Abstract: O Fole Roncou! [A history of Forró] by Carlos Marcelo Carvalho and Rosualdo Rodrigues aims to trace the history of forró, highlighting iconic figures such as Luiz Gonzaga. The authors are praised for their detailed research and engaging narrative..

Keywords: Forró, baião, and Brazilian music.

O fole roncou! [uma história do Forró] is a book written by journalists Carlos Marcelo Carvalho and Rosualdo Rodrigues, published in 2012 by Zahar Publishers. As the title suggests, the book aims to chronicle the journey of notable composers, musicians, performers, and producers who contributed to the creation of the musical genre known as forró. The comprehensive narrative spans from the childhood moments of Luiz Gonzaga to the evolution of modern forró after Gonzaga’s death.

The book reveals behind-the-scenes information constructed through conversations, song lyrics, and news articles from the era, demystifying the glamor associated with the artist. Numerous interviews were conducted by Carlos Marcelo and Rosualdo Rodrigues, with the collaboration of Mariana Moreira. The work is divided into 21 chapters, plus an epilogue nicknamed “Encore”. Each chapter tells the story of a musician and his relationship with the forró scene. For example, the first chapter tells the early story of Luiz Gonzaga, including details such as the reasons behind his choice of instrument, clothing, and career path. The second chapter tells the story of the singer Marinês, who collaborated with Luiz Gonzaga throughout her career. Thus, chronological lines with converging points are established. The narratives intertwine, with Gonzaga as a recurring character in most of them. The authors also address the daily challenges of these musicians, many of whom came from humble occupations that did not adequately compensate these artists, and who faced accidents, illness, domestic violence, and inadequate health care. The book has 472 pages, and a section of acknowledgments concludes the work.

There is a chronological order among the events, but it is not strictly followed. Each new narrative includes a return to the past to discuss the artist’s origins, detailing their geographic origins, influences, and initial ideas. In the case of Luiz Gonzaga, for example, his inspiration goes beyond sound. The narrative describes the origins of the costumes he used in his performances and, consequently, the visual impact of these garments on Brazilian audiences, especially in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Rio is presented as a testing ground for any artist who wanted to succeed in the forró career, where radio and television programs were recorded that launched musicians. It is interesting to note that the programs from Rio were broadcast in the Northeast, so for an artist to be promoted in their own state, it was necessary to travel to the Southeast and record the programs there.

The list of characters in this story is extensive, including Luiz Gonzaga, Zé Dantas, Jackson do Pandeiro, Antônio Barros, João do Vale, Onildo, Ary Lobo, Marinês, Zé Marcolino, Dominguinhos, Genival Lacerda, Trio Mossoró, Geraldo Correia, Pedro Sertanejo, Gonzaguinha, Lucinete Ferreira, Oswaldinho do Acordeon, Zé Calixto, João do Pife, Trio Nordestino, Elino Julião, Messias Holanda, João Gonçalves, Nelson Valença, Osvaldo Oliveira, Abdias dos Oito Baixos, Alceu Valença, Geraldo Azevedo, Belchior, Elba Ramalho, Zé Ramalho, João Silva, Fagner, Humberto Teixeira, Emanuel Gurgel, Mastruz com Leite group, Falamansa, among others. The focus of the narrative is often on a particular story, but the main goal is to understand the construction of the forró. All the narratives are rich in detail, emphasizing the importance of the account of Pedro Sertanejo, his forró and the Cantagalo label, highlighted as important elements for the preservation of northeastern culture in the city of São Paulo.

The timeline addresses significant moments in Brazilian history, such as the military coup of 1964. The authors describe how some forró artists faced musical censorship, often applied to lyrics with double meanings and sexual connotations. Some of these artists were threatened with imprisonment if they continued to sing their songs. The book also discusses the impact of protest songs and their main proponents. Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil are mentioned as important contributors to the strengthening of the forró.

Initially, the narrative points to a certain weakening when the guitar became popular among young people and the accordion was seen as outdated. However, when these artists cite Luiz Gonzaga as a major influence on their compositions and even record hits by the King of Baião, it has a direct impact on Gonzagão’s shows.

“O fole roncou” – Baião by Nélson Valença e Luiz Gonzaga, recorded by Odeon in 1973 | Image: Canal Gonzaga Music

Finding composer partners for Gonzaga is a recurring theme in the book. Gonzaga was responsible for introducing several Northeastern composers, who, according to him, were people who “did not fly in airplanes,” as the king figuratively believed that flying spoiled the compositions; the composer had to be “rooted. Gonzaga frequently visited the Northeast to establish these partnerships, which often arose from local reports of someone who had many very good compositions. In this way, there was a constant renewal of the repertoire and new hits were introduced. Among these composers are Humberto Teixeira, at the beginning of the career of the King of Baião, to Fagner, in the last moments of Gonzagão’s life. Luiz Gonzagão’s death is a delicate moment in the book, as it tells of his suffering from severe osteoporosis and his lung problems.

The book includes a section of photographs that illustrate the narratives and, above all, show how the artists dressed. Since this is a book about music, it is necessary to listen to the recordings mentioned in order to fully understand these detailed stories. Journalists Carlos Marcelo and Rosualdo Rodrigues interweave several different narratives in a light manner, giving the stories continuity and fluidity. The publication is relevant because it gathers little explored information in the history of Brazilian music, which may lead to new developments in musicological research.

“The Bellows Roared!” achieves its stated goals and is recommended for the general public interested in the subject, but also has depth for those who wish to delve deeper into the topic and use it as a reference in an academic work. From a personal point of view, I affirm that the recovery of the memory of the Northeast is necessary for the knowledge of the cultural history of the ancestors of many who, as in my case, are descendants of the whole process of migration of the people of the Northeast to the Southeast.

Summary of de O Fole Roncou! [uma história do Forró]

• Introdução – Onde estão os mestres da cantoria?
• 1. Eu vou mostrar pra vocês
• 2. Quem é essa caboclinha?
• 3. Rumo ao tabuleiro de cuscuz
• 4. Tem de tudo na feira
• 5. Todo tempo é pouco
• 6. O Jumento e a Lambreta
• 7. Carne de sol com tagliatelle
• 8. O xodó do sanfoneiro
• 9. As caravanas e o coroné
• 10. De lascar o cano
• 11. Todos conhecem Severina
• 12. Ô lapa de tesoura!
• 13. Bicho, o Rei voltou
• 14. Pelo sertão, lá vai a fé
• 15. A Rainha machucada
• 16. Cabeludos do futuro
• 17. Pra corda não rebentar
• 18. Nem se despediu de mim
• 19. O dono do baralho
• 20. Tropa de resistência
• 21. O que se leva dessa vida
• Epílogo – O sangue bombeia o destino
• Entrevistas
• Referências Bibliográficas
• Créditos das imagens
• Agradecimentos

Reviewer

Rafael Silva – Master of Music from UNIRIO. He has published, among others, A atividade laboral dos músicos de cinema, entre os anos 1986 e 1929: um estudo a partir das atas do centro musical do Rio de Janeiro e seus associados” (2023) ID: LATTES: 7987348021146062; ID ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3578-7654; E-mail: rafael.osilva323@gmail.com.

To cite this review

MARCELO, C.; RODRIGUES, R. O Fole Roncou! [A History of Forró]. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar Editora, 2012. 472p. Review of: SILVA, Rafael. Accordion chords. Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n.17, May/June, 2024. Available at <https://www.criticahistoriografica.com.br/en/acordes-de-sanfona-rafael-silvas-unirio-review-of-the-book-o-fole-roncou-a-history-of-forro-by-carlos-marcelo-and-rosualdo-rodrigues/>.

© – Authors who publish in Historiographical Criticism agree to the distribution, remixing, adaptation and creation based on their texts, even for commercial purposes, as long as due credit for the original creations is guaranteed. (CC BY-SA).

Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n. 17, May/June, 2024 | ISSN 2764-2666.