This work presents a musical journey along the National Road 2, which traverses the interior of Portugal from north to south. It is divided into three movements and results from the inspiration in themes from the traditional Portuguese songbook, which here receive a different attire, sometimes a complete twist, as it usually happens in my works. The first movement, "north," is based on the song “Mirandum se fui a la guerra,” a well-known song from Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro that references the Mirandum War in 1762. This melody has the particularity of sharing some notes with a lullaby from Beira Baixa, “Vai-te embora ó papão.” Thus, as the movement approaches its end, both melodies begin to fight for prominence until the music is lulled towards the Beiras. The second movement, "center," is based on the song “Ó malhão, triste malhão,” with a melancholic melody, presented by the flugelhorn. Meanwhile, the other trumpets take turns in a dense harmony, with pointillistic movements, filled with small comments. The initial melody is then presented by the trumpets, while the flugelhorn performs a written improvisation. We cross the Tagus River, and the journey continues to the lands of southern Portugal, where the Alentejo song “Ó rama, ó que linda rama” is completely deconstructed. Instead of staying in a major key, it shifts to the Lydian dominant mode, with swing in the semiquavers and improvisations by each of the trumpeters, accompanied by percussions of definite pitch on the mouthpiece. The purpose of the percussions is to allow the trumpeters to breathe a bit, remove the mouthpiece from their lips, and rest, an aspect that composers often forget to ensure. Each improvisation consists of 8 measures, which can be expanded and transformed into a real improvisation in Lydian dominant. To do so, it is enough for the rhythm section to continue repeating the indicated 4 measures and move forward after the soloist's indication. As for the percussions, they should be executed as loudly as possible, directing the bell towards the audience. It is not necessary to hit too hard, otherwise, there might be the risk of the mouthpiece getting stuck in the leadpipe. It is only necessary to seal the mouthpiece well, applying dry hits with a relaxed hand.
As with all music, I invite the performers to have fun and be the co-authors of the artistic result.
Ricardo Matosinhos
