Atraente (polka), first part

Chiquinha Gonzaga · Level 4 (Intermediate) · Romantic · Piano

Her first big hit (1877): a Brazilian polka full of syncopations, at the origins of choro. Here are the introduction and the first theme. A dance by Chiquinha Gonzaga, a pioneer of Brazilian popular music and the first woman to conduct an orchestra in Brazil. F major, 2/4, 22 bars (about one minute), complete score.

▶ Play this piece with the interactive score

How to practise it

• Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
• Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
• Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
• The left hand marks the two-beat pulse, very steady; the right-hand syncopations stay light and cheerful. One hand sometimes plays two voices: hold the long notes for their full value and let the main line sing louder than the accompaniment. For chords, shape the hand in the air before landing, all notes together. Fast writing: work section by section in Wait mode, then in dotted rhythms, and raise the tempo in steps of 5–10%.

Source : PDMX / MuseScore · CC0 1.0