Gilberto Mendes, Brazilian Experimental Music Pioneer, Reflects on 90 Years
As composer Gilberto Mendes approaches his 90th birthday in Santos, he remains a pivotal figure in Brazilian experimental music. In 1962, he established the Música Nova festival, promoting a departure from traditional nationalist music. Mendes offers a critique of the Brazilian perception of Heitor Villa-Lobos, emphasizing his modernist contributions. He was associated with a post-1950 modernist collective that included Régis Duprat and Willy Corrêa de Oliveira. Mendes has written notable works such as Odisseia Musical (1994) and Viver sua Música (2007). To celebrate his father's milestone, filmmaker Carlos Mendes will release 90 microfilms on YouTube, commencing October 13, the day of Mendes's birthday. Influenced by Olivier Toni and Pierre Boulez, Mendes regards João Gilberto's Chega de Saudade and the Beatles' I Wanna Hold Your Hand as groundbreaking.
Key facts
- Gilberto Mendes is a Brazilian composer and pioneer of experimental aleatoric music.
- He founded the Música Nova festival in 1962 and co-signed its manifesto in 1963.
- The festival recently marked 50 years since its first edition.
- Mendes was part of a modernist group including Régis Duprat, Rogério Duprat, Willy Corrêa de Oliveira, Júlio Medaglia, and Damiano Cozzella.
- He was born in Santos in 1922 and has lived in Prague and the United States.
- Mendes has authored several books and has new publications planned for 2013.
- His son Carlos Mendes is producing 90 microfilms about his work for YouTube release starting October 13, 2026.
- Mendes attributes the formal invention of bossa nova to Tom Jobim.
Entities
Artists
- Gilberto Mendes
- Décio Pignatari
- Augusto de Campos
- Haroldo de Campos
- Heitor Villa-Lobos
- Régis Duprat
- Rogério Duprat
- Willy Corrêa de Oliveira
- Júlio Medaglia
- Damiano Cozzella
- Gilberto Gil
- Caetano Veloso
- Gal Costa
- Chico Buarque
- Jorge Ben Jor
- Ronnie Von
- Odorico Mendes
- Ana Garcia Mendes
- Eliane
- Carlos Mendes
- Olivier Toni
- Claudio Santoro
- Pierre Boulez
- Karlheinz Stockhausen
- João Gilberto
- Tom Jobim
- Claude Debussy
Institutions
- Música Nova festival
- Invenção magazine
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- University of Texas at Austin
- Edusp
- Editora Perspectiva
- Editora Algol
Locations
- Santos
- Brazil
- Prague
- Czechoslovakia
- United States
- Wisconsin
- Austin
- Texas
- Darmstadt
- Germany