SERBIA Srbija Instrumenti – Narodna Muzička Tradicija – PGP RTB 2510030

SERBIA – SERBIE
Srbija Instrumenti – Narodna Muzička Tradicija – PGP RTB 2510030, released 1981 (LP)

This anthology of traditional Serbian village music, recorded in the former Yugoslavia in the 1970s, presents a stunning instrumental palette, featuring various pipes and flutes (A1-A4, B1, B2, B5), ocarinas (B6), leaves (B7), double and triple bagpipes (B8-B11), the rikalo-bušen alphorn (B3), clarinets (A7, B4), Jew's harp (A5), violin (A8), male vocals and single-string gusli fiddle (A9), and accordion (A6).

These pastoral and rural sounds from time immemorial produce rich, quirky musics brimming with vitality and emotion.

Cette anthologie de musique traditionnelle de village serbe, enregistrée dans les années 1970 dans l'ex-Yougoslavie, présente une palette instrumentale étonnante, comprenant diverses flûtes (A1-A4, B1, B2, B5), des ocarinas (B6), des feuilles (B7), des cornemuses doubles et triples (B8-B11), du cor des Alpes rikalo-bušen (B3), des clarinettes (A7, B4), de la guimbarde (A5), du violon (A8), du chant masculin accompagné d’un violon monocorde gusli (A9), et de accordéon (A6).

Ces sonorités pastorales et rurales de la nuit des temps produisent des musiques riches et sinueuses débordant de vitalité et d'émotion.

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Best wishes & many good things for 2020!

Many thanks to João, for sharing his many musical treasures (including this LP) and inspiring listening sessions, and to Nuno for his commitment and delicate expertise with the visuals. Essential contributions to this blog.

c. 13th-14th century (cover of the Serbian-English booklet included in the download)

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global curation                        project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

INDIA Nikhil Banerjee – Raga Jaunpuri and Raga Mand – HMV – EASD 1378

INDIA – INDE
Nikhil Banerjee – Raga Jaunpuri and Raga Mand – His Master's Voice – EASD 1378, released 1973 (LP)

We finish the year with a second album by the prodigious sitarist Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986), accepted as a disciple by the illustrious Baba Allauddin Khan (1862-1972) in 1947. Banerjee’s musical development and inspiration also owe much to sarod player Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009), who became his teacher, and singer Amir Khan (1912-1974).

Banerjee is accompanied here by Swapan Chaudhury, or Chowdhury, (b. 1947) on tabla.

Nous terminons l'année sur ce deuxième album que nous partageons du prodigieux sitariste Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986), que l'illustre Baba Allauddin Khan (1862-1972) accepta pour disciple en 1947. Son développement musical et son inspiration doivent aussi beaucoup au joueur de sarod Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009), qui devient également son maître, et au chanteur Amir Khan (1912-1974).

Nikhil Banerjee est accompagné par Swapan Chaudhury, ou Chowdhury, (né en 1947) aux tablas.

                           Side A Raga Jaunpuri - Vilambat and Drut Gat in Trital

                           Side B Raga Mand - Gat in Sitarkhani

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Our other sitar LP shares:
Nikhil Banerjee - HMV EASD 1342, 1969, here
Vilayat Khan - HMV EALP 1259, 1961 here
Mohammad Sharif Khan Poonch Wala - Bärenreiter/Musicaphon BM 30 L 2029 here
Budhaditya Mukherjee - Melodiya C80-18043-4, 1979 here

Pt. Nikhil Banerjee 1984 BBC concert and interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgnfYCvJhyg

Photograph below is from The Mystic Spiral: Journey of the Soul by Jill Purse, Thames & Hudson, 1980:

“In Indian mythology the breathing cosmos is seen as alternating periods of activity and rest: the days and nights of Brahma. In an interval between successive creations, Vishnu reclines, having withdrawn the Universe into himself. He is seen within the Golden Egg in his threefold aspect: as himself, as the serpent Ananta-Sesha—who forms his bed—and as the Cosmic ocean upon which he and the serpent float. All creation is like a dream within him, ready, as he breathes out, to manifest from the potentiality of the primordial waters, as the spiralling of the cosmic serpent.”

Gouache, Guler School, Himachal Pradesh, c. 1760.

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

NIGER Musique Touareg et Haoussa de la région d'Agadez – BAM LD 353

NIGER
Musique Touareg et Haoussa de la région d'Agadez – BAM LD 353, recorded by J. Biltgen and G. Royer, 1957 (7 in, 33 RPM)

These superb Tuareg and Hausa musics, recorded in Niger, around Agadez and in the Aïr Mountains, in March-April 1957, give us a glimpse into the region’s authentic traditional cultures, from a celebration at the Sultan of Agadez’s Palace (B5) to a Hausa concert at a dignitary's house (B2), and deep Tuareg music from the Aïr Mountains (B1, A1, A2).

Ces superbes musiques touareg et haoussa, enregistrées au Niger, autour d'Agadez et dans les montagnes de l'Aïr, en mars-avril 1957, nous donne un aperçu des authentiques cultures traditionnelles de la région, allant d'une fête au Palais du Sultan d'Agadez (B5) à un concert haoussa chez un dignitaire (B2), et des musiques touareg profondes des montagnes de l'Aïr (B1, A1, A2).

A1 & A2 – Tuareg possession dance to cure a girl (Part 1 and 2); Tuareg women’s choir and tindi drum.

The Tuareg believe that certain diseases and afflictions, like being struck mute or incapable of typical social behavior, are due to “visitations” or “possessions” by spirit entities called “genies.” Curing an afflicted person requires a preliminary diagnosis from a specialist, followed by tindi trance possession music and dance to coax the intruding spirit entity to leave the person’s body.

A3 – Tuareg music performed in the evening under a tent; Tuareg woman playing the imzad violin.

A4 – Caravan song; men’s voices.

A5 – Hausa music; drum, double-reed agaïta and voice.

B1 – Touareg celebration with a camel carousel in the Aïr Mountains; Tuareg women’s choir and tindi drum.

B2 – Hausa music at a dignitary's house in Agadez; mandolin, fiddle and small drum.

B3 – Hausa song; Hausa woman singing and playing the violin.

B4 – Song by Hausa children.

B5 – Celebration at the court of the Sultan of Agadez; double-reed agaïta, kakaki (long metal trumpet), large drum and male singer.

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Many thanks to our friend Thomas for sharing this superb record, and the scans!

Photographs below are from Touaregs by Edmond and Suzanne Bernus, photographs by Catherine and Bernard Desjeux, L'Harmattan, 1983:

Tuareg women play the imzad violin (A3) to keep the memory of their culture alive; 
near Iférouane in the Aïr Mountains:

Tuareg women in the Aïr Mountains weave long fan-palm bands together to make mats:

The Sultan of Agadez (B5) and his entourage ride in front of the mosque 
on Tabaski (Eid al-Adha). The sedentary ruler of a nomadic environment 
is the arbitrer and guardian of the caravan routes: 

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global curation                                project and share the best finds with you on this blog: