Choros No. 5 (Alma Brasileira)
The only choro from Villa-Lobos's extended Choros series conceived exclusively for solo piano, composed in 1925 and subtitled 'Alma Brasileira' (Brazilian Soul). The choro is a distinctly Brazilian popular music genre — a blend of European harmony and melody with African rhythmic vitality — and this single-movement piece captures its spirit: lyrical, slightly melancholic, with a flexible, improvised-feeling melodic line over a syncopated accompaniment. It is one of Villa-Lobos's most beloved solo piano works.