Fado: The Soul of Portugal

構成数 : 1
合計収録時間 : 00:59:12
Liner Note Author: Jon Lusk. Arranger: Henrique Rego. Fado: The Soul of Portugal is a good hour-long, single-disc intro to fado, the uniquely Portuguese style of sad balladeering, often (though not always) with 12-string guitar, Spanish guitar, and double bass as understated accompaniment. Amalia Rodrigues, "The First Lady of Fado," is apt to be the only name here widely known outside of Portugal. The 19 tracks, however, do include a wide sampling of both male and female singers, from as recently as the early 21st century, and possibly from as far back as 1951. The qualifier "possibly" is necessary because, unfortunately, the liner notes don't make it clear when every track was recorded, though dates are given for many of them. About half of these are circa 2000, though several are from decades earlier, and Alfredo Marceneiro's "Louco," with its scratchily-recorded vocals, stands out as one example of an undated track that could date from much earlier than 2000. Like a solitary glass of wine in a cafe overlooking the port immediately after the departure of a loved one, this music evokes a subdued sense of heartbreak and loss. It's pretty sentimental taken an hour at a time; those not steeped in the tradition might find it to be too much sentimentality (largely minor-keyed) all at once, though the arrangements and singing are almost always enough on the understated side to avoid bathos. An exception to that, which almost works as a strength because it varies the mood somewhat, is Carlos Paredes' "Cancao Verdes Anos," which has an orchestral arrangement that, as the liner notes frankly observe, "demonstrates a certain affection for schmaltz." ~ Richie Unterberger
録音 : ステレオ (Studio)