Emotional Theme

Longing

Intense yearning for something or someone absent or unattainable.

Role in Music

Longing (or "saudade") bridges distance—geographical, temporal, or emotional. It allows music to express the gap between reality and desire, past and present.

Musical Expression

Expressed through sustained notes, modal scales, and lyrics of absence, distance, and unfulfilled desire. Central to Fado, Morna, and Blues.