INDIA – INDE Gangubai Hangal – HMV – 7 EPE 1239

INDIA – INDE

Gangubai Hangal – Raga Deogiri - Raga Jaijayanti – His Master's Voice – 7 EPE 1239, released 1965 (7 in, 45 RPM)

Born into a musical family in Dharwad, Karnakata, Gangubai Hangal (1913 – 2009) was a major 20th century Hindustani Khyal vocalist of the Kirana Gharana.

Following in the footsteps of Kesarbai Kerkar (1892–1977), Hangal was part of a new generation of female vocalists, along luminaries like Mogubai Kurdikar (1904-2001) and Hirabai Barodekar (1905-1989) which asserted their formidable artistry, fierce independence and kept time-honored gharana traditions alive in a male-dominated world of Indian classical music. Hailing from a lower-caste family, the singer also endured social prejudice and discrimination.

After being tutored by her mother Ambabai – a singer in the Carnatic tradition with a keen interest in the Hindustani idiom – her family moved to Hubli, Karnataka in 1928 to allow the supremely gifted Hangal to formally train in the Hindustani tradition. Much influenced by vocalists Zohrabai Agrewali (1868–1913), Mogubai Kurdikar, and Hirabai Barodekar, in 1935 she became the disciple of Sawai Gandharva (1886-1952) who was mentored by the founder of Kirana Gharana Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1937). 

Following her many performances across the country, recordings and All India Radio broadcasts, she quickly achieved fame throughout India. After initially also singing bhajans, thumris and Hindu devotional songs, Hangal devoted herself entirely to the classical khyal form from the mid-1940s. 

 

This rare 7-inch record showcases Hangal’s deep haunting voice, sensuous intensity and mellifluous musings.

Né dans une famille de musiciens à Dharwad, dans le Karnakata, Gangubai Hangal (1913 - 2009) fut une grande chanteuse de khyal Hindustani du Kirana Gharana du XXe siècle.

 

Dans le sillage de Kesarbai Kerkar (1892-1977), Hangal faisait partie d'une nouvelle génération de chanteuses, aux côtés notamment de Mogubai Kurdikar (1904-2001) et Hirabai Barodekar (1905-1989), qui ont affirmées leurs formidables talents, une indépendance farouche, et perpétuées de vénérables traditions gharana dans un univers de la musique classique dominé par les hommes. Issue d'une famille de caste inférieure, la chanteuse a également dû surmonter discriminations et préjugés sociaux.

 

Après avoir appris la musique auprès de sa mère Ambabai – une chanteuse Carnatic avec un vif intérêt pour la musique d’Inde du nord – et auprès d'autres maîtres après que sa famille déménagea à Hubli dans le Karnataka en 1928 afin que l’adolescente surdouée puisse apprendre formellement la musique Hindustani. Très influencée par les chanteuses Zohrabai Agrewali (1868-1913), Mogubai Kurdikar et Hirabai Barodekar, en 1935 elle devint la disciple de Sawai Gandharva (1886-1952) qui fut l’élève du fondateur de Kirana Gharana Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1937).

Suite à ses nombreux récitals à travers le pays, ses enregistrements et la diffusion radiophonique de sa musique sur All India Radio, elle devient rapidement célèbre dans toute l'Inde. Après avoir également chanté des bhajans, des thumris et des chants dévotionnels hindous, à partir du milieu des années 1940 Hangal se consacrera entièrement au chant khyal classique.

Ce précieux 45 tours présente sa voix profonde et envoûtante, et l'intensité sensuelle de ses envolées mélodieuses.

Download:

Flac

MP3

The record's front cover above was designed by South-Indian classical dancer and teacher Amala Devi.

Our other female Hindustani vocal posts:

Hirabai Barodekar – HMV 7 EPE 1205 here

Hirabai Barodekar and Saraswati Rane – ECLP 2356 here

Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar – HMV EALP 1278 here

Sulochana Brahaspati – Concert Series by Midas here

The Great Tradition – Masters of Music – HMV EALP 1453/1452 here

Dancer, Mughal, presumably from Rajasthan:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

LAOS L’Art du Khène – Collection Musique du Monde 26 – Galloway Records GB 600 545 B

LAOS

L’Art du Khène – Collection Musique du Monde 26 – Galloway Records GB 600 545 B, recorded by Jacques Brunet in 1972 (LP).

This superb LP recorded by musicologist Jacques Brunet showcases the khene (or kaen) mouth organ — the Laotian national instrument, which consists of seven or eight pairs of vertical bamboo pipes and comes in different sizes and pitches ranging from 80 to 200 cm (2.5 to 6.5 ft). Continuous playing is achieved by either exhaling or inhaling into the mouthpiece in the manner of a harmonica. The khene is played solo or as an accompanying instrument in a variety of settings, from dance and concerts to funerals, weddings and Buddhist ceremonies.

 

The three virtuoso khene players here –Phet Sananikhone (A2, A3, A4), Phomma Syvath (A1, A3), and Thao Salilat (B1-B4), respectively play a long (low-pitched), medium (medium-pitched), and short (high-pitched) khene. All of these musicians craft stunning melodious polyphonic music.

Cet excellent album enregistré par le musicologue Jacques Brunet présente l'orgue à bouche khène (ou kaen) avec sept ou huit paires de tuyaux verticaux en bambou, l'instrument national laotien de hauteurs et de tailles différentes, allant de 80 à 200 cm. Le jeu continu est obtenu en soufflant ou en aspirant dans l'embouchure à la manière d'un harmonica. Le khène est joué comme instrument solo ou d'accompagnement dans divers contextes allant de la danse aux récitals, aux cérémonies bouddhistes, funérailles et mariages.

 

Les trois virtuoses du khène ici – Phet Sananikhone (A2, A3, A4), Phomma Syvath (A1, A3), et Thao Salilat (B1-B4), qui jouent respectivement du khéne médium (moyen), long (grave) et court (aigu) – tissent des musiques polyphoniques mélodieuses étonnantes.

A1 – Loy Khoy Hoy and Song Khoy Noy – Phomma Syvath, medium khene;

A2 – Lam Savannakhet and Nang Thiem – Phet Sananikhone, long khene.

According to Brunet, Sananikhone was probably the leading khene player at the time;

A3 – Lao Long Nong – Phomma Syvath and Phet Sananikhone, duet of short and long khenes;

 

A4 – Improvisations on Lao themes – Phet Sananikhone, long khene;

B1 – Phi Tom Dork Lam Long and Lam Thoy – Thao Salilat, short khene;

 

B2 – Phi Thay Noy and Phi Thay Nay – Thao Salilat, short khene;

B3 – Noy Vi Koy Liap Hat and Pao Thang Titsut – Thao Salilat, short khene;

 

B4 – Pao Lam Thang Soy – Thao Salilat, short khene.

Download:

Flac

MP3

From 1963 to 1982, Jacques Brunet, a concert pianist turned musicologist, made a series of recordings of traditional music from South-East Asia, via his many explorations of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and Indonesia. We owe Brunet tremendous gratitude for mapping out the vanishing traditional musics in these countries and the outstanding musical quality of his many releases.

 

Our other posts featuring mouth organ:

Musique Mnong Gar du Vietnam - Ocora 80 here

Cambodia - Musique Samrê des Cardamomes - BAM LD 112 here

                        

Vintage postcard of musicians and singers, Laos, 1913:

 

Vintage postcard of the annual Dance of Laos' legendary ancestors, 

Luang Prabang, Laos:

Vintage postcard of the Satou of Watmaï, head Buddhist priest at the Court of Luang Prabang, Laos:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

NIGERIA – NIGÉRIA Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group – Star Records SRPS 20

NIGERIA – NIGÉRIA
Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group – Star Records SRPS 20 (Cassette)

For more than three decades, Haruna Ishola (1919-1983) dominated the Islamic-influenced Yoruba Apala music with his commanding voice and poetic lyrics, accompanied by nimble vocalists and backed by some of the finest polyrhythmic percussion playing ever recorded, including iyalu talking drums, agogo bells, sekere rattles, and an oversize agidigbo thumb piano.

 

This magnificent cassette embodies the remarkable collective precision, power, inspiration, and mellifluous lyricism of the music of one of the greatest African traditional artist of the 20th century.

Pendant plus de trois décennies, Haruna Ishola (1919-1983) a dominé la musique Yoruba Apala avec sa voix majestueuse et ses paroles profondes et poétiques, accompagnées de chanteurs et de percussions polyrythmiques sublimes, notamment des tambours parlants iyalu, des cloches agogo, des hochets sekere et un grand piano à pouce agidigbo.

 

Cette magnifique cassette illustre parfaitement la remarquable inspiration, précision, et lyrisme collectif de la musique de l'un des plus grands artistes traditionnels africains du XXe siècle.

Download:

Flac

MP3

Our other Haruna Ishola shares:

Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - Star Records SRPS 31 here

Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - Star Records SRPS 32 here

Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - RPS 16 here

Our other Apala shares:

Ayinla Owomura & His Apala Group  – 25 x40 – Africa Song Ltd NEMI 0515 here

Ayinla Omowura & His Apala Group  – His Master's Voice Vol. 2 – HNLX 5085 here

Moufa Laif – Yoruba Apala Music from Porto Novo, Benin here

Our Yoruba Sakara shares:

Yusufu Olatunji & His Group - Vol. 20 - ORSL 1708 here

Yusufu Olatunji & His Group - Vol. 17 - Philips PL 636 1050 here

Yusufu Olatunji & His Group - Vol. 18 - ORSL 1706 here 

Photograph below is from Yoruba (Visions of Africa) by Babatunde Lawal, 5 Continents, 2012:

 

Egúngún mask, aka Egúngún Erin (elephant mask), near Abeokuta, 

Ogun State, Nigeria, 20th century:

 

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

NORTH MACEDONIA – MACÉDOINE DU NORD Macedonian Folk Dances Vol. III – Folkraft Records LP 25

NORTH MACEDONIA – MACÉDOINE DU NORD

Macedonian Folk Dances Vol. III – Folkraft  Records LP 25, recorded by Dennis Boxell in 1964, (LP)

 

This fascinating LP on the American Folkraft Records label, showcasing folk dance music recorded in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – now North Macedonia – exemplifies the intense, fluid, and quirky sound textures and complex rhythms found in many Balkan musical traditions. The dance musics here include village orchestras and brass bands (A1, A3, A4, B1, B4), zurla double-reed oboes (A2, A5, B3, B5), gadja bagpipes (A4, A6), kaval rim-blown flutes (B2), clarinets (A1), accordions (A1, A4) and large tapan drums (A2, A5, B2, B3, B5). 

Regional Macedonian folk dances, performed in villages during religious and national holidays and weddings, are central to North Macedonian culture and identity.

Cet album sur le label américain Folkraft Records présente des musiques de danse folklorique enregistrées dans l'ancienne République yougoslave de Macédoine – aujourd'hui la Macédoine du Nord. Ces superbes sonorités reflètent les textures sonores intenses, fluides et déroutantes, ainsi que les rythmes complexes de nombreuses autres traditions musicales des Balkans. Ces musiques de danse comprennent des orchestres de village (A1, A3, A4, B1, B4), des hautbois zurla à anche double (A2, A5, B3, B5), des cornemuses gadja (A4, A6), des flûtes kaval (B2), des clarinettes (A1), des accordéons (A1, A4) et des grands tambours tapan (A2, A5, B2, B3, B5).

Les danses folkloriques régionales macédoniennes exécutées dans des villages, lors de fêtes religieuses et nationales ou de mariages, sont au cœur de la culture et de l'identité nord-macédonienne.

A1 – Zensko Krsteno (crossing dance) – Women’s line dance,

Orchestra with accordion (Kočo Petrovski) and clarinet (Tale Ognenovski), Skopje region.

A2 – Toska (skirt of a warrior’s costume) – Men’s line dance,

Zurlas (Arif Fazliev and Mefaj Fazliev) and tapan drum (Njazi Idrizov), Vardar Valley region.

A3 – Patrunino (from the girl’s name Patruna) – Line dance, 

Promahi Village Brass Band.

A4 Sadilo Mome (a girl was planting) – Line dance, 

Orchestra with accordion (Kočo Petrovski) and bagpipes (Pece Atanasovski), Lazaropolje region, Western Macedonia.

A5 – Lesnoto (light and easy) – Line dance,

Zurlas (Arif Fazliev & Mefaj Fazliev) and tapan drum (Njazi Idrizov).

A6 – Gajda (bagpipe) – Line dance,

Gadja bagpipe.

B1 – Cuperlika – Women’s line dance,

Orchestra, Titov Veles.

B2 – Ratevka (derived from the village of Ratevo) – Line dance,

Kaval (Mile Kolarov) and tapan (Atanas Kolarovski), Ratevo, Eastern Macedonia.

B3 – U Selo Tapan Cukase (beating the tapan drum in the village),

Zurlas (Arif Fazliev, Mefaj Fazliev) and tapan (Njazi Idrizov), Skopje region

B4 – Adana (a town in Turkey) – Men’s line dance,

Orchestra, Skopje region.

B5 – Cifte Camces – Men’s warrior dance, 

Zurlas (Arif Fazliev, Mefaj Fazliev) and tapan drum (Njazi Idrizov), Southern Macedonia.

Download:

Flac

MP3

About Dennis Boxell (1940-2010) here

Our other Yugoslav music post:

Muzika I Tradicija - Peste Vol. 1 - PGP RTB LPV 190, 1958 here 

Vintage postcard of Macedonian 

female dancers and a 

gadja bagpipe player:

Vintage postcard of Macedonian dancers accompanied by 

zurla oboes and tapan drum:

Vintage postcard of the pope (Orthodox priest) of the village of Bukovo, Macedonia, 1917:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog: