Between 1792 and 1796, Jornal de Modinhas, the first Portuguese periodical dedicated to publishing sheet music, was published in Lisbon. This journal ended up publishing a collection of Portuguese and Brazilian songs that is representative of what was being heard in Portugal at that time. After extensive research and musical editing by Alberto Pacheco (Music in the Modern Period Group), a group of Portuguese and Brazilian musicians has just released the first professional recording of a selection of 17 of these modinhas, made in July 2025 at the National Palace of Queluz, Portugal. These recordings reveal the musical richness, liveliness and thematic variety of modinhas, which express everything from existential lament to bucolic sentimentality, passing through romantic contempt, disaffection and simple banter. This diversity is highlighted by the voices of four singers with distinct characteristics (Ariana Russo, Joana Seara, Alberto Pacheco and André Henriques), and the sound of various instruments such as the flute, the zabumba (Andrea Luísa Teixeira), the violin (Raquel Cravino) and even a pianoforte (Mário Trilha) built by Muzio Clementi in the early 19th century.

All tracks on the album can be heard on major digital platforms: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, among others. The physical version of the album – a booklet containing more information about the repertoire and the artists – will be launched at 6 pm on February 20, 2026, in the auditorium of the National Library in Lisbon, with the musicians in attendance.