AUSTRALIA – AUSTRALIE Aboriginal Music from Australia – UNESCO Collection – Musical Sources – Philips 6586 034

AUSTRALIA – AUSTRALIE
Aboriginal Music from Australia – UNESCO Collection – Musical Sources – Philips 6586 034, recorded by Alice Moyle, 1959-1969 (LP)

Despite the many disruptions to their way of life caused by British settler colonization since the late 18th century – including violence and discrimination, loss of land and forced displacement, and often denial of the right to practice their culture and languages – the Aboriginal people of Australia, also known as First Nations people, have one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world, dating back at least 40,000 years.

 

This seminal LP was recorded by Alice Marshall Moyle (1908-2005), an eminent Australian ethnomusicologist and co-founder of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, as a testament to the rich history, vitality and profound meaning of the ancient Aboriginal traditions. These collective rituals and ceremonies are an affirmation of their close connection to their culture, land, ancestors, and the spirit world. This cosmic renewal and symbolic re-enactment of creation and the cycle of nature is particularly present during the Corroboree ceremonies, when the participants enter a mythical and metaphysical Dreamtime to transcend past and present through body painting, music and dance.

 

This excellent panorama of Aboriginal music, comprising voices, wooden didgeridoos that produce a drone-like sound, and clapsticks, performed by nine different cultural groups, includes a stunning Rain Dreaming Ceremony (A1) notably featuring the otherworldly wailing of the novices’ mothers.

 

Malgré les nombreuses perturbations causées par la colonie de peuplement britannique du continent à partir de la fin du XVIIIe siècle – notamment la violence, la discrimination, la perte de terres et les déplacements forcés, sans compter les interdictions fréquentes de pratiquer leur culture et leurs langues –, les Aborigènes, ou peuples autochtones d'Australie, possèdent l'une des cultures continues les plus anciennes au monde, remontant à au moins 40 000 ans.

 

Cet album enregistré par l’éminente ethnomusicologue et cofondatrice de l’Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Alice Marshall Moyle (1908-2005) témoigne de la richesse de l'histoire, de la vitalité et de la signification profonde des anciennes traditions autochtones. Ces rituels et cérémonies collectifs sont comme l'affirmation de leur lien étroit avec leur culture, leur terre, les ancêtres et le monde des esprits. Ce renouveau cosmique et cette reconstitution symbolique de la création et du cycle de la nature sont particulièrement présents lors des cérémonies corroborées, qui permettent aux participants d'entrer dans le « temps du rêve » mythique et métaphysique afin de transcender le passé et le présent à travers des peintures corporelles, de la musique et de la danse.

 

Cet excellent panorama de la musique aborigène, composé de voix, de didgeridoos en bois produisant un bourdon, et de clapsticks (deux courts bâtons entrechoqués), interprété par neuf groupes ethniques/culturels différents, comprend une étonnante Cérémonie du rêve de pluie (A1), où l'on entend notamment les gémissements des mères des novices semblant venir d'un autre monde.

A1 – Rain Dreaming (Ngapa) Ceremony (excerpts) 

Novices are led around the fires by their guardians followed by the wailing of the novices’ mothers;

Walbiri language; recorded in Yuendumu, Northern Territory, February 1967.

 

A2 – A Re-singing of Rain Dreaming Songs Following the Ceremony 

Dinny Djalbaldjari, vocals; 

Walbiri language; recorded in Yuendumu, Northern Territory, February 1967.

 

A3 – Rain-Making Song (excerpt) 

Bill Anda Nunggulmarra, vocals;

Wunambul language; Recorded in Derby, Western Australia, July 1968.

 

A4 – Balgan Songs 

Wadi Ngyerdu, vocals;

Worora and Wunambul languages; recorded in Derby, Western Australia, September 1968.

 

A5 – Djabi Song - The Windmill of Wallanie Plains 

Andy, vocals, unknown rasp percussion and didgeridoo players;

Garadjari language; recorded in La Grange, Western Australia, June 1968. 

 

B1 – Wongga Dance Songs 
Tommy Barandjak, vocals, and Harry Ferguson, didgeridoo;

Wogadj langage, recorded in Delissaville, Northern Territory, June 1968. 

 

B2 – Brolga Bird Clan Song 

Dabulu, vocals, and Magurn, didgeridoo;

Nunggubuyu language, recorded in Rose River, East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, July 1969. 

 

B3 – Women's Wu-ungka Songs 

Utekn and Yuimuk, vocals;
Wik-ngatara language, recorded in Aurukun, North Queensland, October 1966.

 

B4 – Morning Star, Pigeon and Rain Songs 

Didgeridoo “wooden trumpet” demonstration, unknown performers;

Djapu language, recorded in Caledon Bay, North-eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, June 1959.

 

B5 – Stingray, Dolphin, Curlew and Shark Songs 
Abadjera, Gula and Malkarri, vocals, unknown didgeridoo player;

Enindilyagwa language, recorded in Groote Eylandt, Gulf of Carpentaria, 1964 and 1969. 

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Our other Australian Aboriginal music posts:

Australie – Central Australia Vogue EXTP 1056 here

The Music of Primitive Man – Horizon – P 11857 here

Photographs below are from World Geography and Customs Series (Vol.3), Published by Shinkosha, Japan, 1931 here and from a vintage postcard:

Sacred Arrernte corroboree in Dreamtime with costume, music and dance, Northern Territory, Australia:

Vintage postcard of a ceremony performed by the Gumbaynggirr people, 

Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to 

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INDIA – INDE Ali Akbar Khan – Ragas of India – Raga Madhabi / Raga Khammaj – Connoisseur Society CS 2020

INDIA – INDE
Ali Akbar Khan – Ragas of India – Raga Madhabi / Raga Khammaj – Connoisseur Society CS 2020, released in 1970 (LP)

Sarod master of the Maihar Gharana Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009), who originally came from East Bengal (now in Bangladesh), was highly revered for his prodigious virtuosity, depth, melodic inventiveness, emotion and uncompromising musicianship. 

 

He had the great privilege of learning his time-honored art from his father Baba Allauddin Khan (1881-1972), one of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century, who mastered well over 100 instruments! This rigorous teacher – who also taught superstar sitarists Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) and Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986), and sarodist Sharan Rani (1929-2008) – subjected his son to 12 to 16 hours of grueling daily practice pushing him to constantly surpass himself and deepen his knowledge.

 

Along with other luminaries such as instrumentalists Ravi Shankar and Zakir Hussain (1951-2024) and vocalists M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916-2004), Lakshmi Shankar (1926-2013) and Bhimsen Joshi (1922-2001), Khan also played a pivotal role in popularizing Indian music in the West.

Khan first came to the United States in 1955 and settled in California in the early 1960s where he toured extensively and mentored many students. He also founded the Ali Akbar College of Music in Berkeley, California, in 1967, a center for the teaching and preservation of traditional Indian music, and released excellent LPs on American labels, such as Prestige and Connoisseur Society, including this gem with Mahapurush Misra, or Mishra, (1932-1987) on tabla. 

 

Originaire du Bengale oriental, dans l'actuel Bangladesh, le maître du sarod dans le Maihar Gharana Ali Akbar Khan était vénéré pour sa prodigieuse virtuosité, sa profondeur, son inventivité mélodique, son émotion et sa musicalité sans aucune compromission. 

Il a eu la grande chance d'apprendre son art séculaire auprès de son père, Baba Allauddin Khan (1862-1972), l'une des figures musicales les plus importantes du XXe siècle, qui maîtrisait parfaitement plus de 100 instruments ! Ce professeur sévère et intransigeant, qui a également formé les grands sitaristes Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) et de Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986), astreignait son fils à pratiquer la musique entre 12 et 16 heures par jour jusqu'à l'épuisement, le poussant à se surpasser sans cesse et à approfondir ses connaissances.

En compagnie d’instrumentistes comme Ravi Shankar et Zakir Hussain (1951-2024), ainsi que de chanteurs tels que M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916-2004), Lakshmi Shankar (1926-2013) et Bhimsen Joshi (1922-2001), Khan joua également un rôle majeur dans la diffusion de la musique indienne en Occident. 

Khan s'est produit pour la première fois aux États-Unis en 1955, puis s'est installé en Californie au début des années 1960, où il a donné de nombreux récitals et formé de nombreux élèves. Il a également créé l'Ali Akbar College of Music à Berkeley, en Californie, en 1967, un centre d'enseignement et de préservation de la musique traditionnelle indienne. Il publia également d'excellents disques 33 tours sur des labels américains tels que Prestige et Connoisseur Society, dont ce bijou avec Mahapurush Misra, ou Mishra, (1932-1987) aux tablas.

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"Music is like a river or stream that has come down to us through time, bringing nurture to man's soul. From the past masters, this music flowed to my father [Baba Allauddin Khan] and through him to me. I want to keep this stream flowing. I don't want it to die. It must spread all over the world." 
Ali Akbar Khan

Our other Indian sarod posts:

Ali Akbar Khan – HMV EALP 1255 here

Ali Akbar Khan – Connoisseur Society CS 462 here

Allauddin Khan – Megaphone – JNLX 1008  here

Amjad Ali Khan – Raga Darbari – EASD 2824  here

Amjad Ali Khan – Live at Teen Murti House – ECLP 2887  here

Amjad Ali Khan – The Maestro's Musings – CBS IND 1149  here

Sharan Rani – HMV 7 EPE 1211 (45 RPM)  here

Sharan Rani – Disques Vogue – CLVLX 119  here

Photograph below is from Imperial Mughal Painting by Stuart Cary Welch (1928-2008), Chatto & Windus, 1978:

The wise crow perched atop a mountain addressing a 
gathering of animals, birds and mythical beasts; 

miniature attributed to Miskin, c. 1600:

As a tribute to the great tabla maestro Zakir Hussain (1953-2024), who passed away on December 15th, here's Zakir from the ECM LP “Making Music.” This outstanding 1987 album featuring Zakir Hussain on tabla, Hariprasad Chaurasia on flute, John McLaughlin on acoustic guitar and Jan Garbarek on tenor saxophone, is one of the most successful Indo-Jazz fusion experiences I know:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to 

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INDONESIA – INDONÉSIE Bali – Musique et Théâtre – Ocora OCR 60

INDONESIA – INDONÉSIE
Bali – Musique et Théâtre – Ocora OCR 60, recorded by Gilles Fresnais in 1971 (LP)

Balinese gamelans produce a musical resonance that can be intense or haunting, bell-like or pulsing with an insistent, quasi-electronic sound. This exquisite album, released on the legendary first Ocora series, captures all the nuance and drama of ensembles that accompany the traditional performances of Wayang Kulit shadow puppet theater (A1), classical pantomime by masked dancers (A2), Gabor dances (A3), and Gambuh theater (Side B). The orchestras recorded here range from small four-man ensembles (A1) to larger ones (A2, A3, Side B) with multiple metallophones, gongs, cymbals, mallet-beaten drums, vocals, and, on Side B, six stunning, otherworldly, and incredibly modern-sounding suling flutes.

 

Les gamelans balinais produisent une résonance musicale intense ou lancinante, ainsi que des pulsations métalliques à la sonorité insistante, quasi électronique. Cet album, paru sur la légendaire première série Ocora, présente toutes les nuances et la théâtralité des ensembles qui accompagnent les spectacles traditionnels du théâtre d'ombres Wayang Kulit (A1), de la pantomime classique de danseurs masqués (A2), des danses Gabor (A3) et du théâtre Gambuh (face B). Les orchestres enregistrés ici vont de petits ensembles de quatre musiciens (A1) à des ensembles plus importants (A2, A3, face B) comprenant de multiples métallophones, gongs, cymbales, tambours à maillets, chants et, sur la face B, six étonnantes flûtes suling au son éthéré et incroyablement moderne.

A1 – Gender Wayang

Gamelan music used to accompany Wayang Kulit shadow puppet theater and certain religious ceremonies. Performed by the smallest gamelan ensemble of four musicians;

Recorded in Pliatan, Bali, July 1971;

 

A2 – Topeng Arsa Widjaja

Gamelan Gong Kebyar used to accompany classical pantomime performed by masked dancers; the ensemble includes metallophones, gongs, cymbals, mallet-beaten drums and a singer who narrates the story;

Recorded in Denpasar, Bali, August 1971;

 

A3 – Gabor

The Gabor dance was originally a ritual temple dance. Here, four young women dance; same ensemble as above;

Recorded in Denpasar, Bali, August 1971;

 

B1 – Gamelan Gambuh (opening scene)

B2 – Gamelan Gambuh (main scene)

B3 – Gamelan Gambuh (final scene)

The Gambuh Theater from Java was first introduced to Bali in the 14th century. Here, singers and actors tell legendary stories and adventures of the legendary Prince Panji in the 13th century;

The Orchestra of Batuan features six suling flutes, a rebab bowed lute, a hanging gong, two small kajar gongs, two drums and small rinchick cymbals and singers;

Recorded in Batuan, Bali, July 1971.

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More Balinese music:

Bali – Paradis des Iles de la Sonde – Disques Alvarès LD 113 here

Musik in Asien II – Südost- & Ostasien – BM 30 SL 5107 here

Javanese Wayang Kulit shadow puppet theatre music: 
Java – Glagah Wangi Gamelan – Une Nuit de Wayang Kulit / Légende de Wahju Tjakraningrat – CBS 65440 here

Vintage postcard of a Baris dancer, Bali:

Vintage postcard of a Legong dancer, Bali:

Vintage postcard of a Terompong dance, Bali:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to 

pursue my global curation project and share the 

best finds with you on this blog here below: