Heitor Villa-Lobos was born in Rio de Janeiro on 5 March, 1887 and died there on 17 November, 1959. He is possibly the best-known classical composer born in South America. He wrote numerous orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works. His music was influenced by both Brazilian folk music and by stylistic elements from the European classical tradition, as exemplified by his Bachianas brasileiras ("Brazilian Bach-pieces"), issued here complete. The nine suites that make up the Bachianas brasileiras were composed between 1930 and 1945.

The most well-known of these pieces are the famous Ària from No.5 and the Tocata from No.2 (entitled 'The Little Train of Caipira') – a wonderful musical depiction of a locomotive in motion.