Popular Music, National identity and Cultural Heritage: comparative perspective of Tango, Fado and Samba.

Abstract

Starting from a comparative perspective, we analyze the historical process of birth of musical genres of popular origin such as the samba in Rio de Janeiro, the fado in Lisbon and the tango in Buenos and its transformations to true national symbols of their countries. Having emerged at the end of the 19th century in the poorer strata and closely linked with the suburbs of the cities in question, the three styles became popular in the early twentieth century and began to reach middle sectors of the capitals. With the advent of radio, tango, fado and samba become national reach and substantially increase their audiences, as well as in the artistic part undergo changes to adapt to the new massmedia. In all three cases, this operation took place in a manner protected by dictatorial states seeking legitimacy and popular discipline (Getúlio Vargas in Brazil, António de Oliveira Salazar in Portugal and Juan Domingo Péron in Argentina). Whether through explicit censorship of letters and unpleasant behaviors to regimes, sponsorship of artists of convenience, or the registration and habilitation of authorized artists, the three genres were ambiguously hampered in freedom of creation and action practices and catapulted to stardom by state sponsorship. In a second moment, around the turn of the Millennium, we aim to analyze the transformation of these popular styles - already consecrated by the public - in intangible cultural heritage. We argue that such initiatives are not only due to the preponderance of the artistic-cultural bias, but also to their tourist appeal to the cities in question, in a complex web of actors and diverse interests that go far beyond cultural issues