Arnaldo Meirelles

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Years Active

1929–1960s

Genres

choro, instrumental, samba, ranchera, valsa, mazurka, polka, tango, xote

Instruments

accordion, harmonica, guitar, cavaquinho, bandolim

Biography

Arnaldo Meirelles was a prominent Brazilian accordionist, composer, and instrumentalist, born in São Paulo on October 26, 1913. He taught himself to play the harmonica at a young age and also mastered the guitar, cavaquinho, and bandolim. Meirelles began his broadcasting career in 1929 at Rádio Educadora and later performed on other São Paulo radio stations. He was a founding member of the "Quarteto da Saudade," an early popular instrumental group in São Paulo radio.

Meirelles's recording career began in 1931 with his first disc on Parlophon, featuring his own compositions. Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, he released numerous recordings in various styles, including waltzes, rancheras, xotes, and mazurkas. In 1938, he was featured in a cover story in Revista Carioca, which hailed him as São Paulo's most beloved harmonica player. The article highlighted his optimistic personality and his custom-made harmonica from Germany.

Despite the changing musical landscape in the 1940s with the rise of samba and urban music, Meirelles continued to record sporadically. While his exact death date is unknown, it is believed he was active at least until the mid-1960s. Arnaldo Meirelles is remembered as a pioneer of Brazilian popular instrumental music, particularly for elevating the harmonica's prominence in radio and recordings during the 1930s. His instrumental works paved the way for future accordionists in Brazil.

Discography

• Não Me Sais do Pensamento (1959)