Portuguese Fado & Amalia Rodrigues

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Portugal is most internationally well known in the music scene for its customs and traditions of fado, but the country has seen a recent development and growth with versatile musical styles, with modern tunes from hip hop to rock now becoming widespread throughout the small country. Fado is one of the treasures of Portugal and one of the most beautiful and original musical styles in the world today. The type of Fado that has captivated international audiences, through fado performers like Amália Rodrigues. Portuguese music was influenced greatly by Ancient Rome’s musical tradition which was brought into the Iberian Peninsula by the Romans. Its genres range vastly from classical to popular music. Portugal’s musical history includes music from the medieval Gregorian chants through to Carlos Seixas’ symphonies era to the composer of the modern era. Ultimately the musical history of Portugal can be split in different ways. Portuguese music encompasses musical involvement and production of the Middles Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and the Modern period (Romer, Wikapedia). Fado is Portugal’s most traditional music, a form of song which can incorporate almost everything is mainly characterized by mournful melancholy tunes, which are usually lyrically harsh with the singer showing sadness, poverty, loneliness and hardship. Fado is a musical style which can be extremely expressive and give the audience a beautiful experience(Gillian, Atkin). The singer remains strong and honorable throughout their performance(Romer). Fado seemed to have appeared throughout Europe after about 1830. Fado translated in English means fate or destiny, and the musical style of fado is Portugal’s national musical treasure and their pride and joy. Fado combines elements of Portuguese country folk music with the influences brought into the country by the Moors and Africans.

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