Article Nº 3098 Arts, literature and historiography Vol. III · p. 306
Rajão
The rajão is a five-stringed Madeiran folk instrument; the entry gives its rural tuning and names a noted Funchal player.
A five-stringed musical instrument, very well known among the Madeiran people. Country folk tune it as follows: D, G, C, E, A; but Funchal players, when tuning it, often raise the first three strings by an octave.
Among the good players of the machete (small Madeiran four-stringed guitar) and rajão (Madeiran five-string guitar) that Funchal has had, mention is made of the late Diogo Sarsfield, treasurer of the District Public Works Department (Direcção das Obras Públicas do Distrito). See the well-regarded book Tocares e Cantares da Ilha by Carlos Santos.
People mentioned
Places mentioned