Orestes de Matos

Years Active

1910–1930

Genres

modinha, lundo, samba

Biography

Orestes de Matos was a popular Brazilian singer who was active mainly in the first decades of the 20th century. Despite his relatively short recording career, spanning from 1910 to 1913, with records of duets up to 1930, he left his mark on important national record labels such as Grand Record Brazil, Casa Edison (Odeon) and Casa Faulhaber (Favorite). His work includes recordings of significant songs of Brazilian popular music, and he also recorded material for the American label Victor Records.

Little is known about his personal life, such as dates of birth and death, and his presence in periodicals and magazines of the time is scarce. However, Orestes de Matos is remembered as a notable interpreter of his time, responsible for recording and publicizing important works of the national songbook. His interpretation of "Tu és bela", a composition by Catullo da Paixão Cearense, recorded in 1912, is an example of his repertoire.

His work in duets, such as "O Batecum" with Risolete in 1912, and the recording of "O Rouxinol e o Colibri" in 1910, demonstrate his versatility and active participation in the musical scene of the time. The scarcity of biographical information contrasts with the importance of his recordings for the preservation of the memory of Brazilian popular music.