Strange finding comments on Pixinguinha's music here (by the way,
pronounce it Pee-sheen-GHI-nyah) and choro music. Choro, like
traditional jazz, has never disappeared and has gone through more than
one revival. Revivals either try to modernize choro, like this:
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=mgv-Pi_c0Lc where Armandinho at the
8-stringed ukulele and Yamandú Costa (7-stringed guitar) play a
"souped-up" version of Noites Cariocas a classic by Jacob Bittencourt,
aka Jacob do Bandolim (Mandolin Jacob), played here in a more
conservative version:
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=NnZhXefUR8s&feature=related

The standard setup is a mandolin, ukulele and ordinary guitar and a
seven-stringed guitar, plus an occasional flute or clarinet.
Percussion is usually limited to a tambourine ("pandeiro" —
"tamborins" have no jingling metallic discs, are played with a stick,
and no used in choro music) played in a way that I believe to be
peculiar to Brazil.

A very conservative group is seen here playing Brejeiro, by Ernesto
Nazareth, originally a salon piece for piano
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=rEI2UfMuyx4. Notice the 11-year old
mandolin player. The group is formed by Eduardo (tambourine), his
three daughters (Corina, flute; Elisa, mandolin and Lia,
seven-stringed guitar) plus a varying complement of neighbors and
friends. Several clips by them available.

Choro is more a way of playing than a rhythm: here you can hear very
slow waltz by two members of the same group
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=niaGA9_ziG0&feature=related and perhaps
enjoy the chance of understanding how a 7-stringed guitar is played.

Pixinguinha's most famous composition is Carinhoso ("Affectionate" or,
perhaps "Tender") by Yamandú Costa on the 7-stringed guitar
accompanying an improbable body of singers
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=X-5ZNum4UBo

I must disagree with the opinion that choro and forró are related.
Choro comes from Rio de Janeiro "subúrbios" (lower middle class
neighborhoods), forró comes from the rural Northeast. Choro is mostly
instrumental, light on percussion, basically plucked-string music to
hear. Forro is, heavy on percussion, with the melody played by an
accordion or winds and lyrics full of double-entendres, such as this
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=c1jThRmJwXU. The name is "Chupa que é de
uva" which means "suck this ice pop, it is grape flavored" which the
singer more often than not pronounces as "Chupa que é viúva", an
incitement to perform cunnilingus on a widow. Not the sort of thing
thos three charming young ladies would play.

(In case you have not noticed, I am Brazilian)

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Danilo Nogueira -São Bernardo Bra(s/z)il
http://tradutor-profissional.blogspot.com/