Tico-Tico no fubá

by Zequinha de Abreu,
arr. by Christopher Rueda

for Reed Quintet (ob / Bb cl / alto / bs cl / bsn)

$15 – PDF

This Brazilian choro music piece was composed by Zequinha de Abreu in 1917. Its original title was Tico-Tico no Farelo, but since Brazilian guitarist Américo Jacomino Canhoto (1889–1928) had a work with the same title, Abreu’s work was given its present name in 1931. Choro (literally translated meaning lament) is also popularly known as chorinho in the affectionate diminutive form of Brazilian Portuguese. “Fubá” is a type of maize flour, and “tico-tico” is the name of a bird, the rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis). Hence, “tico-tico no fubá” means “sparrow in the cornmeal.”

José Gomes de Abreu, better known as Zequinha de Abreu (1880 – 1935), born in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo state, was one of the prominent Brazilian composers of the “Belle Époque,” having contributed to the establishment of the choro genre.

Christopher Rueda (b. 1994), clarinetist and bass clarinetist of the Doclé Reed Quintet, graduated from the Eastman School of Music after studying with Jon Manasse and Kenneth Grant, and then moved to Chicago and completed his master’s degree in clarinet performance from Northwestern University – Bienen School of Music, where he studied with Steve Cohen and Lawrie Bloom. In his free time, Christopher enjoys arranging and transcribing music not only for reed quintet, but for a variety of ensembles.