Portuguese Music
Regional Folk Music
Very recent events and programmes have greatly helped retain the Portuguese
Regional Folk traditions alive, especially during the time of the worldwide
revival of roots in the late 1960s.
The Tras-os-Montes’ is a musical legacy closely connected to the musical
culture of Cantabria, Galicia and the Asturias. These are coupled with
traditional bagpipes and a unique musical scale which has kept alive the
vital tradition. Some songs of this region can be seen in the archaic
language of the Mirandes. The gaita-de-foles is very much similar to the
Asturian and Galician gaita and is played by an accompaniment of drums. It
also uses the bomba and caixa, the two different kinds of drums.
A new kind of Portuguese Music was developed by young musicians has significantly contributed to the political and social circles in Fado music by blending and adapting it with newer trends. Some of the contemporary Fado musicians include Mariza, Camane and Misia who have introduced the Fado music to the youth.
Classical Portuguese Music
A history rich in traditions and greatly privileged by its geographical local is reflected in the Portuguese music. One can evidence this in the musical history of Portugal, which has strong intercontinental cultural interactions.
Popular Portuguese Music
Portugal has taken keen interest and participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since the year 1964, but has not yet won the competition. The sixth place in winners has been achieved by Lucia Moniz’s folk which is inspired by a song penned by the famous Pedro Vaz Osorio.
