The music: The heart of Capoeira

HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN CAPOEIRA

Music is integral to Capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the Roda (pronounced Ho'da). The music is comprised of instruments and songs. The tempos differ from very slow (Angola) to very fast (São Bento Regional). Many of the songs are sung in a call and response format while others are in the form of a narrative.

Capoeiristas sing about a wide variety of subjects. Some songs are about history or stories of famous capoeiristas. Other songs attempt to inspire

players to play better. Some songs are about what is going on within the roda. Sometimes the songs are about life, or love lost.

Others are lighthearted or even silly things, sung just for fun. Capoeiristas change their playing style significantly as the songs or rhythm from the berimbau commands. In this manner, it is truly the music that drives capoeira.

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TYPES OF RHYTHM / TOQUES

There are three basic kinds of songs in capoeira. A ladainha (litany) is a narrative solo usually sung at the beginning of a roda, often by the Mestre (Master) or the teacher leader of the roda. These ladainhas will often be famous songs previously written by a Mestre, or they may be improvised on the spot.

A ladainha is usually followed by a chula or louvação, following a call and response pattern that usually thanks God and one's teacher, among other things. Each call is usually repeated word-for-word by the responders. The ladainha and chula are often omitted in Regional games.

Finally, corridos are songs that are sung while a game is being played, again following the call and response pattern. The responses to each call do not simply repeat what was said, however, but change depending on the song.

TOQUES

In the game of capoeira, toques are the rhythms played on the berimbau. Many toques are associated with a specific game (i.e. style and speed of play) though organizations may differ on the game for each toque:

Angola
Considered the oldest and most traditional toque. Used for the Angola game, a slow performance where players demonstrate balance and corporal expression.

São Bento pequeno de Angola
Also known as São Bento pequeno or Inverted Angola (because it replaces the high note of the Angola toque with the low and vice versa). A close fast game

São Bento grande de Angola
This is a very fast game played with ample movements. Leg sweeps and take downs are common in this game.

São Bento grande de Bimba
Often called São Bento grande de Regional or just Regional. Mestre Bimba’s fast explosive game seen often in exhibitions

Banguela
In many schools played extremely close and with much deception. Some schools play this as a slower, safer Regional game.

Iúna
A toque created by Mestre Bimba to mimic the Amazonian Iúna bird, it signals a medium paced game with emphasis almost entirely on acrobatics and usually played with ample distance between partners. Traditionally this game is only played by graduados (experienced students) and in many schools may only be played when a Mestre is present. There is no singing or hand clapping.

Idalina
A slow, but powerful game

Santa Maria
A quite beautiful toque used for the not much seen 'razor' game (which uses knifes or razors attached to the feet) or the 'money' game where the players try to pick up a coin purse placed in the center of the roda with their mouth.

Amazonas
A welcoming toque used to greet visiting Mestres and guests. It has no traditionally associated game though

Cavalaria
Originally used to alert players that the police were coming, the toque imitates the galloping of horses (and some say it sounds like a police siren). Today it is used to warn players that a potentially hostile person has arrived at the roda.
Referring to rhythms or toques we could say that:

SONGS GLOSSARY

Cantigas – general term for capoeira songs
Ladainha (lad-ai-in-ya) or chula (shoe-la) – solo song introducing the roda where the singer may tell a story or offer advice to the two players waiting expectantly, it ends in a call and response section:

Eg. Ie viva meu mestre – (long live my master) – LEADER
Ie viva meu mestre, camará – CHORUS

Corridos (core-he-dos) – follow the chula, another call and response but here the response is constant.

Eg. Ai, ai, ai, ai, São Bento me chama – LEADER
Ai, ai, ai, ai, – CHORUS

Quadra – Song which starts with four lines and chorus, respond with one line.

Eg. Valha meu deus
Senhor São Bento,
Buraco velho
Tem cobra dentro, – LEADER

Valha meu deus
Senhor São Bento, – CHORUS

MUSIC
Toque (tock-ey) – the basic cyclical rhythm of the berimbau
Virada – variations from the basic toque to enrich the sound

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Angola rhythms – São Bento Pequeno e São Bento Grande de Angola – They are all Angola toques and the game should be played with cunning and not open.
But sometimes you must relax and accept the other blow without blocking it.

“THE SPEED OF THE GAME IS ALWAYS ACCORDING TO THE RHYTHM”

São Bento Grande de Angola
- Sometimes you may play as in a regional game, according to the other player or your mood, but always with bodily expression.

São Bento Grande de Regional
- Should be played more directly, only down to defend yourself or to counter attack, with rasteira or floor kicks. You should try more of the quedas (throws) like vingativas, banda de costas, cruz, etc, and hand strikes like galopante and godeme.

Jogo de Dentro
- Is more like São Bento Grande de Angola but with more continuity and more fluidity, always open, trying to be very close to your opponent all the time, moving through and under their moves and trying changes during a movement.

Description by Mestre Gato