A trip to Portugal would not be complete without experiencing the beautiful and haunting sounds of Fado, the traditional music associated with Portugal.
Portugal has long been known as the country of the three F’s: Football, Fatima and Fado and when you travel in Portugal if you want to really experience the culture then you need to delve a little into all three of these different aspects.
Football is an easy one to become immersed in mainly because it is simply everywhere you look! Step into any, cafe, bar and many Portuguese restaurants and not only will you find flags and scarves declaring loyalty to one of the three big teams in the country you will also usually find at least one television in the corner where the waiters and the staff are huddled round watching a game!
we have already had a look at Fatima, the holy site where three children saw visions that has now become a place of pilgramage for Catholics from around the world so that only leaves Fado to explore further.
Fado music has a confusing past but it is generally accepted that it first started with the poor people in the city of Lisbon who would sing songs to tell an oral history. This then developed into an art for recognised by the elite in Portugal and it is now si well respected that it has been acknowledged by UNESCO as part of world heritage.
Fado is traditionally sung by a solo voice accompanied by a Portuguese guitar, an instrument similar to a mandolin and with a very distinct sound.
If you want to experience Fado then you can now find Fado houses or restaurants with Fado performers all over the country. when you go for a meal and there is a Fado performance then be prepared to sit in silence because this is a very intense experience that people enjoy usually in low lit places where there is only the candle light and the sounds of the singer to fill the room.
Fado songs are heavily influenced by songs of the sea and have a sorrowful tone but they were also used in the past to transmit political messages, especially during the time of Salazaar when this music was actually used as a form or rebellion.
There are two main types of Fado, the Lisbon and the Coimbra but it is the Lisbon form that you are more likely to come across when in Portugal and if you travel to the Alfama and Mouraria districts of the city then you will find some genuine Fado that you are sure to remember for all the right reasons.
Fado has become an increasingly popular music form and while Amalia Rodrigues was the star of Fado in the twentieth century new divas are now coming to the forefront such as Ana Moura and Mariza and these young stars are now bringing Fado to as new generation of music lovers and also to a world wide audience.
