KOREA (NORTH) – Musique de Corée – Folklores et Musiques de l’Univers – BAM LD 5738

KOREA (NORTH)
Musique de Corée – Folklores et Musiques de l’Univers – BAM LD 5738, recorded by the National Radio of Pyongyang in the late 1950s, released in 1970 (LP)

This album is a 1970 reissue of two outstanding 7-inch 33 RPM discs released between 1958 and 1960. The albums, BAM LD 374 and BAM LD 379, were reissued here on Side A and Side B of this LP, respectively.

 

After World War II, North Korea adopted a socialist aesthetic that rejected Aak, ancient court music, as a remnant of feudal elitism. The principles of Juche (self-reliance) were privileged and traditional folk lyrics replaced with revolutionary themes. In the 1960s and 70s, this social development also led to the modernization of traditional instruments. Most notably, the gayageum zither was expanded from 12 to 21 strings. By increasing their range, volume, and capacity for chromatic scales, traditional Korean instruments were successfully integrated into orchestral arrangements alongside Western violins and brass instruments.

 

Recorded by the National Radio of Pyongyang, the abstract and stately tracks on this album with eerie sonorities was performed in the late 1950s by accomplished professional musicians trained at the Pyongyang University of Music and Dance. It includes vocals (A2, A4, A7, B2, B3, B6, B8), a male vocal group (A5), kayagum (or gayageum) 12-string zithers (A1, A2, B1, B9), geomungo (or komungo) six-string zithers (A8, B9), a five-hole danso bamboo flute (A3), a daegeum bamboo flute (B5), taepyeongso (or saenap) double-reed oboes (A6, B4), piri double-reed oboes (B4, B7), hourglass janggu “sand” drum (A3, A8, B4, B9), a jing gong (B4) and a violin (B9).

 

Cette réédition de 1970 reprend deux disques 33 tours 17 cm initialement parus entre 1958 et 1960. Les albums originaux, BAM LD 374 et BAM LD 379, sont respectivement repris sur la face A et la face B de ce disque.

Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la Corée du Nord a adopté une esthétique socialiste, rejetant l'Aak, l'ancienne musique de cour, considérée comme un vestige de l'élitisme féodal. Les principes du juche (autosuffisance) ont été privilégiés et les paroles folkloriques traditionnelles ont été remplacées par des thèmes révolutionnaires. Dans les années 1960 et 1970, cette évolution sociale a également mené à la modernisation des instruments traditionnels, notamment la cithare gayageum, qui est passée de 12 à 21 cordes. En augmentant leur tessiture, leur volume et leur capacité à produire des gammes chromatiques, les instruments coréens traditionnels ont été intégrés avec succès dans des arrangements orchestraux aux côtés de violons et de cuivres occidentaux.

 

Enregistrées par la Radio nationale de Pyongyang, ces musiques expressives et abstraites aux sonorités éthérées ont été interprétées à la fin des années 1950 par des musiciens professionnels de renom, formés à l'Université de musique et de danse de Pyongyang. Cet opus comprend des chants (A2, A4, A7, B2, B3, B6, B8), un groupe vocal masculin (A5), des cithares à douze cordes kayagum (ou gayageum) (A1, A2, B1, B9), des cithares à six cordes geomungo (ou komungo) (A8, B9), une flûte en bambou danso à cinq trous (A3), une flûte en bambou daegeum (B5), des hautbois à anche double taepyeongso (ou saenap) (A6, B4), des hautbois à anche double piri (B4, B7), des tambours janggu en forme de sablier  (A3, A8, B4, B9), un gong jing (B4) ainsi qu'un violon (B9).

Side A contains the reissue of the album BAM LD 374 (7-inch 33 RPM)

 

A1 – Kayagum Sandjodjoung E Soeu (Chosen among several melodies)

Kayagum (or gayageum) 12-string zither by Djung Nam-Hi.

 

A2 – Sai Tariong (Song to the bird)

Vocals and kayagum by Youn Yung-Man.

 

A3 – Da Serimkoi Antansandjo

A five-hole danso bamboo flute and hourglass janggu “sand” drum, composed and performed by Tchouei Ok-Sam.

 

A4 – Rionkang Kinari (The Dragon River is long)

Vocals by Kim Kwan-Bo.

 

A5 – Pungou Tarion (Farmers’ spring song)

Unknown male vocal group.

 

A6 – Nongak Karak (Farmers’ song)

Taepyeongso (or saenap) double-reed oboe by Djo Kwang-Hi and janggu drum.

 

A7 – Santchunga (Song to the mountain rivers)

Vocals and kayagum 12-string zither by Tchouei Kwang-Hyung.

 

A8 – Geumungo Sandjo Djoung E Soeu (Chosen among several melodies)

Geomungo six-string zither by An Gui-Ok and janggu drum by Yu Dai-Dok.

 

Side B contains the reissue of the album BAM LD 379 (7-inch 33 RPM). The music here features excerpts from the soundtrack of Jean-Claude Bonnardot's film Moranbong (meaning "Flower Hill"). The film tells the story of a theater that was bombed on this hill located above Pyongyang during the Korean War. The local inhabitants rebuilt it underground in a mere 90 days.

 

B1 – Yang-Nan’s arrival in Pyong-Yang

The Classical National Art Theater Orchestra of Pyongyang, conducted by An Sung-Hyun (1920-2006). The piece was composed by Djung Nam-Hi, who also plays the kayagum (or gayageum).

 

B2 – Farewell Duet by Tchun-Hiang and Mong-Lion

Vocals by Sin Ou-Sun (Tchun-Hiang) and Gong Gui-Nam (Mong-Lion).

 

B3 – The Governor Tries To Seduce Tchun Hiang 

Vocals by Gong Gui-Nam.

 

B4 – Village Music

Unknown ensemble includes taepyeongso (or saenap) and piri double-reed oboes, janggu drum and jing gong.

 

B5 – Farewell Song (Tchun-Hiang Djun)

Unknown daegeum bamboo flute.

 

B6 – Tchun-Hiang’s Song of Despair

Vocals by Sin Ou-Sun.

 

B7 – Nyung-Boul (prayer to the mountain)

Piri double-reed oboe by Han Yung-Gun.

 

B8 – The Return of Mong-Lion

Vocals by by Gong Gui-Nam (Mong-Lion) and Rim So-Hiang (The servant).

 

B9 – Sai Bom (New spring)

Performed by the National String Quintet with An Gui-Ok, Dji Nam-Sou, Djung Nam-Hi, Kim Djin-Nyung, You Tai-Bok. Composed by An Gui-Ok. Geomungo and kayagum zithers, a violin, a janggu drum.

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Vintage North-Korean postcard: Dance at a Wellspring:

A pivotal figure in Korean history, Ch'oe Che-u (1824–1864) founded the

Donghak (Eastern Learning) movement, which marked a profound social and political awakening intended to protect Korean identity during a period of significant internal decay and external pressure.

 

In North Korea, he is not praised as a religious mystic, but as an anti-feudal hero who challenged the class system, as well as an anti-imperialist 

and a precursor of Juche (self-reliance), who sought to counter 

Western influence and defend Korean sovereignty.

(Wikimedia Commons)

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BULGARIA – Songs and Dances from Bulgaria – The Living Tradition – Argo – ZRG 562

BULGARIA – BULGARIE
Songs and Dances from Bulgaria – The Living Tradition  – Argo – ZRG 562 – Recorded by Deben Bhattacharya in 1965, released in 1968 (LP)

I am delighted to present these seminal 1965 recordings of authentic Bulgarian village music by the legendary musicologist Deben Bhattacharya (1921-2001), released on the excellent English Argo label. The stately tracks feature female vocal groups (A2, A4, A6, B2) and singers (A9, B4, B5, B6), a male vocal group (B1) and singer (B3), tambura lutes (A1, B5, B6), goatskin gaida bagpipes (A3, B3), a duduk flute (A5), kaval flutes (A7, A10), and a clarinet (A8).

 

Collected across several regions in Bulgaria, these performances weave rich sonorities, complex rhythms, and fascinating harmonies. They transport us back to a time when traditional village music was closely connected to various horo folk dances at the heart of Bulgarian rural culture and identity.

 

Je suis ravi de vous présenter ces remarquables enregistrements de 1965 consacrés à la musique villageoise bulgare authentique, réalisés par le légendaire musicologue Deben Bhattacharya (1921-2001) et publiés par l’excellent label anglais Argo. Cet album comprend des groupes vocaux féminins (A2, A4, A6, B2), des chanteuses (A9, B4, B5, B6), un groupe vocal masculin (B1) et un chanteur (B3), des luths tambura (A1, B5, B6), des cornemuses gaïda en peau de chèvre (A3, B3), une flûte duduk (A5), des flûtes kaval (A7, A10) et une clarinette (A8).

 

Recueillies dans plusieurs régions de Bulgarie, ces musiques tissent des rythmes complexes et des sonorités et harmonies riches et fascinantes. Elles nous plongent dans le monde traditionnel d’antan où la musique de village était étroitement liée à une multitude de danses folkloriques horo, au cœur même de la culture et de l'identité rurales bulgares.

A1 – Horo - Tambura solo
Long-necked tambura (or bulgarya) three string lute by Pena Grozeva;

Dermantsi, Northern Bulgaria.

 

A2 – Buen Vjatar Vee Stano - Harvest Song
Vocals by Maria Lačeva Hristova;

Pirdop, Central-West Bulgaria. 

A3 – Dajčova and Konésta Dances - Gajda solo

Gadja bagpipes by Gueorgiu Blagolo Rutev;

Pirdop, Central-West Bulgaria. 

 

A4 – Zassviri Ovčar Krai Gora - Harvest song

Chorus – Singers of Madžare

Vocals – Dafinka Rangelova Mechandjiyska, Elenka Spasova Pavlina, Nouscha Ivanova Manževa, Slavka Ivanova Gulova, Spasouna Spasova Markova, Stoĩka Christova Kovažka, Stoĩka Ranguelova Manževa;

Madzare, Southwestern Bulgaria.

 

A5 – Shepherd's Melody - Dudùk solo

Six-hole dudùk block flute by Kiko Sumanov;

Tuden, Western Bulgaria. 

 

A6 – Gree, Gree Messečina - Men's Horo

Vocals by Assen Jlov, Atanass Varadénov, Dinka Pavlova, Jana Petrova Anguélova, Jvan Guérov, Vassilka Dimitrova Lazarova;

Elin Pelin, Western Bulgaria. 

A7 – Ovčar Moma Làze - Shepherd's song 

Kaval flute by Kiril Pavlov and vocals by Sanka Miševa;

Elin Pelin, Western Bulgaria. 

A8 – Lukovitski Momi Horo - Clarinet solo

Clarinet by Alil Alilov;

Lukovit, North-central Bulgaria.

 

A9 – Zamràknala Sama Jana - Harvest song

Vocals by Petra Massârliykata;

Lukovit, North-central Bulgaria.

 

A10 – Četvorno Horo - Kaval solo

Kaval flute by Kiril Pavlov;

Elin Pelin, Western Bulgaria. 

B1 – Koledare - Christmas carol

Vocals by Christo Tsvetanov Gueoroguev, Mihal Krâstev Jolov, Nikola Petko Vâlov, Todar Tsankov Stoev, Tsano Vassilev Petkov, Tsvetan Vassilev Ivanov, Vassil Ivanon Načev, Zlatan Tsolov Slatev, Tsano Va;

Lukovit, North-central Bulgaria.

 

B2 – Po Drum Verviat Kiten Svatove - Wedding song

Chorus by the Singers of Madžare

Vocals by same singers as A4;

Madzare, Southwestern Bulgaria.

 

B3 – Ya Čuvaj Lale Bajova and Račenitsa Dance

Gadja bagpipes by Andrea Kriviralčov;

Koprivshtitsa, Central Bulgaria.

 

B4 – Slavčo Marijka Dumase

Vocals by Zaharina Kotseva Stanoeva

Pirdop, Central-West Bulgaria. B

 

5 – Kaj Ti Kupi, Dude, Kàsoto Eleče

Vocals and long-necked tambura (or bulgarya) three string lute by Pena Grozeva; 

Dermantsi, Northern Bulgaria.

 

B6 – Kaži Menko, Kaži Nani

Vocal and long-necked tambura (or bulgarya) three string lute by Pena Grozeva; 

Dermantsi, Northern Bulgaria.

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My other Bulgarian music posts:
Music of Bulgaria – Seven Seas GXC-5007 here
Village Music of Bulgaria – Nonesuch H 7234 here
Celebration of the Feast of St. Ivan – Rila Monastery here

***

Born into a family of Sanskrit scholars and traditional physicians in Benares (now Varanasi), India, Deben Bhattacharya (1921–2001) was a visionary Bengali ethnomusicologist, filmmaker, and writer. He dedicated his life to documenting the "living traditions" of folk music, fragile cultural heritages that were disappearing across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

 

After moving to London in 1949, Bhattacharya began producing BBC radio programs that introduced British audiences to Indian classical music. Eventually settling in Stockholm and Paris, he left behind an impressive legacy of documentary films and books, as well as over 100 groundbreaking LPs. His most memorable feat was his epic 1955 journey from Paris to Kolkata. He traveled through Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India in a converted milk van packed with state-of-the-art recording equipment.

***

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: