Folk Mapping Interview No. 2: Vasco Casais

Portuguese multi-instrumentalist musician (Guitars – Classical, Folk, Electric; Cavaquinho; Braguesa; Nyckelharpa; Bouzouki; Bagpipes – Transmontana, Galega;) who has developed relevant work in various areas (Classical, Traditional, Rock, Electronica) with greater relevance for the fusion of various styles. Founder of groups such as Seiva, Dazkarieh, Omiri and the structures Bigorna Hepta Trad, Ferradura and Repasseado. Composer, arranger, producer, entrepreneur. He has worked as a musician/producer/composer with Dazkarieh, Seiva, Orchestra de Foles, Uxu Kalhus, Ne Ladeiras, Carlos Mendes, and many more.

About Violas de Arame: (The “wire” violas) and Viola Braguesa: The popular regional Portuguese Violas have survived (barely) to this day in various forms and names depending on their regional adaptations/variations: Braguesa, Terceira, Toeira, Amarantina, da Terra, Campaniça and Beiroa. Visually distinctive, they are after all popular expressions belonging to the same group of string instruments, the “wire” violas (as opposed to their nylon-string counterparts).

The Viola Braguesa is the great popular instrument of the Portuguese Northwest, from the whole of Entre Douro and Minho regions. Important in the dominant music-instrumental styles of the region, such as “chulas”, “rusgas” and “desafios” (challenge songs). It is played solo or accompanying the singing, sometimes alongside the cavaquinho, sometimes alongside the mandolin or rabeca (ancient traditional fiddle) and above all the guitar. Now every day more replaced by accordion or harmonica which tend to replace the chordophones and relegate them to the history books… fortunately there is a new generation of players keeping these violas alive!