Fado is a performance genre incorporating music and poetry widely practised by various communities in Lisbon.
It is usually performed by a solo singer, male or female, traditionally accompanied by a wire-strung acoustic guitar and the Portuguese guitarra – a pear-shaped cittern with twelve wire strings, unique to Portugal, which also has an extensive solo repertoire. The past few decades have witnessed this instrumental accompaniment expanded to two Portuguese guitars, a guitar and a bass guitar.
The dissemination of Fado through emigration and the world music circuit has reinforced its image as a symbol of Portuguese identity, leading to a process of cross-cultural exchange involving other musical traditions.
HISTORY OF FADO
(For English version click on "en" on the top right side of the website)
MORE HISTORY OF FADO part I
MORE HISTORY OF FADO part II
THE PORTUGUESE GUITAR
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