Mario de Andrade was a Brazilian poet, novelist, critic and photographer. A powerful love for his country and strong scholarly talents define Mario Andrade's contributions to the landscape of Brazil's twentieth-century literary scene. A passionate poet, he brought modernism to poetry in Brazil. His essays encompassed several genres - literature, music, art history. In addition to being a writer, he was an outstanding photographer as well. His novels explored the themes of Brazilian folk culture. Always intrigued by the influence of folklore and music, his essays emphasized the role of these within the broad spectrum of the modernist nationalism. His deep knowledge and understanding of musicology, not just music, became the reference for composers and students of music of his time. He was the first scholar of music to bring the perspectives of ethnomusicology - the study of music in its totality and in the contexts of its social, cultural, cognitive, material and other aspects - to the country. He introduced colloquialism to literary works, moving away from the high-brow and formal Portuguese writing, making him the Renaissance man, or Polymath, in Brazil. He devoted himself to thorough research in many fields of art and music and published several essays that continue to influence and inspire the intellectuals, scholars, artists and writers of today.