Gismonti began his formal music studies at the age of six on piano. After studying classical music for 15 years, he went to Paris to study orchestration and analysis with Nadia Boulanger and the composer Jean Barraqué, a disciple of Arnold Schönberg and Anton Webern. After his return to Brazil, Gismonti began to explore other musical genres. He was attracted by Maurice Ravel's approach to orchestration and chord voicings, as well as by choro, a Brazilian instrumental popular music featuring various types of guitars. In order to play this music he learned to play guitar, beginning on the 6-string classical instrument and switching to a ten-stringed guitar in 1973. He spent two years experimenting with different tunings and searching for new sounds. This exploration of timbre is further reflected in his use of kalimbas, shō, voice, bells, etc. By the early '70s, he had laid the groundwork for his current style which incorporated elements drawn from musicians as wide-ranging as Django Reinhardt and Jimi Hendrix. In the 1970s and 1980s he collaborated several times with Naná Vasconcelos recording for ECM. Some best-selling albums such as the Brazilian released eponymous Egberto Gismonti were never officially released in the US.
Água e Vinho
Egberto Gismonti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A hora morta, pedra morta, agonia e as laranjas do quintal
A vida ia entre o muro e as paredes de silêncio
E os cães que vigiavam o seu sono não dormiam
Viam sombras no ar, viam sombras no jardim
A lua morta, noite morta, ventania e um rosário sobre o chão
E um incêndio amarelo e provisório consumia o coração
E o seu coração já não temia as chamas do inferno
E das trevas sem fim, haveria de chegar o amor
The lyrics of Egberto Gismonti's Água e Vinho tell a story of a person who walks aimlessly through their backyard every day, only to feel the oppressive weight of the silence and mundanity of their life. The singer is surrounded by walls and fences and is always tired, as if they are weighed down by an invisible force. They feel as if they are trapped in their own existence, never really experiencing the joys of a full and passionate life. The singer is constantly battling with a sense of despair and hopeless, yet they keep on going.
As the night falls, the singer becomes more contemplative, watching the shadows that seem to dance in the moonlight. They witness the scent of oranges swaying in the wind, and they start to long for something more. The singer's heart is burning with a temporary and yellow flame, but even this flame is enough to consume them. They start to look beyond the walls of their life and search for new experiences. They realize that they can face anything, even the flames of hell, because they know that love will eventually come.
Água e Vinho is a powerful piece that delves into the complexities of human emotions. The haunting melody, combined with the lyrical narrative, creates a sense of longing and melancholy that can resonate with anyone who has ever felt trapped in their own existence. The song's universal themes and deep sense of yearning have made it a beloved classic for many.
Line by Line Meaning
Todos os dias passeava secamente na soleira do quintal
Every day he walked dryly on the doorstep of the yard
A hora morta, pedra morta, agonia e as laranjas do quintal
The dead hour, dead stone, agony and the oranges in the yard
A vida ia entre o muro e as paredes de silêncio
Life went between the wall and the walls of silence
E os cães que vigiavam o seu sono não dormiam
And the dogs that watched over his sleep didn't sleep
Viam sombras no ar, viam sombras no jardim
They saw shadows in the air, saw shadows in the garden
A lua morta, noite morta, ventania e um rosário sobre o chão
Dead moon, dead night, wind and a rosary on the ground
E um incêndio amarelo e provisório consumia o coração
And a yellow and temporary fire consumed the heart
E começou a procurar pelas fogueiras lentamente
And he began to search for the bonfires slowly
E o seu coração já não temia as chamas do inferno
And his heart no longer feared the flames of hell
E das trevas sem fim, haveria de chegar o amor
And from endless darkness, love would come
Writer(s): Egberto Gismonti
Contributed by Elliot F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thiago23686
Água & Vinho
Todos os dias passeava secamente na soleira do
quintal
À hora morta, pedra morta, agonia e as laranjas do
quintal
A vida ia entre o muro e as paredes de silêncio
E os cães que vigiavam o seu sono não dormiam
Viam sombras no ar, viam sombras no jardim
A lua morta, noite morta, ventania e um rosário sobre
o chão
E um incêndio amarelo e provisório consumia o coração
E começou a procurar pelas fogueiras lentamente
E o seu coração já não temia as chamas do inferno
E das trevas sem fim. Haveria de chegar o amor
@rememberourmusic440
Todos os dias
Passeava secamente
Na soleira do quintal
À hora morta,
Pedra morta,
Agonia e as laranjas do quintal
A vida ia entre o muro
E as paredes
De silêncio
E os cães
Que vigiavam o seu sono
Não dormiam
Viam sombras no ar,
Viam sombras no jardim
A lua morta
Noite morta,
Ventania e um rosário sobre o chão
E um incêndio amarelo
E provisório
Consumia o coração
E começou a procurar
Pelas fogueiras lentamente
E o seu coração já não temia as chamas do inferno
E das trevas sem fim
Haveria de chegar o amor.
- Writer: Egberto Gismonti
@fnduran
Essa música sintetiza as imensas madrugadas de silêncio contrito que passei numa casa em que morei por anos em Brasília: a ronda das sombras à rua velava minha solidão e insônia.
@luzromcy
Me identifico..Brasília também!
@dimistepa
Onde cê morava, mano?
@Luiz-qq7hm
Brasília não é para amadores.
@france5990
Te amo cara. Essa letra é de arrancar nossas cansadas tripas do silencio que espera pacientemente e alucinadamente amar.
@andacomfeeuvou
Essa música me impactou muito desde adolescente nos anos 70. Até hoje escuto. É uma viagem pelos tempos da minha alma. Existe muita paixão nessa música/letra. Um convite para romper os limites da imaginação .
@tasfa10
Já não ouvia há muito tempo e agora foi praticamente um arrepio de 2:17 minutos. Nunca me arrepiei tanto a ouvir música. A mudança de acordes aos 00:58 e 1:48 é linda.
@Nosh__
Continuo vagando sem rumo através da existência, mas sempre me encontro de volta por aqui.
@roniricardosystem
Me encontrei novamente. Aceno a mim mesmo. Continuemos vagando.
@wagnercardoso7046
Gismonti, genial ! Poesia em forma de cançao. Soberbo!