Latest news and stories about music history in Portugal for expats and residents.
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“Amália was recording and had one day a week in the studio. At six o'clock on Thursdays, we all had to leave because she would come in with her entourage.” António Manuel Ribeiro, from the band UHF, recalls the day he met Amália Rodrigues on the Posto Emissor podcast.
“We could have gone under in those days, because hard drugs entered UHF, just as they did in a series of Portuguese bands”: António Manuel Ribeiro looks back, on Posto Emissor, at the troubled times of the 1980s.
Music is a universal language, despite containing a set of more or less symbolic codes that go beyond linguistic expression. The universal nature of organized sounds is exemplified by Lisa Gerrard, who uses her powerful voice as an instrument without concrete lyrics. During a recent event at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, conductor Jordi Savall discussed the foundational moment of European music with baritone Jorge Chaminé and fado singer Katia Guerreiro, highlighting the creation of Ars Nova in the 14th century as a significant innovation in musical notation. This moment is described as the 'most beautiful thing' created in Europe, influencing all musical expressions to this day. The discussion also touched on the fragility of culture and the need for investment in the arts, with government representatives acknowledging the importance of cultural diversity. However, there was a disconnect as government officials left without addressing artists' criticisms, reflecting ongoing challenges in cultural investment.
Research by Alberto Pacheco, from Minas Gerais, reveals links between Brazilian and Portuguese music in a repertoire spanning 230 years. The songs are also among the roots of MPB (Brazilian Popular Music).
In 1957, cornet player Domingos Vilaça recorded the first jazz track in Portugal (Dixieland). He and his band also livened up the rock'n'roll dance contest at the Lido in the Feira Popular. Portuguese Radio and Television covered the event, apparently with a single purpose: to denigrate Portuguese youth.
