Justifying the existence of this page…
This is not a very formal page. The page was made because I am a very proud collector of Madredeus’s videos and I think that some comments of them would bring some different point of view in the excellent Corvinus’ page.
I knew Madredeus in a special show at brazilian TV Cultura, and I think this page could be a simple homage to all the great moments Madredeus’ videos made me pass. I’m sorry that I don’t know even the dates of most of Madredeus’ videos I’m quoting here. This way, the comments of the videos are presented here without any time sequence concern. And the comments are made with only the help of my memory: seeing all the videos again would be such a big job (that probably won’t permit me to finish this page), and transcriptions of set lists would be the utmost boring thing to be read.
The Videos
I have a great diversity of Madredeus’ videos: in low and high quality of recording and images. I have videos from almost all phases of Madredeus, principally of the “Ainda” / O Espírito da Paz phase. I recorded almost half of the videos, and some of the shows I could not even recorded entirely. There are some interviews in a great part of the videos, and in the most part of these interviews Pedro Ayres Magalhães and Teresa Salgueiro talk about the objective of Madredeus: making a music that gives importance to the word, to the portuguese word, to the portuguese language. Ok for me. And I think is very well as an objective to a group. But this objective frankly doesn’t show 1% of the Madredeus’ force, of the Madredeus’ greatness. Madredeus’ music has a so great sensorial and passionate force that, frankly, words can’t cover everything. So the objective is ok. And for those who are interested in the personal side of Madredeus’ groups, the Madredeus’ videos have no utility at all. We just can see some personal side of Teresa and Pedro in the video Les Açores de Madredeus. There’s even a 30 minutes interview with Teresa where not even a single word about her personal life appeared. (Beto translated this interview, and I think it can be found at his page.) In the video Madredeus in Macau, Pedro said he makes a great effort to put all particular life of Madredeus’ members out of the music press. Ok for me. Again.
Madredeus in São Paulo (1993-1994?) – this show, that lasts almost one hour, was the beginning of the world to me. I had never heard about Madredeus before seeing it (they were almost completely unknown in Brazil at this time), and the shock was snapshot. Love at first sight. Madredeus played songs until Ainda, and the show was recorded in a theatre in São Paulo apparently without public. I’m really moved when I remember this video. Everything was so fascinating to me, the way Teresa sang, the clothes they used. This video shows probably the best O Pomar das Laranjeiras version ever.
Madredeus in São Paulo (1995) – this show in São Paulo was recorded in the biggest brazilian Madredeus tour ever, in 1995. The set list cover songs until Ainda. The show was well recorded, but Teresa seems to be more timid here than in the other São Paulo show. And the show were cut every time the public applauded, what makes the recording a little bit strange. Anyway, is an excellent show, lasting almost 1 hour.
Madredeus in Belgium (1995) – the set list is from same time of the two shows before. It is a 2 hours show, and I really don’t know what is wrong with it. Almost everything seems so distant. Teresa seems too happy, the images were took from such a big distance, the musicians seem to be in another planet, the images seem not clear enough. I don’t know. But perhaps it’s just an impression.
Madredeus in Japan (1994) – now I’m just sorry, but I have to tell you the truth: it was difficult to me to think about music in this show. Teresa was SO beautiful in it, I can’t believe. Her clothes, her way of singing were enormous! Think about: at the end of the show Teresa, completely shy, asks to the japanese public to help her in a japanese lullabilly. Her shyness were so… Better stoping here. Anyway, the japanese technology made this show the better recorded I’ve ever seen (even with the legends in japanese!).
Madredeus in Belém (12/1993) – very similar to the show in Japan, but the overall quality is a little bit inferior. (Due to the difference of technology, perhaps?) Madredeus in Macau (1998) – this show was transmitted by the RTP (Portuguese Radio Television) at Christmas evening, so you can have an idea of the importance of Madredeus. The set list has practically just O Paraíso and O Porto songs, which makes this show so special. I just wanted to know why RTP showed only the end of Teresa’s dancing in Os Foliões…
Madredeus at Expo’98 (1998) – do you see the importance of Madredeus, guys? The show that opened Expo’98 was with Madredeus (and José Carreras). Madredeus played just three songs. I always think about passion when I remember Teresa’s way of singing, but here she exaggerated. I have never seeing a so passionate singing in earth as Teresa’s one here. It was really an earthquake, boys. The last song Teresa sang with José Carreras, a really humble and noble man, who knew very well who was the really star in the show (not him, of course). Congratulations, Mr. Carreras!
Madredeus video clips – I have recorded, for example, Promotional video from O Paraíso (1997?), “Existir” Promotional Video and some clips recorded here and there. The Madredeus video clips are not frenetic and expensive as the rock and roll ones, and they are very beautiful, in general. I remember, for example, the song Cantiga no Campo recorded in a show, where Teresa seems to pray when singing. The song is played slower than in the cd. I think the best Madredeus video is the Haja o que Houver one. The one who moved the most was an old video from the song O Pastor, at the beginning of Madredeus career. I think Pedro knew Madredeus would last: this video was recorded as an film from the beginning of the century, so now we think: “see how Madredeus began in old times…” Sometimes I really think Madredeus ever existed with me. Ok, ok, I know it’s silly.
Two fado songs sung by Teresa with Antonio Chainho (1998) – this is a dangerous video, my friends. Teresa sang fados with a guitarist, without the participation of Madredeus, and her interpretation is enormous! Is she the real difference between Madredeus and the rest of music? Documentary of Madredeus tour in Brazil (1995) – this video, that lasts a little bit less than an hour, is very interesting. It shows some songs played by Madredeus in Brazil (bad recorded), but the most interesting is the images of the group voyaging and giving interviews, and the reaction of brazilian press (Madredeus really began to be know in Brazil in this tour).
Les Açores des Madredeus (1995) – this is probably the most “private” Madredeus film ever made. It was recorded at Açores Islands (where Teresa uses to pass her holidays), and great part of the film consists in interviews with Pedro and Teresa (who were very shy) and some music played, with official versions and “live” ones. The images recorded of the Islands were marvelous. The film is spoken in portuguese and in french. “Lisbon Story” (1994) – this film was made by Wim Wenders, just to put Madredeus in it (so passionate he is by Madredeus). It’s not an Hollywood-like film, and some parts are really to slow. But it is a very interesting film. The beginning of it is very funny, and the film touches two important points: the conflict art versus life, and the power that Teresa Salgueiro exerts over men (the fact the principal character of the film felt in love by her says everything). Madredeus played some songs in it: even if you won’t like the film, you have to see it!
Madredeus in Spain (1993) – a beautiful theatre, Teresa much less timid than the usual, a great performance. I’m just too sad to have less than a half of the show recorded…
Two interviews in Brazil (1995 and 1998) – the first interview was a small one, at TV Cultura in 1995. the subject was the same as always: portuguese language etc etc. The second one, in the cable channel Globonews lasted half an hour, and as I said before, the transcription is in Beto’s page. There are some clips in it. Teresa’s voice is so beautiful… (and for a brazilian, as me, much more: the portuguese is really charming).
(texto publicado neste site em 1998)
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Se há algo que os Madredeus me deu além de uma trilha sonora para a vida, foi a tua amizade. E só isso já bastaria para me tornar um fã incondicional deles.
Digo o mesmo!!! <3