Manuscripts: In English and Portuguese.
Comprises a group of field materials documenting Alberto Mendes, Manuel Lemos, and Mr. Franks performing Portuguese songs and music from the Azores on February 6 and March 3, 1939, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Richmond, California. Recordings include fados and dance music popular among the Portuguese in California, sung and performed on the English guitar, viola d'arame, and mandolin, and also fragments of a radio broadcast of Portuguese music.
Recordings:Sidney Robertson Cowell refers to the English guitar as the "Portuguese guitar" or "guitarra portuguesa," and the viola d'arame as the "Portuguese vihuela" or "Portuguese viola."
Alberto Mendes is from Sao Jorge in the Azores and learned all his songs there. He performs on a viola d'arame that he made himself.
Mr. Franks is from Terceira in the Azores.
For technical drawings of the English guitar and viola d'arame made for this collection, search by using subject terms.
For additional fieldnotes regarding Alberto Mendes, see W.P.A. Field Report for February 13, 1939.am Jun-27-97