0475, 1088 PORTUGAL - Fado, urban popular song of Portugal (UNESCO ICH)

João Martins - "Fado Corrido" com Amália Rodrigues, 1964

Posted on 17.01 2013 and 24.05.2014
The Portuguese word fado comes from the Latin fatum (fate, in English). How can sound and what lyrical themes can tackle a musical genre that is called so? In Portuguese popular belief, fado is characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sentiment of resignation, fatefulness and melancholia, linked to the word saudade (a permanent, irreparable loss and its consequent life lasting damage).

Fado Painted Tiles - Street Wall Art, Lisbon

The fado's history can be traced to the 1820s, but probably it had much earlier origins. It was generally sung by one person, accompanied by the portuguese guitar and the classical guitar, but today the the fadista may be accompanied by a string quartet or a full orchestra. There are two main varieties of fado, namely those of the cities of Lisbon (a more popular style) and Coimbra (a more classic style). According to tradition, to applaud fado in Lisbon you clap your hands, while in Coimbra one coughs as if clearing one's throat. In 2011, UNESCO inscribed Fado, urban popular song of Portugal on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Fado produced many renowned musicians, in the 19th century the most renowned being Maria Severa, and more recently Amália Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, Mafalda Arnauth, and Cristina Branco. Amália Rodrigues (1920-1999), known as the Rainha do Fado (Queen of Fado), was most influential in popularizing fado worldwide, puting this musical genre on the map of world music, in dictionaries, libraries and musical essays. She remains today as Portugal's most famous singer, a woman who was born into an almost destitute family and who grew to become not only Portugal's major star but also an internationally acclaimed artist and singer, whose career spanned 55 years of activity. The first postcard reproduces a photography of Amália Rodrigues in the movie Fado Corrido (1964).

About the stamp
On the first postcard
About the stamp, issued with the occasion of the anniversary of 50 years from the fondation of ICS / GIS, I wrote here.

On the second postcard
The stamp is part of the series Portuguese Traditional Festivities 3rd, designed by Atelier Whitestudio and issued on July 22, 2013:
• Festa de São Mateus (Feast of Saint Mateus) - Viseu (N20g)
• Festa da Senhora da Agonia de Viana do Castelo (Feast of Our Lady of Agony, Viana do Castelo) - Viana do Castelo (A20g)
• Festa de Santo Estevão (Feast of Saint Estevão) - Ousilhão (E20g) - it's on the postcard

References
Fado - Wikipedia
Amália Rodrigues - Wikipedia 

sender 1, 2: Marius Vasilescu
1: sent from Lisbon (Portugal), on 23.11.2012
photo: João Martins / 1964
2: sent from Vilamoura (Portugal) on 09.05.2014