Rough Guide: The Music of Portugal

Various Artists - International - Europe - Continental, Rough Guide (Series) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 8, 2001)
• Original Release Date: August 25, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: World Music Network
• ASIN: B000009Q7L
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #273,583 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #72 in Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Portugal

Track Listings

1. Saudades de Coimbra - Jose Afonso

2. Fado da Sina - Dulce Pontes

3. Cancao Do Gaiteiro/Danca Do Gaiteriro/Marcha Dos Folioes/Murinheira - Realejo

4. Verdes Sao Os Campos - Teresa Silva Carvalho

5. Despertar - Carlos Paredes

6. Al Mouraria - Amalia Rodrigues

7. Contra-Dance 1 [Auto Da Floripes-Tema Do Turcos] - Vai De Roda

8. O Rapaz Do Casaquito - Terra A Terra

9. Decadas - V Imperio

10. Barquinha Do Mar - Lendas & Mitos

11. Avenidas - Anabela

12. Quem O Fado Calunia - Maria Da Fe

13. Fala da Mulher Sózinha - MARGARIDA BESSA

14. Menina Estás a Janela - Vitorino

15. Fado em Cinco Estilos - Maria Teresa De Noronha

16. Sou um Fado Desta Idade - Lenita Gentil

17. Maldito Fado - Carlos Zel

18. A Alma Do Ganhao (Fado Do Alentejo) - Manuel De Almeida

19. Cravo Roxo - Ronda Dos Quatro Caminhos

20. E Ma Vila Do Redondo - Grupo Cantadores Do Redondo

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amor Portugues, March 29, 2003

By 

Savka (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rough Guide: The Music of Portugal (Audio CD)

This scintillating compilation is yet another resounding Rough Guide success...I was entirely unfamiliar with the musical wonders of Portugal until last week when a friend lent me this CD...and it's been on repeat play ever since!

The centrepiece of the CD, the fado, is musical lyricism at its most polished and poignant, songs of bittersweet yearning and nostalgia, or as the Portuguese say, "saudade". I was hooked from the first note, as are many listeners, by the softly trilling guitarras and the silky vocals, underscored by perennial melancholy.

The CD includes many non-fado highlights, however, such as the medievalesque "Cravo Roxo", the folksy "Contra-Danca 1" and the charming "O Rapaz do Casaquito". Also a great addition is the catchy fado/rock track "Barquinho do Mar".

All in all, this is compilation is among the creme de la creme of Rough Guides, and the satisfaction from the music is doubled by the surprise of discovering something hitherto totally unkown to me. It has my highest recommendation - so go and surprise yourself with it as well.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to Fado and More!, November 23, 2000

By 

"rudo_bomba" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rough Guide: The Music of Portugal (Audio CD)

OK. You know Fado, n'est pas?

1) Yes, and I'm a Fado fan

2) No

If (1) feel free to buy this one, it is a good overview of Fado and more. Madredeus is not here, as well as some other excellent Fado performers but it is still a terrific CD. Also from the same series, I wholeheartedly recommend Guide to Italy, Cuban Son, West Africa, South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, etc...

If (2), welcome. If you like authentic and honest music, feel free to enter beautiful new world of passion and sadness and longing (in a word, Fado). This is probably the best introductory CD you can buy. Of course, there are many more gems to be discovered, but this disc will give you a pretty good idea about what to expect from music of Portugal. The knowledge of Portuguese is not required, the language of music is universal.