Traditional and folk music
The traditional music of the Azores is a real sound landscape that is omnipresent in the archipelago and contributes greatly to the beauty of the place. In the vocal field, the cantigas ao desafio or repentes are popular forms of expression present at many festivals. They are a kind of jousting of sung and improvised dialogues, and deal with daily life, often in a very caustic way. They talk about social problems, denounce injustices, celebrate island values, and evoke history and religion. Most of the singers come from the people, the language is simple and straightforward, but not without criticism of a formal society that often denies them a voice. Very often, these judgements are declaimed in a satirical tone, obliging the repentista (the singer of repentance
) to a great capacity for improvisation to give spirit to his words.The cantigas ao desafio are particularly heard during the feasts of the Holy Spirit (Cult of the Divino Espírito Santo), large Sunday celebrations (Easter to the Trinity) that are colourful and musical, as well as during the feasts of St. John (Sanjoaninas). The latter is one of the archipelago's biggest secular festivals, lasting ten days in June and held on the island of Terceira. It is an opportunity to admire processions, see popular marches, exhibitions, musical performances and many other events-including the famous touradas a corda
.Still in the purely vocal realm, in Terceira one can hear the velhas ("old women") making special fun of the old and their late love affairs; like the repentees
, they are very improvised and are staged in popular fiestas. Finally, it is also important to highlight the influence of Gregorian chant in the musical expression of the Azores.It is impossible to approach the music of the Azores without mentioning its traditional instrument, the viola de arame, more commonly known as viola da terra. Almost the symbol of the archipelago - it can be found on all nine of its islands - this typical guitar is recognizable by the two hearts that often adorn it. With its 21 frets and 12 strings, some made of steel and others of brass, this small instrument emits a sound that belongs to it alone. It can be played at any occasion, for pleasure or work. In Terceira there is even a special version with 12, 15 or 18 strings. Other instruments are also very present in Azorian folklore, such as the violin, banjo, mandolin or cavaquinho (small guitar), drums or tambourines (pandeiro), testos (cymbals) or the rarer or more circumstantial ferrinhos
(metal triangles). From the 1950s onwards, folk artists and groups began to collect, play and promote great folk tunes to ensure their transmission and participate in the survival of the musical identity of the Azores. Among the most important are Myrica Faya, a group from Terceira and Carlos Moniz, whose album Temas Populares dos A çores is a very good overview of the music from here.Popular music
Over the generations, the archipelago has seen the birth of many artists who have become popular in Portuguese song. Starting with Zeca Medeiros, whose compositions are very marked by his island of birth (Sao Miguel) and his activity as a film director; friend and collaborator of the latter Luís Alberto Bettencourt became famous by mixing jazz and traditional music as well as composing soundtracks for the cinema; another much appreciated star of the Portuguese diaspora, Jorge Ferreira now lives in the United States and has been appointed ambassador of Portuguese music in Atlantic City.
The Fado
Although far from the continent, the Azores is still a region of Portugal in its own right where, as in the rest of the country, Fado is listened to and played. Originating from the Portuguese metropolis - especially Lisbon and Coimbra - fado expresses the uniquely Portuguese feeling that is saudade. Full of melancholy, nostalgia and hope (the essence of saudade), fado has made a place for itself in the archipelago, adapting to the soul of the place. One of the great fado interpreters from the Azores is Fernando Machado Soares (1930-2014). A poet, singer and composer, he exported Fado to the United States in the 1960s - accompanying the Orfeon Académico de Coimbra on tour - and in 2006 he won the Amália Rodrigues prize "for the excellence of his artistic career and his dedication to others"
While serendipity is often the best guide to finding Fado (as in Lisbon), it is common to hear it live in some of the archipelago's restaurants, such as the Casa do Bacalhau or the Café Canto do Caís in São Miguel, and dedicated venues such as the Taberna do Fado d'Angra do Heroísmo
Classical music
All Portuguese heritage aside, there is no learned musical tradition specific to the Azores. That said, it is important to mention two great figures linked to the island. The first is Francisco de Lacerda (1869-1934). A great conductor, he left behind him a rich body of work, including the symphonic piece Almourol e Álcacer and a series of pieces for voice and piano, the Trovas
, which were influenced by Portuguese popular music and more specifically that of the Azores. One of the emblematic figures of Portuguese music and culture of his time, who achieved true international recognition. The second is Maurício Bensaúde, a Portuguese opera baritone, also with an international career, having performed on stages in Rome, Milan, New York, London, Berlin and Paris. The archipelago has some interesting places for music lovers, such as the Coliseu Micaelense in Ponta Delgada, considered the "Opera" of São Miguel. In this beautifully renovated building, dating from 1917, many performances take place, often grandiose, inviting internationally renowned artists. Terceira also owes its reputation as a "cultural" island - in addition to its reputation as a festive island - to its numerous philharmonic orchestras, such as the Sociedade Filarmónica União Católica da Serra da Ribeirinha and Sociedade Philharmonic Recreio dos Lavradores da Ribeirinha, located in Angra and rather dynamic.The dance
In the Azores there are many traditional dances, performed differently depending on the tonality, such as charamba, the Azorean dance par excellence, or the mangericão, sapateia, chamarrita (a kind of fusion of fandango and waltz, always very popular), pezinho (one of the oldest dances in the archipelago), tanchão, tirana (characteristic of the central and western islands), rema, etc. Most of them follow a slow rhythm, very specific to the archipelago, which shows religious and mystical influences. Sometimes re-interpreted for a younger audience, these dances can become more lively. Most of the Azorean dances originate from the mainland, with substantial modifications. For example, the mané chiné
is a typical nineteenth-century Algarve dance that has become a Flores tradition. Among the most suitable events to attend these dances, Danças de Entrudo, the Mardi Gras de Terceira is particularly impressive and the Carnival of Graciosa, on the island of the same name, is a great popular and colourful festival.
