Fado
Usually sung by fado singer accompanied by a viola and a Portuguese guitar
A Portuguese musical style
Although its origin is an object of debate, as an urban popular song, it developed mainly from Lisbon at the end of the 19th century. It is usually sung by a single person (fado singer) accompanied by a classical guitar (in the fado media called viola) and a Portuguese guitar. Fado was elevated to the category of Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in a declaration approved by the VI Intergovernmental Committee of this international organization, held in Bali, Indonesia, between 22 and 29 November 2011.
The historical origin of fado is uncertain. It is not an import. It is the result of a historical and cultural fusion that took place in Lisbon. It appears in the second half of the nineteenth century, lulled in the currents of romanticism: melopeia expressing the sadness of a people, their bitterness for the difficulties they live, but capable of inducing hope. Later contaminating the halls of the aristocracy, it would quickly become a typically Portuguese musical expression.
Comes from the Latin word “Fatum”
That is, “fate”, is the same word that gave rise to the words fairy, fadario, and other portuguese expressions like “fado corrido”. A popular explanation for the origin of Lisbon’s fado refers to the songs of the Moors, however, this explanation is not fully proven. Although there were no records of fado until the early nineteenth century, it was known in the Algarve, the last stronghold of the Arabs in Portugal in 1249, and in Andalusia where the Arabs remained until the end of the fifteenth century.
it’s one of the best ways to describe the identity of the portuguese people
Another origin is the Scandinavian “fata”, which means dressing, composing, which would have given origin, according to another theory, in Old French to the term “fatiste” which means poet.
In essence, the origin of fado is still unknown, but, it is certain that it appears in the rich broth of cultures present in Lisbon, being therefore an urban song. It is, still nowadays and without any doubt, one of the best ways to describe the identity of the portuguese people.
What the local experts say
Interview's main points
Júlia Lopes (J.L.): My mother sang, my stepfather played the portuguese guitar and then I fell in love with fado. I was born in a Lisbon neighborhood, I came to this area (deep Lisbon) with 11 years, and that’s when I started singing.
Luís Frazão (L.F.): We are not from the same area, but we were born close to each other, in the old Lisbon.
Interviewer (Int): Julia says that for her fado are the children and fado are her greatest loves. And for you, what is fado for you and does it has to do with being Portuguese?
L.F.: Fado for me represents a lot and has always represented, because it was not by chance that I chose to marry someone who was not the love of my life, I did it just to be independent, because I was only 17 years old.
L.F: Fado has always been my refuge, as well as for J.L., it was a source of work, inspiration and a way of being able to live better.
Int: We are then talking about fado being deeply Portuguese, as well as the word “Saudade”, which has no translation in any other language in the world. We can say that nostalgia is closely linked to fado. Can you explain what this is about “Saudade”, fado and life?
J.L.: The word has a meaning so great, so deep, that only by feeling you realize…
L.F.: It is very difficult to describe… because we introduce the word saudade in fado without saying it, without pronouncing… I give an example: my only son died 5 years ago… it was depply sad, but it was his destiny… but I did not stop singing the fado. Much of what I sing is for him and many themes that I sing is about him and the themes do not even speak of Saudade… But who knows, he knows that fado is for him.
Int: So, at this moment, we can say that fado houses are much sought after by foreigners, who do not understand the Portuguese language… how is that?
J.L.: They do not understand the words. But they understand the emotion. They understand us, because they understand our expression… foreigners listen and I see them living the moment, the expression of fado…
L.F.: We express ourselves, we are not silent or without expression, we sing with gestures, with soul and heart and they understand that as well. After all it is a global communication, when we sing we describe, we move, we explain… it’s a unique language. We express suffering, joy, anguish, love,…. And although the fade is nostalgic, fado is also about the joyful things, sometimes we also miss the joyful things… Therefore,Saudade is something that we can not explain why it is part of many situations of our lives and is within the person… because when we incarnate the words of the poet, the listeners often believe that that it is the life of the person who sings…it is, very often, but sometimes it is not. We just like the poem, the one who wrote and interpreted it and just we surrender to the theme we are singing. No one has the same voice as anyone and no one interprets fado in the same way. Therefore, when sung and interpreted, fado is a unique and unrepeatable moment. And it also has a lot to do with the audience, how they interact with us.
J.L.: For example, I no longer like the stage, I like this, homemade fado, traditional and sung to friends and acquaintances. It is for me more intimate and true.
