Traditional Music

Fado (translated as destiny or fate) is a music genre which can be traced from the 1820s, but possibly with much earlier origins.

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 unique word with no accurate translation in any other language, and conveys a complex mixture of mainly nostalgia, but also sadness, pain, happiness and love.

Mainstream fado performances during the 20th century included only a singer, a Portyguese guitar player and a classical guitar player. The ingredients of Fado are a shawl, a guitar, a voice and heartfelt emotion.

Fado is probably the oldest urban folk music in the world and represents the heart of the Portuguese soul, and for that matter fado performance is not successful if an audience is not moved to tears.