Traditional music
A territory with a strong identity - the reputation of its gastronomy, for example, has spread beyond the borders of the country - the Alentejo has a musical tradition with a strong character. One of the most powerful expressions of this sense of identity and belonging is the Cante Alentejano. This emblematic polyphonic song is sung by male a capella choirs, generally with two soloists (treble and bass), accompanied by a choir (up to thirty voices in different groups). The melody usually begins with the lower voice, followed by the alto, who 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, together with the slow tempo and numerous pauses, gives Cante Alentejano its typical monotony.
A vast repertoire of traditional poems accompanies the melodies. The themes of the songs are often quite nostalgic, speaking of homesickness (the famous saudade), love, nature... But it's not unusual to hear comic, even ironic songs.
Along with Fado, Cante Alentejano is the only Portuguese musical tradition to be classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Unlike Fado, however, it has not yet been "commercialized", and is therefore rarer to see in concert. That said, it is often found at regional fairs, but can also be sung spontaneously at the end of a meal in a tasca. A case in point is the Casa do Vinho e do Cante in Ferreira do Alentejo. Housed in the town's most iconic tavern, Zé Lelito, this museum aims to preserve the memory of traditional Alentejo taverns, as well as 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's anything but rare to come across traditions from neighboring regions in the Alentejo. Starting with those of the Algarve and its famous corridinho, a particularly lively dance performed in the round (the name comes from the verb "to run"), all accordion-like. 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 folk style played in the Algarve, certain instruments are often favoured, such as castanets, the cavaquinho - a typical small guitar - the triangle or the pandeiro, an instrument similar to the tambourine.
Closely associated with Andalusia, the fandango is a speciality shared with Portugal - particularly the Ribatejo region. Both a musical style and a traditional couple's dance (mixed or not), fandango is characterized by its lively, light movements and continuous castanet rhythm. With a constantly accelerating tempo, the dancers mark the movement by striking their heels.
In the same spirit, the Alentejo region is also home to the vira, a couple's dance originating in the Minho region (but practised throughout the country), marked by its rhythm, not far from a waltz, but faster; the chula, originating in the north of the Douro, played on violin and accordion and a possible ancestor of the Brazilian samba; and the bailarico, a twirling, hopping couple's dance performed with arms in the air.
In the Portuguese imagination, one artist in particular embodies the Alentejo: Vitorino Salomé. More commonly known as Vitorino, this musician from Redondo has opened up his impressive discography to the folklore of his native Alentejo. Born into a family of musicians, he became friends with Zeca Afonso and moved to Lisbon at the age of 20, where he became involved in nightlife, assemblies and bohemian pleasures. He emigrated to France, studied painting and, to survive, worked as a dishwasher in restaurants. He finally gave up the restaurant business to devote himself to music, and embarked on a career that would prove particularly fruitful. Always close to his roots, in recent years Vitorino has invited Cante Alentejano choirs to accompany him on stage.
The region abounds in opportunities to get close to its 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. Elsewhere in Beja, the Ovibeja fair and the Rural Beja popular festival also feature traditional dances.
Fado in Alentejo
Far from being the preserve of the Lisboners, Fado is a national treasure cherished throughout the country, including the Alentejo. Derived from "fatum", which in Latin means "fate", this song with its rough poetry is the very expression of saudade, a bittersweet melancholy uniquely Portuguese. Its origins are still a matter of debate, and no one is quite sure where it comes from: goualante from ports, a local evolution of Moorish chant, gypsy lament or vocal modulations from brought-back Brazilian rhythms? Probably a bit of all of the above. For centuries, the fado has been a true folk song that comes from the guts of the child or adult who sings it - and embraces those who let themselves be conquered. Generally sung by a woman dressed in black, accompanied by guitarists, the genre is forever immortalized by the most famous of fadistas, Amália Rodrigues, a huge star who died in 1999 and is buried in the national pantheon. During her lifetime, the singer could move an audience to tears, her style so full of humanity that it supported the subtle timbre of her voice.
Today, fado is far from simply being part of our heritage. Each generation has taken hold of it, and has seen excellent artists keep it alive, such as Madredeus, with the moving voice of its fantastic singer Teresa Salgueiro; Camané, once considered "the greatest fadista since Amália Rodrigues"; outstanding artists such as Dulce Pontes, Mariza and Cristina Branco; and the great voices of the new generation: Ana Moura and Cuca Roseta.
In the Alentejo region, a few names have made their mark on a national and even international scale. These include Janita Salomé, Vitorino's brother and composer, Francisco José, a lesser-known (but wrongly so) singer from Évora, Linda de Suza (yes, THE Linda de Suza), an Alentejana who has sung fado, and António Zambujo, a more recent fado success, who hails from Beja.
To hear Fado in the Alentejo, we recommend you visit Casa De Vinhos E Petiscos in Comporta, a restaurant affiliated to a famous gourmet grocery of the same name, which regularly organizes Fado nights, or Café Alentejo in Évora, a bar-restaurant offering live Fado.
