Radamés Gnattali

Origin

Porto Alegre, RS

Years Active

1924–1988

Genres

classical, choro, MPB, jazz, samba

Instruments

piano, violin, viola, cavaquinho, guitar

Biography

Radamés Gnattali was a monumental figure in 20th-century Brazilian music, renowned for his ability to seamlessly blend erudite European traditions with the vibrant rhythms of Brazilian popular genres. Born in Porto Alegre, he began his career as a concert pianist but soon moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he became a cornerstone of the broadcasting era. As the principal arranger and conductor for Rádio Nacional for three decades, Gnattali defined the "Golden Age" of Brazilian radio, crafting sophisticated orchestrations for iconic singers like Orlando Silva and Dick Farney.

His compositional output was equally significant, ranging from symphonies and concertos to intricate Choro pieces. He was a master of the "Sexteto Continental" and "Orquestra Brasileira," groups that modernized traditional sounds with jazz-influenced harmonies. Throughout his life, he maintained close creative ties with other titans of Brazilian music, such as Heitor Villa-Lobos and Pixinguinha. In his later years, Gnattali became a mentor to a new generation of instrumentalists, including the legendary guitarist Raphael Rabello, ensuring the evolution and survival of Brazilian instrumental music.

Discography

• Jóias Musicais Brasileiras (1954)
• Ernesto Nazareth (1954)
• Samba Em 3 Andamentos (1955)
• Ecos Do Brasil (1955)
• Radamés, Aida e Sandoval – Brasiliana Nº 7 & 8 (1958)
• Radamés Interpreta Radamés (1958)
• Radamés e a Bossa Eterna (1958)
• Em Ritmo de Samba (1958)
• Radamés Gnattali, Villa-Lobos, Edino Krieger, José Menezes, Mario Tavares (2), Orquestra de Câmara da Rádio Ministério da Educação e Cultura – Concertino N.3 para Violão, Orquestra de Cordas, Flauta e Timpani / Ciranda das Sete Notas (Para Fagote e Orquestra) / Brasiliana para Viola e Orquestra de Cordas (1962)
• Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, Claudio Santoro, Radamés Gnattali – Sinfonia nº 6 e Sinfonia Popular (1966)
• Radamés Gnattali, Jacob do Bandolim, Época de Ouro, os Boêmios, Orquestra do Teatro Municipal – Pixinguinha 70 (1968)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos, Radamés Gnattali, Iberê Gomes Grosso – Sonata N2. / Sonata / Flor da Noite / Modinha - Baião (1968)
• Piano Duo (1968)
• Radamés Gnattali: Concêrto Romântico / Brasiliana N.º 6 P/ Piano e Orquestra (1969)
• Dois Concêrtos de Radamés Gnattali (1969)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos, Radamés Gnattali – Quarteto UFRJ (1972)
• Radamés Gnattali (1976)
• Camargo Guarnieri / Radamés Gnattali / Guerra Peixe – Laís de Souza Brasil, Perez Dworecki, Orquestra Filarmônica de São Paulo, Simon Blech – Concerto para Piano e Orquestra de Câmara / Concerto para Viola e Orquestra (1976)
• Albertinho Fortuna, Radamés Gnattali – Tangos (1976)
• Suite Popular Brasileira (1977)
• Villa-Lobos, José Siqueira, Radamés Gnattali – Os Cameristas (1977)
• Fernando Cerqueira (2), Gilberto Mendes, Lindemberque R. Cardoso, Radamés Gnattali – ii Bienal de Musica Brasileira Contemporanea Disco 3 (1977)
• Valsas da Minha Terra (1978)
• Radamés Gnattali, Arthur Moreira Lima – A Grande Música de Noel Rosa (1978)
• Radamés Gnattalli - Roberto Szidon – Obras para Piano / Piano Works (1978)
• Radamés Gnattali - Joel Nascimento - Camerata Carioca – Tributo a Jacob do Bandolim (1980)
• Radamés Gnattali, Camerata Carioca – Vivaldi & Pixinguinha (1980)
• Radamés Gnattali, Raphael Rabello – Tributo a Garoto (1982)
• Elizeth - Uma Rosa para Pixinguinha (1983)
• Gnatalli Piazzolla Rodrigo (1984)
• José Tobias & Radamés Gnattali, Camerata Carioca, Octeto Brasilis – Rapsódia Brasileira (1984)
• Radamés Gnattali, Tom Jobim, Paulinho da Viola, José Menezes, Chiquinho do Acordeão, Camerata Carioca, Brasil Quarteto – Projeto Almirante (1985)
• Radamés Gnattali & Waldemar Henrique (1986)
• Cantigas de Roda (1986)
• Radamés Gnattali - Chiquinho do Acordeon, Orquestra de Cordas Brasileiras, Raphael Rabello – Retratos (1990)
• Radamés Gnattali e a Música Popular (1990)
• Radamés & Aída – Interpretam Nazareth & Gnattali (1994)
• Assuero Garritano / Luís Cosme / Murillo Furtado / Araújo Vianna / Armando Albuquerque / Radamés Gnattali / João Schwarz Filho – A Música de Porto Alegre - Música Erudita - Vol. I (1995)
• Billy Blanco & Radamés Gnattali – Doutores em Samba (1996)
• Radamés Gnattali / Norton Morozowicz / Antônio Del Claro / Glacy Antunes de Oliveira / Eduardo Meirinhos – Sonatas e Sonatinas (1997)
• Radamés & Aída Gnattali – Interpretando Nazareth & Gnattali (1998)
• Daniel Wolff (4), Tiago Flores (2), Orquestra de Câmara da ULBRA, Thiago de Mello, Ernesto Nazareth, Radamés Gnattali – Concerto à Brasileira (2000)
• Brazilian String Quartet (2000)
• João de Barro, Radamés Gnattali – o macaco e a velha (2001)
• Radamés Gnattali Sexteto (2003)
• Centenário Radamés Gnatalli (2006)
• Radamés Gnattali - Orquestra Petrobrás Sinfônica, Isaac Karabtchevsky – Centenário Radamés Gnatalli (2006)
• Radamés Gnattali por Olinda Allessandrini (2008)
• Radamés Gnattali, Marc Regnier – Solo And Chamber Works For Guitar (2010)
• Gnattali: Solo & Chamber Works for Guitar (2010)
• Valsas e Retratos (2012)
• Flauta, Piano e Violão (2013)
• Gnattali (2013)
• La Ciudad de las Mil Cuerdas (2013)
• O Piano Brasileiro de Arthur Moreira Lima, Vol.9 (2013)
• Radamés Gnattali, Franz Halász, Débora Halász – Alma Brasileira (2014)
• Villa-Lobos, Assad, Gnattali & Bellinati, Eden Stell Guitar Duo – Samba! (2014)
• Radamés Gnattali / Marco Salcito, Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese, Marcello Bufalini – 4 Concertinos For Guitar And Orchestra (2016)
• Gnattali: 4 Concertinos for Guitar and Orchestra (2017)
• Integral das Obras para Piano, Violino e Violoncelo (2018)
• Radamés Gnattali, Luís Rabello, Floor Braam – Flor da Noite (2019)
• Radio Live in the 1940's (2020)
• Radamés Gnattali, Luís Rabello – Moto Continuo (Piano Works) (2022)
• Iuri Bittar Interpreta Nazareth e Radamés – Alma Brasileira (2022)
• Gnattali, Mignone, Andrea Monarda – Complete Studies For Guitar (2022)
• Piano Music of Radamés Gnattali (2023)
• Gnattali, Mignone, Villa-Lobos, Guarnieri - Diego Caetano – 20th Century Brazilian Solo Piano Music (2024)
• Duo Escualo - Radamés Gnattali, Raffaele Bellafronte, Francesco Sgambati – Fuga Dal Tempo (2025)
• Radamés (2025)
• Concêrto para Harmônica de Bôca e Orquestra - Brasiliana Nº 3 (Sinfonia)
• Concerto Carioca Nº 1