How often does a city honor someone with two statues? It’s a rare tribute. Here before us stands the Estátua do Pixinguinha. Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Filho may not ring a bell to everyone. But Pixinguinha certainly does.
Pixinguinha is considered by many to be the greatest figure in Brazilian music. The critic Ary Vasconcelos said it best. He stated that if you only have space for one word regarding Brazilian popular music just write Pixinguinha.
This statue before you is one of two bronze tributes to the musician in Rio. It stands as a reminder of his impact on Brazilian culture. Pixinguinha lived from 1897 to 1973. He witnessed Brazil’s emerging cultural industry. Pixinguinha helped birth urban samba in Rio. He forever changed Brazilian popular music’s course.
This Estátua do Pixinguinha was unveiled on April 23 1996. It stands on Rua do Ouvidor. This location is significant. It’s in front of where the Gouveia bar once stood. Pixinguinha frequented this bar almost daily. He even had a plaque and a chair reserved just for him.
Otto Dumovich crafted this bronze Estátua do Pixinguinha. It is 1.70 meters tall and weighs nearly 500 kilograms. The statue captures Pixinguinha in a visceral pose. He wears a suit and hat ready to play. He looks as if he could start playing in the choro circles of Ouvidor or Lapa. Or anywhere else where bohemian life thrived.
Pixinguinha inherited his musical talent from his father Alfredo Vianna. As a child he secretly listened to his father’s music. He grew up surrounded by choro circles in Piedade and Catumbi.
At fifteen Pixinguinha was seen as just a kid. Despite this he was already a phenomenon. One day Antônio Maria Passos had to miss performances of Morreu o Neves. Tute suggested the young Pixinguinha as a replacement. Pixinguinha impressed everyone. He became the principal flutist at the Teatro Rio Branco.
Pixinguinha quickly gained fame in Rio’s music scene. He performed in cabarets cinemas and theaters. He played in groups like Oito Batutas. This group made history in Brazil and abroad. He also worked as an arranger and conductor for radio stations and record labels.
Nearly two decades later a second Estátua do Pixinguinha was unveiled. This one stands in front of the Bar da Portuguesa. This statue depicts Pixinguinha in a more casual setting. He is seen as Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Filho. He is a resident of Ramos in Rio’s North Zone. He is in his everyday persona.
Ique Woitschach created this statue. He calls it a “cariscultura”. It is a mixture of caricature and sculpture. This Estátua do Pixinguinha shows him relaxed in pajamas and slippers. He sits at a table as he might have at the Bar da Portuguesa.
Both Estátua do Pixinguinha reflect a common sentiment. Pixinguinha lived life to the fullest in the bohemian style. Take a moment to appreciate this tribute. It honors a true icon of Brazilian music and culture.