Thursday, 02 May 2019
- Alberto Mendes, Manuel Lemos, and Mr. Franks performing Portuguese songs and music from the Azores, 1939 – A collection of recordings of Portuguese songs and music made in 1939 by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Richmond, California; includes descriptive notes and audio samples.
- Chasing the Fado – An article by an enthusiast for «those Portuguese Blues»; includes discography and resource lists.
- Coimbra Fado – Wikipedia article describes the style of Fado which developed in the university town of Coimbra.
- Fado – From Wikipedia, the history of this Portuguse folk music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics.
- Fado – The People’s Soul – The origins of Fado, with photographs, sound samples, and essays on the Portuguese guitar. [bilingual]
- Fado Music – World Music Central – article describing the characteristics of Fado.
- The History of Fado – A history and description of a music which has become a world wide symbol of Portugal.
- Branco, Cristina – Biography, discography and tour dates.
- Camané – Profile and discography.
- d’Azurém, Joaquim – Biography, discography, and performance schedule for a Portuguese guitar virtuoso.
- de Fátima, Maria – Biography, discography, and tour dates of a fado singer.
- do Carmo, Carlos – Biography, discography, press reviews, and performance diary.
- Guerreirro, Katia – A review on BBC of her «Nas Maos do Fado». Includes a brief profile and samples tracks.
- Madredeus – Official site, offers a biography, performance schedule, discography and audio samples.
- Mané – Profile, discography, and news of the fadista.
- Marceneiro, ALfredo Duarte (1891-1982) – Biography, discography and tributes to the artist on the centenary of his birth.
- Moura, Ana – Fado vocalist. Biography, discography, and appearance schedule.
- Pontes, Dulce – Official website offers her profile, discography, audio samples and news.
- World Music Central – Provides a list of artists.
Fado is a music genre which most likely originated in the 1820s in Portugal. It is characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor. The music is usually linked to the Portuguese word saudade, a word with no accurate English translation (it is a kind of longing, and conveys a complex mixture of sadness, pain, nostalgia, happiness and love). Fado’s origins are probably from a mixture of African slave rhythms with the traditional music of Portuguese sailors and Arabic influence.
There are two main varieties of fado, namely those of the cities of Lisbon and Coimbra. The Lisbon style is the most popular, while Coimbra’s is the more refined style. Modern fado is very popular in Portugal, and has produced many renowned musicians.
The first great fado singer that is still known was Maria Severa, living in the first half of the 19th century. Recorded fado did not appear until the next century, however. In the 1920s and 1930s, a series of fado de Coimbra (a version born in Coimbra) recordings were very popular. Guitarists Carlos Paredes and his father Artur Paredes, were the masters and the great pioneers of this genre and the Portuguese guitar.
Amália Rodrigues introduced the most well-known variety of fado. After her disappearance, a new wave of performers added stylistic changes and brought more international popularity to the traditional Portuguese music. There are also some successful experiences with fado, namely mixing it with electronic music. Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, Mafalda Arnauth, Camané, Kátia Guerreiro and Mísia brought with them a new look to the traditional song, occasionally reviving 19th century fado. While Dulce Pontes mixed it with popular and traditional Portuguese music, Madredeus and Cristina Branco added with new instruments and themes – all that they kept from the original Fado is its looks and the concept of «saudade». The fado is almost universally sorrowful; although some can also be joyful songs.
