Principles of Identity and Idiomatic Harmony of Antonio Carlos Jobim

Abstract

This article aims to demonstrate how the chord symbols used by the Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim (Tom Jobim) were often linked to the desired sonority of the piece as to the reading facilitation for the interpreters, therefore ensuing principles musical identity. We believe that such an approach, with respect to harmony, can contribute to future investigations, as well as to a better understanding of the work and the creative process of one of the most important composers of popular music of the 20th century. The examples were taken from the songs Corcovado (Tom Jobim), Por toda a minha vida (Tom Jobim e Vinicius de Moraes), Por causa de você (Tom Jobim e Dolores Duran), Dindi (Tom Jobim e Aloysio de Oliveira), Brigas nunca mais (Tom Jobim e Vinicius de Moraes), Ela é carioca (Tom Jobim e Vinicius de Moraes) and Caminhos cruzados (Tom Jobim e Newton Mendonça), with reference to the publications Songbook Tom Jobim, edited by Chediak, and Cancioneiro Jobim, by Tom and Paulo Jobim, Jobim, in addition to the manuscripts and the composer's original recordings. In terms of harmonic analysis, the procedures and the methodology are based on Guest analysis construct.