Alexandre Gonçalves Pinto

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

O Animal

Years Active

1880–1950

Genres

choro, música popular brasileira

Instruments

acoustic guitar, cavaquinho, vocal

Biography

Alexandre Gonçalves Pinto, also known by the nickname "O Animal," was a Brazilian mail carrier, guitarist, singer, and cavaquinho player born in Rio de Janeiro in 1870. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he immersed himself in the vibrant cultural life of the old Rio de Janeiro, rubbing shoulders with the pioneering musicians of the choro genre and frequently performing at local dances and family gatherings.

Later in life, he undertook the monumental task of documenting the musical underground of his youth. In 1936, he published his memoirs titled "O choro: reminiscências dos chorões antigos," a work that would eventually become an invaluable cornerstone for the history of Brazilian popular music. Although the book received little attention upon its initial release, its reissue by Funarte in 1978 established it as a critical reference for researchers studying early choro.

Music historian Ary Vasconcelos famously underscored the profound importance of his writing, noting that without Gonçalves Pinto's efforts, the existence of dozens of forgotten early choro musicians would have been entirely lost to history. Through his clumsy yet immensely valuable pen, he preserved the profiles, instruments, and customs of the old pagodes. His legacy endures alongside figures of the genre such as Pixinguinha and Ernesto Nazareth.