A Concise History of Bandas Filarmonicas
Bandas Filarmonicas
in Portugal have a long history dating back to the early 19th century. Most accounts credit the influence of the French and British military during the Peninsular War (1807-1814) with the incorporation of wind bands into the Portuguese Army. The Portuguese crown, in an effort to raise the army to the level of others in Western Europe, issued a decree mandating that each infantry regiment include a band consisting of a musical director with mixed winds, brass, and percussion. The creation of military bands for each regiment had a dramatic effect on the growth of band music in Portugal. By 1830, Portuguese companies began manufacturing instruments and by mid-century, wind bands had shifted from serving a purely military role to a civic one that encompassed both rural and urban communities. This dramatic shift marks the beginning of
Bandas Filarmonicas as we know them today.
Nineteenth-century political and social movements also contributed to their widespread growth. A rising middle class and the formation of cultural associations affected social life from the largest cities to the smallest towns and villages.
Most
bandas established themselves through their close relationship to the Catholic Church. Annual religious festivities (
festas) served as the highlight of the performance season and
bandas supported themselves with the money earned from contracts for performing at
festas. Their role was to accompany religious processions, and in a more secular capacity to entertain the community in concert, called the
Arraial. Although opportunities for paid performances exist outside of religious festivals,
bandas
filarmonicas today continue to be closely linked to and supported by
festas.
The symbiotic relationship between
bandas and the church secured the place of these musical organizations within their communities. It also contributed to their relatively unchanging nature. Very little historical information on
bandas
filarmonicas is available to us, in part because the majority of the country was
poor, rural, and uneducated (formally)
for much of the last two centuries
. Traditions were passed down from generation to generation, including such musical aspects as performance practice and repertoire.
The repertoire consisting of marches, processionals, folk music, orchestral arrangements, and original works
circulated through the countryside from the largest cities to the most isolated regions, including the islands of the Azores. Through immigration, music was shared with
bandas
filarmonicas in Brazil, the United States and Canada who modelled themselves after the bands from their homeland.
The political revolution of April 25, 1974 marked a colossal shift in contemporary Portuguese history. This period affected almost every aspect of life, and influenced social and cultural change.
For
bandas
filarmonicas this historic date represents a renaissance. As liberty spread throughout the country, the old ways of life were challenged by new ideas. These changes were felt immediately by
bandas
filarmonicas who also began to transform. Slowly, their doors opened to allow participation by women, and the formation of music schools within their communities complimented the republic’s focus on education. New band repertoire was introduced as composers began to integrate popular music into their pieces as a way to attract a more youthful audience. Like their predecessors, contemporary composers writing for
bandas
filarmonicas continue to adapt the musical content in an attempt to satisfy their musicians and engage audiences.
Through all of the changes over time, some aspects of
bandas filarmonicas have remained constant. Early military influences are still visible in the uniforms worn by band members and by the marching formation used for parades and processions. This musical tradition remains an amateur music-making endeavour, and an integral expression of Portuguese history, culture, and sense of community.
Bandas Filarmonicas in Canada
The Portuguese experience in Canada began in 1953 with the first official sponsored immigration. Over the next 30 years, thousands of Portuguese immigrants arrived in waves from the Azores (comprising 70% of Portuguese immigration to Canada), and Madeira archipelagos and from continental Portugal. Many of the original immigrants were recruited to work in rural and isolated areas in Canada, but soon established themselves in larger cities. As their numbers continued to grow, shared experiences, language, and a deep-rooted pride for their homeland began to manifest itself in an outward expression of culture. Within decades, Portuguese churches, bakeries, shops, restaurants and newspapers began to appear, and in 1966, the first
Banda Filarmonica was organized in Toronto, Ontario. Made up of amateur musicians who had been part of their own local bands in Portugal, this newly formed
banda would go on to perform in the traditional religious festivals for a community who cheerfully welcomed the familiar sounds of their homeland. In the years to follow, several
Bandas Filarmonicas were organized in cities across Canada, each one sharing similar beginnings. Sons and daughters were taught music from the earlier generation using the Portuguese solfege system, and over time have become an integral part of the ever-changing makeup of Portuguese
Bandas Filarmonicas in Canada. One can find this unique tradition in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and through to Ontario and Quebec where
bandas regularly perform in various Portuguese and non-Portuguese events throughout Canada, the United States, and overseas.
