Fado is new to me, and I have enjoyed this two-part history lesson and your contextual and critical analysis of musicians and songs. I love the analogy of the mourning shawl. The songs, like the shawl, wrap, protect, and provide cover & warmth as well as obscure, hold tight, and shield one's grief.
I went to Portugal in 2003. We were in Lisbon for a few days before my sister and her family arrived, and then we all hired a car and drove down to Faro (or was it Lagos?) on the Algarve. Our kids were young then, so we didn't venture out into bars, but I am sure I may have heard fado in cafes, restaurants, or even on the street. We had a wonderful time in Lisbon, and it was still a bit gritty in 2003; I am sure it has changed a lot since then.
I don't feel that I can comment too deeply on fado itself, but I really appreciate you as my teacher, Richard. Thank you!
Thanks Michael. I've focussed on a few quite specific aspects of fado here because I needed these posts to help me write a longer article I'm submitting elsewhere. So I'm glad to hear that they still came over coherently. There's obviously a lot more to fado than I've covered, and I might return to it in future posts.
Yes, Lisbon has changed a fair bit since 2003, though some gritty parts still survive! I'm off there again in a couple of days' time: taking part in the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday!
Another absolutely fantastic article written with so much respect and passion. Obrigada.
Muito obrigado.
Fado is new to me, and I have enjoyed this two-part history lesson and your contextual and critical analysis of musicians and songs. I love the analogy of the mourning shawl. The songs, like the shawl, wrap, protect, and provide cover & warmth as well as obscure, hold tight, and shield one's grief.
I went to Portugal in 2003. We were in Lisbon for a few days before my sister and her family arrived, and then we all hired a car and drove down to Faro (or was it Lagos?) on the Algarve. Our kids were young then, so we didn't venture out into bars, but I am sure I may have heard fado in cafes, restaurants, or even on the street. We had a wonderful time in Lisbon, and it was still a bit gritty in 2003; I am sure it has changed a lot since then.
I don't feel that I can comment too deeply on fado itself, but I really appreciate you as my teacher, Richard. Thank you!
Thanks Michael. I've focussed on a few quite specific aspects of fado here because I needed these posts to help me write a longer article I'm submitting elsewhere. So I'm glad to hear that they still came over coherently. There's obviously a lot more to fado than I've covered, and I might return to it in future posts.
Yes, Lisbon has changed a fair bit since 2003, though some gritty parts still survive! I'm off there again in a couple of days' time: taking part in the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday!