“Tocam por qualquer preço”: O estatuto do músico na vila termal de Vidago durante o Estado Novo

Abstract

Vidago, a rural village in Trás-os-Montes, gained visibility for its prized thermal waters (Cruz 1970; Pereira 1971; Salvador 2004). To become a privileged tourist destination, Vidago underwent a process of sudden growth, introducing modern products and technologies. The hotels promoted sports activities and live musical events to entertain visitors during the spa season (Pereira 2014). Interpreted musical styles included, among others, arrangements for bands, chanson française, tangos, arias of opera, fado, jazz, classical music, folklore - with a clear preference for versions of works with wide dissemination and popularity, associated with radio broadcasts. (Moreira, Cidra, and Castelo-Branco 2010). It was a favorable period for the amateur musical groups in Vidaguense and allowed the hiring of professional instrumentalists from urban centers. In this context, the musicians were understood as service providers and were subject to the seasonality of the thermal activity, failing to be financially independent. As a result, musicians were forced to reconcile musical work with other annual jobs. They used this argument to revolt against the mandatory professionalization and payment of quotas throughout the year to the Union of National Musicians, so they avoided unionization or, once unionized, systematically delayed the payment of quotas (Silva 2010; Fernandes 2018). This chapter will address the status of musicians in Vidago between 1933 and 1974, highlighting the dynamics between them and the managers of the hotels, the Union of National Musicians and the local People's House. This study uses methods of History and Historical Ethnomusicology, namely interviews with people who attended the musical practices under study and research in the union's archives (Howard 2014). In line with what has been advocated in the area of Anthropology of Tourism, thermal tourism is perceived as a holistic phenomenon, with economic, political, social, symbolic and sound implications (Pinto and Pereiro 2010; Pereiro and Fernandes 2015; Sanchez and Carvalho 2019).