“Guerra-Peixe by Guerra-Peixe.” This has been the guiding compass for this project sponsored by the Petrobras Cultural Program.

With a sharply critical eye toward his own work and toward all that was happening around him, and participating in the most significant cultural movements of his era, César Guerra-Peixe (1914-1993) left us a vital artistic legacy: Not only were his compositions beautiful and inspired, he was also a researcher, teacher and essayist.

Through this lens, the Guerra-Peixe Project offers more than a previously unpublished on-line catalog: It provides a selection of rich texts, the fruit of the artist’s research on Brazilian folk music; timelines showing the evolutionary threads of his production; and, likewise previously unpublished, his violin technique method.

The “timeline” points out key events that influenced his work. We see evidence of his cultural values, demonstrated by the body and meaning of his lifework.

One integral part of the project was the recording of an audio CD, a tribute to Guerra-Peixe. It features a repertoire of chamber music selected from a variety of periods and styles, with arrangements for harmonica, cello and piano.

We believe that by disseminating César Guerra-Peixe’s work we help promote one of Brazil’s greatest artists, and also encourage the support of and reflection about the full scope of Brazil’s musical identity and culture.