Everystreet,asong

From the constant clinking toast of bohemian Rua Nelson Mandela, in Botafogo, to the birdsong that frequents Rua dos Oitis, in Gávea. From the din of crowds crossing Rua Ministro Edgar Romero, in Madureira, to the musical spirit of the Boulevard 28 de Setembro, in Vila Isabel. From the clatter of machines and beats of Rua das Oficinas, in Engenho de Dentro, to the lively chants of fans on Rua Alzira Brandão, in Tijuca. It is in the streets that the carioca soul pulses, as our finest chroniclers never fail to reaffirm. And the variety of sounds is an essential part of the vivacity of that spirit, making up the symbolic cartography of the city.

Image description: This is a photograph of a group of people on a train. The image shows several people wearing green shirts and white hats with green bands. They are singing and playing musical instruments, such as a drum. The people are standing, holding on to the train's support bars, and some are raising their arms. The background shows the interior of the train, with windows and seats.

Longings and murmurs of memory also dwell in the profusion of sounds and rhythms that pulse from alleys, lanes, and grand avenues. Rua do Ouvidor, in the traditional heart of downtown Rio, for example, was opened in the sixteenth century and, owing to its insatiable vocation for grandeur, was a bit of everything — while never ceasing to be a love affair for cariocas. What most draws attention there is the buzz of voices and ideas: to this day, part of Rio's intellectual crowd still gathers there, at the tables set out along the street, amid the cafés, restaurants, and bookshops that invite people to sit and chat. On other streets steeped in the past, such as Rua da Carioca, Rua da Alfândega, and Rua do Rosário, we can still hear the tolling of the old church bells mingling with the voices of merchants and musicians, who carry in their hearts the delight and the pain of performing right where the people truly are: in the streets.

Photo: Américo Vermelho - Largo da Carioca

Image description: This is a photograph of a public space with a clear blue sky and a few clouds. On the left side, we see modern buildings and a large tree. In the center, there is a monument with a decorative column and a clock on top. In front of the monument, there are market stalls and people walking. In the background, there are historic buildings with classical architecture. On the right, there are more tall buildings. The ground is made of stone with geometric patterns.

Along the great avenues that cut through the city, such as Rio Branco, Presidente Vargas, and Francisco Bicalho avenues, built during the republican period, passersby encounter the ceaseless back-and-forth of vehicles with their honking horns, the grinding of engines, and that characteristic metallic sound announcing the arrivals and departures of trains, subways, and VLTs. As we move from downtown toward the coast, strolling along Atlântica, Vieira Souto, and Delfim Moreira avenues, the sonic ambience takes on as its backdrop the rhythm of the sea and the life around it, with the whole wellspring of sounds produced by bodies having fun, working on the sand, singing, and exercising.