Art of Amalia

Amalia Rodrigues

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 1998)
• Original Release Date: October 20, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B00000C2NH
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,885 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #4 in	Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Portugal
  #6 in	Music > Indie Music > Latin Music
  #90 in	Music > Indie Music > World Music

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Amalia Rodrigues is the unchallenged queen of fado--the Portuguese equivalent of flamenco or blues--and one of the greatest singers on record. Her voice is rich and sinuous, with the soulful intensity of a Billie Holiday or Edith Piaf, but a warmth and sense of phrasing all her own. This retrospective ranges from her first recordings in 1952 up to 1970 and gives a superb picture of her work. The instrumentation is simple guitar and Portuguese mandolin, perfectly framing her aching laments and flowing melodies, like a gentler version of flamenco or a continental cousin of Cesaria Evora's morna. The songs include folk and popular material, but the emphasis is on the deep, passionate fado, and it doesn't get any better than this. --Elijah Wald

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best compilation of Amalia's work, November 16, 1999

By A Customer

I'm 1st generation American, both of my parents are Portuguese and my mother's family are all fado singers. We are huge fans of Amalia and all fado -- fado is part of who we are. This CD is the best compilation of Amalia's work that I've heard to date. It is a great tribute to her immense influence on all of us of Portuguese decent. She will always be our most valued national treasure. If you love fado this is a must have in any collection.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Artistry unmatched, before or since, August 29, 2003

By	Jose A Da Silva (Newark, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

There is no one that compares or comes close to Amalia, and for a number of reasons. Her gorgeous and lush voice, with tones and delicacy unmatched. Her mastery of control, and restraint, and her total surrender to each song, allowing for the dramatic crescendos and subtle intonations. Trained singer?? - hardly, you can't teach art such as is her voice. The other main factor in making her untouchable is simply, being Portuguese. There is no other music in the world that so truly captures the sadness of exisitence, that isnt a true sadness, but more of an ongoing lament, a thought and mood, a way of life. Its all in Fado, which literally means fate, and no other music in the world captures the sound of fate like fado. Amalia is unnequalled in her artistry because she is truly an artist, singing songs that are truly art. To call it singing doesn't do it justice and to call them songs also falls short. Lyrics that were poems, turn into living and breathing laments, art this is alive in every sense, and beautiful and that rings true, to everyone's heart. These songs are timeless, they were written by fate, Amalia was the voice fated to sing them. This collection is beautiful. To understand the words, just let your heart listen. Adeus, Amalia, querida voz-de-nos. -daniel

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique artist, a voice for the ages., January 5, 2005

By	s (USA) - See all my reviews

It's easy to see how 'review inflation' can take over on Amazon. People can praise an artist too highly - a new artist who has just arrived might be compared to one who has a lifetime of achievment behind them, or people simply have their favorites, regardless of quality. With Amalia Rodrigues, there is no danger of such hyperbole. She was unique, her voice, singular. The breadth of emotion, passion, and sensitivity in her singing is astounding. You need not understand Portuguese for these songs to speak to you deeply, so immediate is her art, so genuine her delivery. If you are not familiar with the Queen of Fado, by all means, seek an audience as soon as possible. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.