ETHIOPIA – ÉTHIOPIE Éthiopie – Amharas & Nouer – Alpha 1019

ETHIOPIA – ÉTHIOPIE

Éthiopie – Amharas & Nouer – Alpha 1019, recorded by Christian Monty, 1969 (Vinyl 7 inch, 45 RPM)

This inspired 7-inch album released in 1969 on the Belgian label Alpha features traditional music of the Amhara people, aka Abyssinians, from Northern Ethiopia, and the pastoral Nuer people from western Ethiopia. 

 

The Amhara music showcases the flute and kabaro drum (A1), singing and the krar lyre (A2) masinKo, or masenqo, single-stringed bowed lutes (A3-A4), and Christian rituals (A5, B1, B2) – most Amharas are members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church founded in the 4th century. The record ends with two Nuer music tracks with collective chants, drumming, a trumpet, and a pastoral xylophone (B3, B4).

 

Ce 45 tours inspiré sorti en 1969 sur le label belge Alpha présente la musique des Amharas, également appelés Abyssiniens, du nord de l'Éthiopie, et des Nouers de l'ouest de l'Éthiopie.  

 

La musique Amhara présente la flûte et le tambour kabaro (A1), le chant et la lyre krar (A2), la vièle à archet monocorde masinKo, ou masenqo (A3-A4), des rites chrétiens (A5, B1, B2) – la plupart des Amharas sont membres de l'Église éthiopienne orthodoxe Tewahedo fondée au IVème siècle. L'album se termine avec deux morceaux de musique Nouer comprenant des chants collectifs, des percussions, une trompette, et un xylophone pastoral (B3, B4).

Arhamra people, aka Abyssinians (northern Ethiopia)

A1 – Flute and kabaro drum;

A2 – Epic song accompanied by krar lyre; 

A3 – Song accompanied by masinKo, or masenqo, single-stringed bowed lute (see front cover), Lasta district;

A4 – MasinKo solo;

A5 – Religious chants sung by deacons, Axum;

B1 – Psalms sung at Lalibela, Lasta district;

B2 – Popular dances, Lasta district;

Nuer people (Gambela region, western Ethiopia)

B3 – Warrior’s dance 

B4 – Pastoral xylophone 

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MP3

Our other Ethiopian music posts:

Azmari Music of the Amharas – Anthology AST 6000, 1967 here

Polyphonies des Dorzé – Le Chant du Monde, 1975 here

Vintage postcards:

Minstrel playing the krar lyre (A2):

Priest at the Christian holy city of Lalibela, home to 11 rock-hewn churches (B1)

More about the Lalibela churches here

Priest celebrating a Coptic cult:

Priests celebrating Easter, Axum (A5), 1965:

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