” itself waited until 1930 for publication, with lyrics supplied the following year by Eurico Barreiros. In 1933 he organized the twenty-five-piece Zequinha de Abreu Band. Frequent visits to Rio brought him into contact with numerous musicians and composers, among them Catulo da Paixão Cearense.
The first recording of “Tico-tico No Fubá” with its official lyrics was made in 1942 by Ademilde Fonseca, known as the Queen of Choro; ten days earlier Alvarenga e Ranchinho had cut a version carrying lyrics by Alvarenga and subtitled “Vamos Dançar, Comadre,” while Carmen Miranda performed the song in the United States with words by Aluísio de Oliveira. Walt Disney featured the piece in the 1943 film Saludos Amigos. By then an established figure, Zequinha saw his works interpreted by many artists and ensembles: Orquestra Colbaz under Maestro Gaó recorded “Branca” and “Tico-tico No Fubá” for Columbia in 1931; Francisco Alves cut “Pé de Elefante” (with Dino Castelo) in 1927, “Aurora” (with Salvador Morais) and “Rosa Desfolhada” (with Dino Castelo) in 1929, and “Amor Imortal” (with João de Barro) in 1933; Celestino Paraventi recorded “Tardes em Lindóia” (with Pinto Martins) and “Longe Dos Olhos” (with Salvador Morais) in 1930. Seventeen years after his death, the 1952 film Tico-Tico No Fubá, directed by Fernando de Barros and Adolfo Celi for Companhia Vera Cruz, portrayed his life.
Back in his native town he assembled a locally celebrated band. The maxixe “Bafo de Onça” appeared in 1896; Casa Sotero in Rio published the schottische “D’alva” and the waltz “Soluços.” He married Durvalina Brasil in 1899. Shortly afterward he created both the Lira Santarritense and the Smart Orchestra—the latter performing at the cinema of the same name—and the groups enjoyed success throughout the surrounding countryside; the Lira placed second in a 1911 band competition. While also serving as a local politician, he produced a steady stream of choros, marchinhas, waltzes, tangos, and other forms, reaching nearly one hundred works by about 1915. During a 1917 ball his orchestra introduced an untitled, brisk new piece that sent dancers into a frenzy; comparing them to tico-ticos pecking at cornmeal, he sought a title, and bassist Artur de Carvalho proposed “Tico-tico No Fubá.”
Following his father’s death on 19 June 1919, Zequinha moved his family to São Paulo, where he worked as a sheet-music demonstrator for Casa Beethoven, performed with the Bar Viaduto Orchestra, and played throughout the city, often visiting homes to sell his music directly. The humorous “Sururu Na Cidade,” which chronicled the 1924 revolution, proved highly popular that year. Also in 1924 Casa Vitale issued the waltz “Branca,” composed in 1918 and dedicated to the daughter of the local railway-station manager; it became the firm’s first commercial hit. “Tico-tico No Fubá” itself waited until 1930 for publication, with lyrics supplied the following year by Eurico Barreiros. In 1933 he organized the twenty-five-piece Zequinha de Abreu Band. Frequent visits to Rio brought him into contact with numerous musicians and composers, among them Catulo da Paixão Cearense.
The first recording of “Tico-tico No Fubá” with its official lyrics was made in 1942 by Ademilde Fonseca, known as the Queen of Choro; ten days earlier Alvarenga e Ranchinho had cut a version carrying lyrics by Alvarenga and subtitled “Vamos Dançar, Comadre,” while Carmen Miranda performed the song in the United States with words by Aluísio de Oliveira. Walt Disney featured the piece in the 1943 film Saludos Amigos. By then an established figure, Zequinha saw his works interpreted by many artists and ensembles: Orquestra Colbaz under Maestro Gaó recorded “Branca” and “Tico-tico No Fubá” for Columbia in 1931; Francisco Alves cut “Pé de Elefante” (with Dino Castelo) in 1927, “Aurora” (with Salvador Morais) and “Rosa Desfolhada” (with Dino Castelo) in 1929, and “Amor Imortal” (with João de Barro) in 1933; Celestino Paraventi recorded “Tardes em Lindóia” (with Pinto Martins) and “Longe Dos Olhos” (with Salvador Morais) in 1930. Seventeen years after his death, the 1952 film Tico-Tico No Fubá, directed by Fernando de Barros and Adolfo Celi for Companhia Vera Cruz, portrayed his life.
Albums
Singles
