Beyond nations: A thematic history

Abstract

This paper describes an on-going project, the collaborative Thematic History of Music in Portugal and Brazil; it details its context, rationale, concept, structure and the process that led to its public presentation and preliminary development at CESEM/FCSH, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. The importance of Africa in the understanding of some facets not only of modern popular music, but also of 16th- 18th century genres in Portugal and Brazil is particularly stressed; examples of both polyphonic and instrumental music are given to illustrate this early influence.