When Tim and I first began learning about Portugal, we heard of a kind of music that is part of the cultural core of this little country. The music is called “fado” (FAH-doo), and once you’ve heard it, you’ll always recognize it. I’ll tell you about our live introduction to this art form in a bit, but first I’ll try to describe the music to you.
Fado is a collection of songs that are performed as solos. The instrumental accompaniment is either a six-string classical guitar, or a Portuguese guitarra, a round-body, 12-string instrument with steel strings strung in six sets of two, or both. The songs are heart-wrenching in the deep sorrow they convey through music and lyrics. The overall tone is one of haunting beauty and deep melancholy. I believe if fado were played in a forest, the animals would stop in their tracks and weep. The stories told by these songs are stories of loss. They can reflect the death of a beloved parent, the parting of old friends, the relentless change that time brings, taking cultural traditions with it. Perhaps it is the profound sense of loss of a once rich and powerful country that has been diminished over centuries to a homeland that garners little of the world’s attention. It is a unique and disarming sound. Our friends Barbara and Wayne invited us to join them at a small art gallery on Sunday afternoon for a live performance of fado. This was a rare opportunity to also see flamenco dancing in the same venue. Historically, fado was only sung by women, and even today, the only people who sing it professionally are women. But a while back, male fado singers began performing in one section of the country – the city of Coimbra, which is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe. Gradually, the men took over the art form to the point that a majority of amateur singers today are male. We had the good fortune of hearing both a man and a woman perform on Sunday.
Barbara explained that performances nearly always occur in a bar or club, after dark. There may be a few opening numbers sung by the lead performer, but then members of the audience can sign up to sing. Each performer is usually limited to two songs. As the evening unfolds, the better singers come forward, with the best generally coming at the very end of the night. The various regions of the country have different styles, and a fado aficionado can learn to the identify the differences.
After singing several selections on Sunday afternoon, the female singer yielded the floor to the male. His songs were almost all about his beloved city of Lisbon. Naturally, I couldn’t understand the words he was singing, but I could imagine stories of a great city falling on hard times, losing the luster of its ancient past, or perhaps about the capital undergoing changes from an influx of immigrants who drove prices up for locals. I certainly noticed a difference in the music of these songs compared to those sung by the woman. The rhythm of the Lisbon tunes was a bit faster, livelier. Were it not for the minor key, it might have almost sounded playful. I’d say the tune and presumably the lyrics were mournful, but the beat interjected an element of hope.
Several years ago fado was honored by UNESCO as a World Heritage Art, leading to world-wide attention and a resurgence of its popularity among the younger Portuguese population. I’ve had the opportunity to witness a number of places and art forms holding UNESCO World Heritage designations. I’ve always walked away with deep appreciation and awe at the achievements of humankind around the globe. It breaks my heart that the United States withdrew its membership in this proud global effort to foster peace and understanding.