Traditional music
A territory with a strong identity - the reputation of its gastronomy, for example, has spread beyond the borders of the country - Alentejo has a musical tradition with a strong character. One of the elements that most powerfully expresses this sense of identity and belonging is the Cante Alentejano. This emblematic polyphonic song is performed by male a capella choirs, usually with two soloists (high and low), accompanied by a choir (up to thirty voices in different groups). The melody usually begins with the lower voice, followed by the viola, which reproduces the melody in a higher register. The viola leads the choir with its voice, which dominates the ensemble throughout the song. The stanzas are repeated in canon at will. This repetition, as well as the slow tempo and the existence of numerous pauses, gives Cante Alentejano its typical monotony.
A vast repertoire of traditional poems accompanies the melodies. The themes of the songs are often rather nostalgic, they speak about the evil of the country (the famous saudade), about love, about nature... But it is not uncommon to hear comical, even ironic songs.
The Cante Alentejano is, along with the fado, the only Portuguese musical tradition classified as intangible world heritage of humanity by UNESCO. Unlike Fado, however, it has not yet been "commercialized" and is therefore less likely to be performed live. That being said, it is often found at regional fairs but it can also be sung spontaneously at the end of a meal in a tasca. This is for example the case of the Casa Do Vinho E Do Cante in Ferreira do Alentejo. Located in the most iconic tavern of the city, Zé Lelito, this museum aims to maintain the memory of the traditional taverns of the Alentejo, as well as the cultural heritage such as wine production, popular poetry and the Cante Alentejano. Like an immobile journey through time.
Portugal's regional borders are porous and it is anything but rare to come across traditions from neighboring regions in the Alentejo. Starting with those of the Algarve and its famous corridinho, a dance performed in a particularly lively round (the name comes from the verb to run) and all in accordion. Danced in couples always moving side by side, the corridinho sees its participants form a circle with the women on the inside and the men on the outside. Also, whatever the folkloric style played in the Algarve, certain instruments are often favored such as castanets, the cavaquinho - a small typical guitar -, the triangle or the pandeiro, an instrument similar to the tambourine.
Very much associated with Andalusia, the fandango is a specialty shared with Portugal - particularly the Ribatejo region. Both a musical style and a traditional couple's dance (mixed or not), the fandango is characterized by its lively movements, its lightness and its continuous rhythm of castanets. With a constantly accelerating tempo, the dancers mark the movement by striking their heels.
In the same spirit, one can also see in the Alentejo the vira, a couple's dance originating from the Minho region (but practiced all over the territory), marked by its rhythm, not far from a waltz, but faster, the chula, originating from the north of the Douro, played on the violin and accordion and possible ancestor of the Brazilian samba or the bailarico, a couple's dance that spins and jumps, performed with the arms in the air.
In the Portuguese imagination, one artist particularly embodies the Alentejo: Vitorino Salomé. More commonly known as Vitorino, this musician from Redondo has opened his impressive discography to the folklore of his native Alentejo. Born into a family of musicians, he became a friend of Zeca Afonso and moved to Lisbon at the age of 20, where he became involved in the nightlife, assemblies and bohemian pleasures. He emigrates to France, studies painting and, to survive, works as a dishwasher in restaurants. He finally gave up the restaurant business to devote himself to music and began a career that would prove to be particularly fruitful. Always close to his roots, in recent years Vitorino invited choirs from Cante Alentejano to accompany him on stage.
The region is full of opportunities to approach his folklore. For example, on the last weekend of June in Alvito, the Festa Do Barão takes place, a plunge into the era of the barons of Alvito with jugglers, a night banquet and music and dance. Otherwise in Beja, the Ovibeja fair and the Rural Beja popular festival are also largely punctuated by traditional dances.
Fado in Alentejo
Far from being the preserve of the Lisbon people, Fado is a national treasure that is cherished throughout the country, including in the Alentejo. Derived from "fatum", which in Latin means "fate", this song with its rough poetry is the very expression of saudade, a sweet and sour melancholy that is uniquely Portuguese. Its origins are still debated, and no one is quite sure where it comes from: goualante of ports, local evolution of the Moorish song, gypsy lament or vocal modulations from the Brazilian rhythms brought back? Probably a bit of all of these. For centuries, the Fado has been a true popular song that comes out of the guts of the child or adult who sings it - and that embraces the one who lets himself be conquered. Usually sung by a woman dressed in black accompanied by guitarists, the genre is forever immortalized by the most famous fadista, Amália Rodrigues, a huge star who died in 1999 and is buried in the national pantheon. During her lifetime, the singer was able to move an audience to tears, as her style, full of humanity, supported the subtle timbre of her voice.
Today, the fado is far from simply belonging to the heritage. Each generation has taken it over and has seen excellent artists keep it alive, such as Madredeus and the moving voice of its fantastic singer Teresa Salgueiro, Camané, once considered "the greatest fadista since Amália Rodrigues", amazing stars such as Dulce Pontes, Mariza or Cristina Branco, and the great voices of the new generation: Ana Moura and Cuca Roseta.
In the Alentejo, some names have been important on a national and even international scale. Among them are Janita Salomé, Vitorino's brother who composed fado, Francisco José, a lesser known singer (wrongly) from Évora, Linda de Suza (yes, THE Linda de Suza) who is an Alentejano and has sung fado, and António Zambujo, a more recent fado success, who comes from Beja.
To hear Fado in the Alentejo, it is advisable to go to the Casa De Vinhos E Petiscos in Comporta, a restaurant affiliated to a famous gourmet grocery store of the same name that regularly organizes Fado nights, or to the Café Alentejo in the Alto Alentejo, a bar-restaurant that offers Fado on stage
