Brazzil

Brazilian composer Carlos Alberto Ferreira Braga, Braguinha, one of Brazil's most enduring and beloved popular composers, died Sunday, December 24, in Rio de Janeiro, at the age of 99. Family and friends were getting ready to celebrate his 100th birthday on March 29. Admitted to the Pró-Cardíaco hospital the previous day, he passed away in the morning of Christmas Eve. The medical bulletin announced he had died from multiple organs failure due to a generalized infection of urinary origin.

Born in 1907 Braguinha composed his first song, at age 16, and, during a prolific career, became the author of some of the most loved classics of the Brazilian popular music like "Carinhoso" (Affectionate) in partnership with Pixinguinha and several Carnaval songs created in the 1930s, which are revived every year and are known by every Brazilian: "Yes, Nós Temos Bananas," "Touradas em Madrid" and "As Pastorinhas," with Noel Rosa, among others. 

To hide his work from the father, who would not admit that the name of the family were associated to popular music, the young Braga, who was an architecture student, adopted the name of João de Barro, which is the Portuguese term for ovenbird or hornero,  a South American brown bird who builds his tough and elaborate oven-shaped nest using mud.

Braguinha was buried on Christmas Day in the family's mausoleum in Rio's São João Batista cemetery, in the Botafogo neighborhood, to the sound of some of his most memorable compositions like "Carinhoso," "Chiquita Bacana," and "Touradas em Madrid."

Those present burst into applause when the body was laid to rest. Singer-composer Martinho da Vila, who was at the cemetery, announced that friends will continue organizing a party to celebrate Braga's 100 birthday.

Martinho told reporters that he had met the composer a few days ago to make arrangements for the 100th birthday celebrations. Coping with Alzheimer's the composer rarely appeared in public lately.

Said Martinho: "We will continue our preparation even without Braguinha. He was going to be the first Brazilian composer to reach the 100-year mark."

The composer's body was watched over at the Pedro Ernesto Palace, Rio's City Council building. It was Christmas Day, however, and perhaps due to this fact very few people showed up to pay their last respects to the musician. Among those at the wake were Rio de Janeiro's governor elect, Sérgio Cabral and Rio's mayor, César Maia.

A green-and-pink Mangueira flag, from Braguinha's favorite samba school, covered his coffin. The lyrics of "Velha Flamboyant," one of his compositions was also put over the casket.

He was Mangueira's theme in the 1984 Carnaval when that Escola de Samba won first prize. The winning samba that year was "Yes, Nós Temos Braguinha" (Yes, We Have Braguinha). The Carnaval club is planning to pay homage to him again in 2007 to celebrate his centenary.

Astréia, 93, Braguinha's widow, who lived with the composer for 68 years, came to the cemetery together with the couple's only child, Maria Cecília, as well as their three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

"I lived in a dream world with my father. He used to tell me stories that he then turned into child songs, which cheered up one generation after another. He gave a lot not only to us but to the whole Brazilian people. I am happy, even knowing he is far from me," said Maria Cecília.

His daughter and grandchildren were with him when he died. "Grandpa went away with serenity," said Carlos Alberto Braga Goes, the composer's grandson.

Billy Blanco, one of Brazil's most distinguished composers, came to bid his last farewell to Braguinha: "These were the best 100 years ever used on the face of the earth. I came to thank Braguinha for all the beautiful things he did."

Singer Marlene, one of the idols of the so-called Carnaval's Golden Age (the 1930's) talked about Braguinha's calling: "He fulfilled his mission in this world. And his mission was to bring joy to people with his musical talent, his poetry and he has done all of this. I believe that Cariocas and Brazilians will never forget him."

Braguinha composed more than 500 songs, most of them Carnaval marchinhas, even though he never studied music or learned how to play any instrument.

His "Copacabana" composition was covered by several famous crooners and  earned the musician a bronze statue in that famous beach district in Rio. Located on the corner of Princesa Isabel Avenue and Barata Ribeiro Street, the monument sculpted by Otto Dumovich, weighs 1000 lbs and is 7.2 feet high.

Besides the 30s, the late 40s were also a fertile period for him. During this time he released several Carnaval hits like "Pirata da Perna-de-Pau," "A Mulata É a Tal," and "Chiquita Bacana." This is also the time when he produced "Copacabana," ""A Saudade Mata a Gente," and "Fim de Semana em Paquetá."

The children stories started in this period too.  In the mid-sixties when marchinhas had already lost their appeal being replaced by sambas-enredos he stopped composing for Carnaval. But in 1980, Gal Costa re-recorded his marcha "Balancê," from 1937, which once again went up the charts.

Even though his contribution to the Brazilian movies is lesser known he took part in several films not only as musician, but also as screenwriter and director assistant at Cinédia.

He worked in the dubbing of several Disney movies into Portuguese as well, including: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Pinocchio," "Dumbo" and "Bambi."

As a composer of children songs he left several original and adapted musical stories like the Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and Party in the Sky.

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