Re: Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares

[loiselle@cs.umass.edu]

In article <5926@hydra.gatech.EDU>, tynor%prism@GATECH.EDU (Steve Tynor) writes...
> 
>If you haven't already, GET IT!
> 
>If you are the least bit intrigued by Trio Bulgarka's work on TSW, you'll fall
>in love with this disk. Such crystaline voices and unusual harmonies. 
> 
>While this is not the Trio Bulgarka(it's a larger female choir), Yanka
>Roupkina (who _is_ one of the Trio Bulgarka) is credited with the solo in
>track three: "Kalimankou Denkou (The Evening Gathering)".

Of course you know that there are *two* volumes of Le Mystere des Voix 
Bulgares, plus an album/disc by the Trio Bulgarka. 

I have both the Mystere discs and can recommend them both highly.  I slightly
prefer volume two.  The Trio Bulgarka work will find its way into my 
collection eventually, there's just been so much other music to buy that it's
now a low priority.  (Can you believe I just started listening to Kate Bush
with _The Sensual World_?  You can see I have lots of work to do on my
collection!)

For anyone interested in Bulgarian music, there's actually quite a bit
available, although of course you'd never know it from visiting your local
record store.  And much of it is at least as wonderful as the Mystere 
recordings.  (It's nice to hear some of the songs as sung in the villages,
for example.  The Mystere volumes, as haunting and beautiful as they are,
are also very slick/professional/commercial (what's the word I'm looking
for here?) compared to the village singing.)

And, for those of you interested in unusual rhythms, Bulgarian dance music
is commonly found in 5/16 (Pajdushka), 7/16 (Rachenitsa), 11/16 (Kopanitsa),
and even more bizarre arrangements!  For a combination of dance music
and more singing, check out the Balkana disc/album.  (I hope that's the
right name, it's at home  and I'm not.)

Cindy Loiselle
loiselle@cs.umass.edu