Roger Bobo & Tuba Play Galliard, Barat, Kraft, Hindemith, Wilder

Roger Bobo - Roger Bobo and Tuba Play Galliard, Barat, Kraft, Hindemith, Wilder

released on LP

accompanied by Ralph Grierson - piano

Sonata No. 5 in D Minor, composed by Johann Ernst Galliard (b. 1687)

This sonata, in common with the practice of the period, was composed for 'low instrument', and the tuba fits easily and effectively into that category. The music is straightforward and makes few demands on the listener, whose enjoyment is based partly on the purity of musical thought and the good tunes, and partly on the technical brilliance called for in the brisker movements. Roger Bobo uses the smaller F Tuba for this piece.

Sonata for Basstuba and Piano, composed by Paul Hindemith (b. 1895)

As a composer he rapidly became accepted as a major voice of his generation, assimilating the new ideas of composition, and finding his own field of expression. Bach became a strong influence in Hindemith's music, and his later works have a strong contrapuntal element. Perhaps one of Hindemith's most important contributions was his collection of sonatas, written for instruments which were not regarded in a solo light at that time. He thus exploited the musical and technical resources available and left an invaluable heritage of music for performers as well as listeners. The three movements of this "Sonata" give ample opportunity to the tuba, not only for showing itself off technically, as in the central section of the Variations which make up the last movement, but also to emerge as an important interpretive instrument in its own right. This is probably one of the greatest works composed for tuba up to the present time.

Introduction and Dance, composed by J. Ed. Barat

This short, typically French piece by J. Ed. Barat was originally composed for Bass Saxhorn, or Saxtuba, the lowest of the five members of the saxhorn family, patented in 1845 by Adolphe Sax (1814-1894), best known as the inventor of the saxophone. Sax was one of the greatest innovators in the manufacture and improvement of brass and wind instruments during the second half of the nineteenth century. Indeed, his work in this field, which included working on valves in a sound mechanical and acoustical manner, entitles Sax to a special niche in musical history, certainly of equal importance to the saxophone's invasion of the popular music field today. The "Introduction and Dance" is performed on the F tuba on this recording.

Encounters II (for Unaccompanied Tuba), composed by William Kraft (b.1923)

As timpanist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, William Kraft has had ample opportunity to get to know Roger Bobo, both as a colleague and as a musician, and "Encounters II (for Unaccompanied Tuba)" was specifically composed for Bobo, with the intention of offering him opportunities of both a musical and a technical character. It is dramatic and expressive, lyrical and bombastic. At one point the player is called upon to actually sing through the tuba at the same time that he is playing, thereby setting up a two part texture wherein one part can accompany the other or the two can work together independently. The piece was composed in December, 1966 and first performed in spring of 1967 in the "Encounters" series of concerts in Pasadena, California. These concerts represent a musical "encounter" with a leading composer of our time, and since Karl Kohn had composed a work called "Encounters" for a previous concert, Kraft entitled his piece "Encounters II."

Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant, composed by Alec Wilder (b. 1907)

This little suite is entirely self-explanatory, the tuba taking the role of the lovable little Effie. There is much to enjoy musically, especially in the very lovely lullaby, and there is a lot of fun and helter-skelter rushing about in the Carnival. (Denby Richards)
Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Sonata No. 5 in D Minor {6:59}

2. Sonata for Basstuba and Piano {10:09}

Side B

1. Introduction and Dance {3:53}

2. Encounters II (for Unaccompanied Tuba) {5:57}

3. Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant: 1. Effie Takes a Dancing Lesson {1:20}

4. Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant: 2. Effie Falls in Love {3:03}

5. Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant: 3. Effie Goes Folk Dancing {1:47}

6. Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant: 4. Effie Chases a Monkey {0:48}

7. Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant: 5. Effie Sings a Lullaby {2:30}

8. Children's Suite: Effie the Elephant: 6. Effie Joins a Carnival {1:21}

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Music from SEAMUS Volume 2

various artists compilation - Music from SEAMUS Volume 2

This is the second in a series of annual releases that features the 'best of' works from the annual conferences held by the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS).

Time Mark (1989) composed by Scott A. Wyatt
composition for solo percussion with tape accompaniment
Glenn Schaft - percussion

Within Time Mark, are specific considerations including a continuum of timbre - thus providing for an integration of tape and live sounds without the loss of individuality, and spatial disposition - wherein the location from which the sounds emanate within the performance space is also a parameter of the composition.

Liaisons (1991) composed by Jeffrey Hass
composition for computer-generated tape

Liaisons is constructed from a variety of oboe samples, including key clicks and multiphonics. Digital signal processing, accomplished primarily with Csound and linear predictive coding, was used to explore, dissect, modify, and reassemble these sounds to produce the primary material of the piece. By drastically slowing down some of the oboe samples, intriguing microscopic elements not heard in real-time were isolated and enhanced. The piece, then, is a collaboration between real world sounds and digital technology.

Barroco (1991) composed by Barry Schrader
for harpsichord and electronics
Alissa Rhode - harpsichord

Barroco is the second section of "Excavations", a two-movement work for harpsichord and electronics. It parodies bits and pieces of Baroque harpsichord music, although there are no actual quotations. Structurally, Barroco is in what I call "reverse entropy" form: Fragments of material derived from a one-measure theme presented in the introduction come back in different ways, finally insisting on the stasis of repetition.

Paraptra (1991) composed by Cort Lippe
composition for computer-generated tape

Paraptra, for stereo tape, was created using the program Max, which was developed by Miller Puckette, and whose technical advice made this piece possible. The digital mix was done at IRCAM, Paris, with the valuable assistance of Xavier Bordelais and Franck Rossi. The material for the tape is made up solely of digitally transformed and processed harp and classical guitar sounds. Transformations include: frequency shifting, spatial panning, harmonizing, random amplitude modulating, and time-stretching routines which were written by the composer and Puckette for the 4X real-time signal processor. The piece is characterized by a very wide dynamic range, and contains four main sections.

Amalgam I (1988) composed by Charles Norman Mason
composition for oboe and computer-generated tape
David Weber - oboe

Within Amalgam I, the sounds on the tape capture certain characteristics of the double-reed sound while the oboe expands its sonic possibilities with the use of multiphonics and microtones, thus producing a melding of the two sounds.

Wordscapes (1991) composed by George Todd
composition for computer-generated tape
Word
Water
Green Idea

Wordscapes is a set of etudes each a study of one or two words which have been sampled, analyzed, and re-synthesized using the Synclavier's SEM and re-synthesis program. This unique method of re-synthesis divides the analyzed sound into composer-determined time "frames" each of which is a harmonic spectrum. These spectra elide with the frames before and after them creating a dynamic timbral change. The spectra can be manipulated in a variety of ways. The etudes here - "Word", "Green Idea" and "Water" are based on words spoken by a female voice.

CAUTION TO THE WINDS (1991) composed by James Mobberley
composition for piano with tape accompaniment
Richard Cass - piano

It is the fifth in a series of works which combine a solo instrument with a tape accompaniment comprised only of sounds derived from the solo instrument itself. In this case the piano sounds were recorded and then sampled and manipulated on a Fairlight Series IIX to make the tape part.
CAUTION TO THE WINDS is programmatic only in the broadest sense; the title makes reference to the raw energy that is a major part of the arsenal to be found both in piano music and in electronic music, and reflects the free, quasi-rhapsodic nature of the work. (from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

1. Scott A. Wyatt - Time Mark {8:54}

2. Jeffrey Hass - Liaisons {5:08}

3. Barry Schrader - Barroco {6:19}

4. Cort Lippe - Paraptra {14:22}

5. Charles Norman Mason - Amalgam I {8:54}

6. George Todd - Wordscapes {5:38}

7. James Mobberley - CAUTION TO THE WINDS {5:33}

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Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion/Microcosm

Béla Bartók - Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion/Microcosm

released on LP

The Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion was written in 1937 in Budapest, having been commissioned by the Basle sub-section of the Swiss section of the International Society for Contemporary Music. It was given its first performance in Basle on 16th January 1938 by Béla Bartók, Ditta Bartók-Pásztory, Fritz Schiesser, and Philipp Rühlig. In 1940 Bartók arranged the piece for orchestral accompaniment ("Concerto for two pianos with orchestra"). The first performance of the orchestral version took place in New York in 1943 with Bela and Ditta Bartók and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner.
Bartók on the first version: "I had long intended to write a work for piano and percussion. Gradually I came to the conclusion that one piano would not be sufficient to balance the often rather hard sound of the percussion instruments. Finally I decided to change the plan and use two pianos in opposition to the percussion."
There are seven percussion instruments played by two players: three kettle-drums, bass drum, cymbals, tam tam, side-drum with snares, side-drum without snares, and xylophone. The two percussion parts occupy a position of equal importance to the two pianos; in many parts the percussion sound is only a nuance of colour added to the piano parts, but in many others it provides or underlines important accents. At the same time percussion also adds contrapuntal motifs to those of the pianos, and frequently the kettle-drums and xylophone actually take over themes.
The work is in three movements: Assai lento / Allegro molto - Lento, ma non troppo - Allegro non troppo; it is based on an extension of the idea of the classical sonata. The principle of constant variation - one of the sonata's specific characteristics - derives from Beethoven's composition technique in his later works. Karl H. Wörner: "Improvisation and constant variation are two of the principles of style which run through Bartók's sonata. The creative achievement of this composer, and his greatness, lie in his ability and constant endeavour to reconcile contrasts deriving from two completely separate spheres - the one from the highly specific art in the tradition of Western music, to which Bartók counted himself, and the other from an early stage in the development of music: folk music, with its element of improvisation."

Seven pieces from Microcosm
With the intention "of giving an opportunity for ensemble playing as soon as possible" Bartók added a piano part to several pieces from Microcosm, a work he wrote for pedagogical reasons, "and these pieces can be played in this form when two pianos are available".
Vol. IV No. 113 Bulgarian rhythm (1)
Vol. III No. 69 Study in chords
Vol. V No. 135 Perpetuum mobile
Vol. V No. 123 Staccato and Legato
Vol. V No. 127 New Hungarian folksong
Vol. VI No. 145 Chromatic invention
Vol. VI No. 146 Ostinato
(from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion: I. Assai Lento/Allegro molto {13:23}

2. Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion: II. Lento, ma non troppo {6:36}

Side 2

1. Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion: III. Allegro non troppo {6:16}

2. Microcosm {8:36}

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Barrel Organ in Hi-Fi

Street Organ "The Arab" - Barrel Organ in Hi-Fi

released on LP

*much thanks to KL from NYC for this LP

This glorious collection of noises introduces to America the sound of one of the most celebrated sights of The Netherlands, and the music of one of the great street organs of the world, the dazzling instrument known as "The Arab". In Amsterdam, this organ, and others like it, give enormous pleasure to young and old alike, and keep the air ringing with gusty music. In America, the nearest sort of music is that associated with merry-go-rounds and carousels, brisk, lively and bright, and with no pretensions whatever to anything but the merriest kind of entertainment.
And entertainment is what it provides, no matter where it is heard. In its own home, in Amsterdam, a special atmosphere adds to its peculiar allure. The city lies like a spider in a web of waterways, where the air is permeated with the briny tang of the North sea. The people are open-hearted and humorous and romantic, and treasure their old traditions, the old patrician houses dating from the seventeenth century, the narrow streets, the many bridges, the winding canals and that supremely indigenous construction, the street organ.

The organs are pushed by energetic men up and down the bridges, over the rounded cobblestones, around the city. On certain days each week, the barrel organ is to be found at the same spot, where its hardy band of followers pause to listen to its vast repertoire of waltzes, marches and hits of the day. The program played by The Arab here is a sampling of the music heard in the streets of Amsterdam, at any season of the year, in any weather. In the Amsterdam patois, a barrel organ in general is known as a pierement, and one resident has had this to say about the beloved instruments: "If the pierements were to go on strike for a week, refusing to leave their nightly abodes, and cease filling the city with their joyous sounds, to which countless numbers of people sing, dance and in any case smile, the residents of Amsterdam would flock together and start asking each other anxiously what was wrong. The Amsterdammer would find that this city had suddenly become still and grey, as it appears sometimes when the autumn mists descend upon it or it is enveloped in a curtain of rain, a melancholy city; which explains why the pierement plays such a vital role in its daily life: a large, heavy, gaudily-decorated cabinet, which produces a great deal of noise, albeit organized noise, pleasant noise, and noise with an irresistible rhythm and blood-stirring vigor."
Well, that is what an Amsterdammer thinks about organs such as The Arab, and to a large degree Americans will feel the same. It does produce noise, plenty of it, but so delightful and invigorating that it is irresistible. Any one of the selections is a positive delight in orchestration, but those the listener finds familiar will be even greater treats. Perhaps the simplest examples are the Mexican La Paloma and the little Oscar Straus waltz La Ronde de l'amour. Never has the dove flown to such extraordinary accompaniment, such whirrings and clashings and gaiety, nor has the round of love ever been completed with such boisterous high spirits.


As can be seen from the photograph, The Arab is an instrument richly designed to complement its remarkable sound with a remarkable sight. The Arab was built in Antwerp in 1926, by the well-known organ-builder Pierre Verbeeck. In 1948, The Arab was entirely renovated by its present owner, G. Perlee of Amsterdam, also a well-known organ-builder. The mechanism has seventy-five keys, eight of which are for the basses and trombones, ten for the accompaniments, twenty-two for the melody, and seventeen for the counter-melody. The remaining keys are for the percussion instruments (bass drum, side drum and cymbals), the conductor and the registers. The organ has three registers for the melody: violin (fairly strong, string-toned flutes), bourdon (a special barrel-organ register of bright-sounding, sustained flutes), and metallophone (steel plates). There are four registers for the counter-melody: celeste, cello, baritone and triphone. Is it any wonder, then, that The Arab is a mighty experience when in full voice?
Here, then, is The Arab in a program of remarkable virtuosity, demonstrating all its stirring capabilities. Whether in popular favorites such as Mister Sandman and Oh Baby Mine or rousing marches like the March of the Herald, it adds a voice in the sounds of the world that is absolutely unique and unclassifiable. As our merry-go-round organs maintain their special nostalgic appeal, so does The Arab. It conjures up a world where everything is bright and gay, where spirits and hearts are high, and where a childlike delight in the texture of sound can revel in such merry music. Follow along with The Arab a little way, then, and learn the pleasures of such a sunny world. (from the liner notes)
Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Va Pensiero {2:42}

2. Heut' Nacht wenn die Blumen traumen {2:40}

3. Blaze Away {2:22}

4. La plus belle valse d'amour {2:47}

5. Rose-Maria Polka/Anneliese/The Happy Wanderer {2:36}

Side B

1. La Ronde de l'amour {2:12}

2. Oh Baby Mine/Mister Sandman {2:42}

3. March of the Herald {2:17}

4. The Theme from Limelight/Vaya con Dios {2:35}

5. Mit Musik durch's Leben {2:19}

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Raag Yaman/Raag Shri

Pannalal Ghosh - Raag Yaman/Raag Shri

released on LP sometime in the early 1960s

The magic flute of this celebrated artiste was silenced forever as a result of his untimely death in New Delhi recently. And Indian classical music suffered an irreparable loss as Pannalal Ghosh was one if its finest exponents.

Born on the 31st July 1911 in the Barisal District of the former East Bengal, now East Pakistan, he evinced keen interest in music even as a child. Curiously enough it was the humble bamboo flute, which not so long ago was considered worthy only of folk music in India, that took his fancy. In his youth he developed a passion for this simple instrument and his most significant achievement in the realm of music lies in the fact that he more than any one else raised the flute to the status of a full-fledged concert instrument.

There is hardly anything in classical music that Pannalal Ghosh was not able to interpret on the flute and his performances were highlighted by the superb technique of Pure Exposition of the Ragas coupled with the soft, mellow, and soothing tone of his instrument which he specially designed. It is an outsize flute about 32" long and the seven holes on it are so wide apart that no ordinary flute player can play on it with ease and proficiency that this gifted Flutist exhibited in his playing whilst weaving intricate patterns in the course of elaboration of a Raga.

At the time of his demise Pannalal Ghosh was conductor of the National Orchestra of All India Radio at New Delhi in which capacity he distinguished himself with his highly imaginative and delightful compositions based on classical Ragas. Before that for a number of years he was composing music for the films in Bombay, some of which were big musical hits of their time. The changing trends in film music did not however suit his temperament and genius, which were more to the classical side, and he started concentrating more and more on his instrument appearing in concerts and music festivals all over the country before he got his last assignment with All India Radio.

RAAG "YAMAN"

This is a most popular Raga having all the 7 notes both in Ascent (Arohana) and Descent (Avarohana). The usual practice is to expound this Raga in the evening or early part of the night. It creates a very quiet and subdued atmosphere and is very serene in character. The slow moving flow of the exposition unfolding the ever surpassing beauty of the melody in the process of elaboration speaks volumes for the imagination and skill of the artiste. The first part is confined to a Tal (Rhythm) known as "Zoomra". This consists of 14 equal beats divided into two equal parts of 7 each. This is followed by a melody in the same Raga but in a faster tempo and is confined to the Tal (Teental) consisting of 16 equal beats divided into four groups.

RAAG "SHRI"

This Raga too is an evening melody. Its mood and character are serious and dignified and it is very difficult to expound. As the notes permissible in this Raga are also permissible in some other Ragas, the skill of the artiste lies in weaving such note-combinations alone as would distinguish it from other similar Ragas. The artiste after a short "Alap" or introduction in the beginning plays a melody in Tal Talwada consisting of 16 equal beats (Matras) and gradually develops the mood of the Raga by the combination of the notes peculiar to it. Later he switches over to faster melody in Teen Tal which consists of 16 equal beats divided into four equal groups. (from the liner notes)



Tracklisting:

First Side

1. Raag Yaman {18:32}

Second Side

1. Raag Shri {18:33}

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A Tour Through the Music Box Arcade

A Tour Through the Music Box Arcade

released on LP

Rarely do we have the opportunity to hear the sounds of a past era. "A Tour Through the Music Box Arcade" and "Music of the Roaring Twenties" is an L.P. Hi-Fidelity recording of some of the world's most famous and intricate music boxes.

Old timers will recall many of the mechanical marvels recorded here but it will be a new auditory experience for the younger generation.

In 1938 Herb and Bob Horn began the acquisition of what is now the world's greatest collection of music boxes. These date back to 1790 and each has been painstakingly restored to original playing condition. Almost a hundred, of the three hundred in the collection, are described and played in delightful shows in their fabulous Sarasota, Florida, attraction.

In this specially constructed turn-of-the-century building is displayed one of the world's largest and finest restored collections of antique and classic automobiles. Music, settings, costumes and the displays create a charming "Gay Nineties" atmosphere.

Horn's Cars of Yesterday and Music Box Arcade was built in 1952 as a showplace for the extensive collections of these antique music boxes and early American automobiles.

The Horn brothers manufactured school equipment and farm machinery, and in these plants, they acquired the skills necessary for the exacting mechanics of restoration work. They learned every job in the business from precise machine work to inventing, designing and developing mechanical processes.

The love of early mechanical innovations was the motivating force that led Herb and Bob Horn into the hobbies of collecting and restoring the devices that were responsible for changing our way of living.

"A TOUR THROUGH THE MUSIC BOX ARCADE" traces the development of music boxes through the years right up to the hey-day of the phonograph.

"MUSIC OF THE ROARING TWENTIES" presents the machines that were used to attract and hold crowds of people. Some were called nickelodeons and were found in saloons, restaurants and hotel lobbies. Others supplied music for the skating rinks, theatres, circuses, political rallies, sporting events and other outdoor attractions of the period. (from the liner notes)



Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. A Tour Through the Music Box Arcade {25:13}

Side 2

1. Music of the Roaring Twenties {25:50}

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Realm of the Incas

Elisabeth Waldo - Realm of the Incas

released on LP

I would like to share with you another musical exploration into the mystic Realms of the Ancient Americas - the Realm of the Incas! Through his musical instruments, and those of other brilliant Indian Civilizations which preceded him (Nazca, Mochica, Chimu, etc), it is conceivable that the Inca had a high degree of musical development rivaling his other great accomplishments of art and architecture. A semblance of the ancient music still exists in remote areas but is fast disappearing with the discordant advances of modern living.

So whether it was a descendant of these Quechua-Aymara speaking families who hummed an ancient air in my ear, or a reference from the Archives of the Conquistadores, I have striven with these rare instruments of bone and clay, superimposed on modern instruments, to maintain the characteristics and awesome sounds of this nation as it comes alive in my mind.

"Taqui" a "dance-song" was the principal musical form of Incan times. It was always blended in religious expression, and suggests stately rituals and pagan festivals. The simple five tone scale predominates and in turn is plaintive, lyrical and rhythmic. I have used an abundance of appogiaturas, mournful cadences, and suspension endings - all characteristics which make this music definable and contribute to the exotic quality.

Besides the musical possibilities of the Pre-Columbian past, the Entrance of Pizzaro heralded another transformation. The clash of ideals which followed with the impact of the European culture and musical instruments on aboriginal tastes is one of the engaging stories of all times. The results? A hardy "Mestizo" music which is the outgrowth and blending of these two forces culminating in the creation of new American musical forms that could not have been duplicated in any other section of the world.

The Spanish stringed instruments were adopted by the Indians and with their own brand of modification, used freely in interpreting their native music.

I have found that the Indian of all areas leaves his stamp on his musical contributions as indelibly as the African leaves his mark on the better known Afro-forms. Above all, the Indian, of noble soul, strives his entire life to unite the forces of man and nature about him. (Elisabeth Waldo)



Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Land of the Sun Kings {3:35}

2. Song of the Chasqui {2:41}

3. Incan Festival Dance {2:35}

4. On the High Plateau {2:56}

5. Making Chicha {2:12}

Side 2

1. Balsa Boat {4:06}

2. Swinging the Quipu {2:54}

3. Saycusca! (The Weary Stones) {3:38}

4. Dance of the Nustas {2:38}

5. Entrance of Pizzaro {3:47}

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Maracatu [REPOST]

The Elisabeth Waldo Group - Maracatu

released on LP

Performers:

Elisabeth Waldo - violin
Burnett Atkinson - woodwinds
Guy Horn - guitar
Peter Mercurio - string bass
Jose Pablos and Chet Ricard - percussion

Lovers of the unusual will find this album a fascinating offering of music and sounds from the lands of contrast. Mystic - rhythmic - exotic - plaintive - whether the strains that predominate have grown out of Indian, Spanish or African influences, or whether they have their roots in remote jungle lowlands, high mountain peaks or isolated villages - the strains are immersed in the primitive and filled with spiritual symbolism.

Before the advent of the "Conquistadores," no stringed instruments existed in this hemisphere. With the introduction of the violin and the guitar by the Spanish, a fantastic musical change took place with the superimposition of these instruments on the barbaric percussion and the woodwind instruments that already existed in aboriginal America. The Indians and jungle peoples set about carving new instruments in the likeness of those they had seen, thus creating new sounds and scales. And so, the stone hatchet of the jungles, born before the discovery of America, exists today side by side with that which has been contributed by the European culture. This music is the offspring of those two interwoven cultures. (from the liner notes)



Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Siembra {2:51}

2. Carnavalito {1:57}

3. I Coos (Oh Joyous Wind) {2:23}

4. Cueca {2:55}

5. Cancion del Carretero (Song of the Carretero) {2:35}

6. Maracatú {3:51}

Side 2

7. Tun-kul {2:52}

8. Tamborito {2:43}

9. Seri Lullaby {2:20}

10. "La Llorona" (The Weeper) {2:47}

11. Indian Procession (Lament to the Dead Emperor) {2:43}

12. Malaguena {2:55}

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The Art of the Hurdy-Gurdy: From the Middle Ages to Mozart

various artists compilation - The Art of the Hurdy-Gurdy: From the Middle Ages to Mozart

cassette released in 1975

Performers:

Michele Fromenteau - hurdy-gurdy
Francoise Cotte and Brigitte Haudebourg - harpsichords
orchestra directed by Roger Cotte

The hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy (also known as a wheel fiddle) is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents (small wedges, usually made of wood) against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic string instruments, it has a soundboard to make the vibration of the strings audible.

Most hurdy gurdies have multiple "drone strings," which provide a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes. For this reason, the hurdy gurdy is often used interchangeably with or along with bagpipes, particularly in French and contemporary Hungarian folk music.
...
During the Renaissance, the hurdy gurdy was a very popular instrument, along with the bagpipe, and a characteristic form with a short neck and a boxy body with a curved tail end developed. It was about this time that buzzing bridges first appear in depictions of the instrument. The buzzing bridge (commonly called the dog) is an asymmetrical bridge that rests under a drone string on the sound board. When the wheel is accelerated, one foot of the bridge lifts up from the soundboard and vibrates, creating a buzzing sound. The buzzing bridge is thought to have been borrowed from the tromba marina (monochord), a bowed string instrument.

During the late Renaissance, two characteristic shapes of hurdy gurdies developed. The first was guitar-shaped and the second had a rounded lute-type body made of staves. The lute body is especially characteristic of French instruments.

By the end of the 17th century changing musical tastes that demanded greater polyphonic capabilities than the hurdy gurdy could offer had pushed the instrument to the lowest social classes; as a result it acquired names like the German Bauernleier ‘peasant’s lyre’ and Bettlerleier ‘beggar’s lyre.’ During the 18th century, however, French Rococo tastes for rustic diversions brought the hurdy gurdy back to the attention of the upper classes, where it acquired tremendous popularity among the nobility, with famous composers writing works for the hurdy gurdy (the most famous of which is Nicolas Chédeville’s Il pastor Fido, attributed to Vivaldi). At this time the most common style of hurdy gurdy developed, the six-string vielle à roue. This instrument has two melody strings and four drones tuned such that by turning drones on or off, the instrument can be played in multiple keys (e.g., C and G or G and D).

During this time the hurdy gurdy also spread further east, where further variations developed in western Slavic countries, German-speaking areas and Hungary (see the list of types below for more information on these). Most types of hurdy gurdy were essentially extinct by the early twentieth century, but a few have survived—the best-known of which are the French vielle à roue, the Hungarian tekerőlant, and the Spanish zanfona. In Ukraine, a variety called the lira was widely used by blind street musicians, most of whom were purged by Stalin in the 1930s. Today the tradition has resurfaced. Revivals have been underway for many years as well in Sweden, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The revival of hurdy gurdies has resulted in the instrument’s use in a variety of styles of music including contemporary forms not typically associated with the hurdy gurdy. (from Wikipedia)

Tracklisting:

1. Danse Royale {1:08}
unknown composer, for hurdy-gurdy and percussion

2. Danceries of Thoinot Arbeau {1:21}
unknown composer, for hurdy-gurdy and percussion

3. Suite of Contredances {3:37}
unknown composer, for hurdy-gurdy and tambuorine

4. Noce Champetre {3:39}
composed by Jean Hotteterre, for hurdy-gurdy, cello and harpsichord

5. "Laissez Paitre vos Betes" {1:54}
composed by Esprit Philippe Chedeville, for hurdy-gurdy and violin

6. Suite Pastorale {6:42}
composed by Charles Buterne, for hurdy-gurdy, harpsichord and bassoon

Side 2

1. "Il Pastor Fido" Sonata No. 1 {8:56}
composed by Antonio Vivaldi, for hurdy-gurdy, cello and harpsichord

2. "La Servante au Bon Tabac" {1:59}
composed by Michel Corrette, for hurdy-gurdy and orchestra

3. "Aire de Fanchon la Vielleuse" {1:18}
composed by J.D. Doche, hurdy-gurdy solo

4. German Dance No. 3 K. 602/Menuet No. 2 K. 601 {3:33}
composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, for hurdy-gurdy and orchestra

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Tropes on the Salve Regina

Michael Sahl - Tropes on the Salve Regina

LP released sometime during the late 1960s to very early 1970s [educational guess]

Recently, I stumbled upon a copy of this LP in my favorite local flea market. Of course, I'm familiar with Lyrichord and its killer back catalogue, but this is the first Lyrichord LP or release I've seen labeled 'electronic music'. I wasn't even aware Lyrichord released electronic music until now. I am currently investigating if there were more Lyrichord electronic music releases and if so, how many more and what are they. At least, I'm familiar with Michael Sahl as I had a post about one of his other pieces on this blog a couple of years ago.

I would think that there would be synthesizers featured on this record. No liner notes are placed on this release, but still a safe assumption. When I put this LP on the turntable, I heard meandering electric guitar with echoing heavily processed plucking alongside. Nearly the entire piece is a recording of guitar strumming that is manipulated, processed, and played back at different speeds. There are moments of musique concrete throughout the piece. It wasn't what I expected, but it's still one of my favorite finds of this year which has been sort of a down year so far in terms of finding stuff in the second-hand shops.




Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Tropes on the Salve Regina {24:21}

Side 2

1. Tropes on the Salve Regina continued {16:00}

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Steam Locomotive Rail Sounds: A Farewell to Steam

High Fidelity Recordings, Inc. - Steam Locomotive Rail Sounds: A Farewell to Steam

LP released in 1958

This recording tells a story - the story of that bright winter day, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ran the last train on the Los Angeles Division to be pulled by a steam locomotive.

Many people had thought that Steam would never die, that there would always be trains pulled by giant steamers travelling the Santa Fe mainline from Los Angeles to San Bernardino and Barstow and points east. Steam locomotives and the railroads on which they ran had built the west. The bright, shiny diesels had come in ever increasing numbers since the end of World War II and though Steam was used less and less no one thought that the day would actually come when there would be no more laboring exhaust nor mournful whistle of the steam locomotive. But - that day had come, and to mark Steam's passing a group of railroad and travel enthusiasts known as the Railway Club of Southern California asked to operate the last steam train over this route, to literally say "Farewell to Steam" on the Santa Fe in Southern California! Supported by more than 400 people who "just wanted to ride behind a Steamer once again" the eight-car special train was a complete sell-out, and all along the mainline from Los Angeles to Barstow hundreds more stopped their cars or stood by the track to watch and wave or to photograph and record the passing of Steam. Under the expert handling of Road Foreman of Engines A. F. Murdock, Engineer H. L. Bryant and Fireman C. P. Kyer 4-8-4 locomotive 3759 ended 26 years of faithful service in a blaze of glory that will not soon be forgotten.

Maybe you were one of those who said "Farewell to Steam" that day, or perhaps you have never before heard the sounds of a Santa Fe steam locomotive in action. Now, through the medium of high fidelity recording you may take part in this wonderful adventure in Steam Railroading. To those of you who have fond memories of the steam locomotive and the enchantment that its sounds could bring, this recording is especially dedicated. (from the liner notes)



I'm going on a short yet much needed vacation. I won't actually be on a train although I wish it was so. I should be back sometime next week.

Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Los Angeles to San Bernardino {17:06}

Side Two

1. San Bernardino to Barstow {8:17}

2. Sounds of Southern Pacific Trains at Santa Barbara {10:11}

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Under the Earth Tones

Didgeri Dudes - Under the Earth Tones

released in 1997

Under the Earth Tones is the second album of experimental didgeridoo music by Jamie Cunningham and Brian Pertl, a.k.a. the Didgeri Dudes. The didgeridoo is an ancient Australian Aboriginal wind instrument that is capable of producing a wide variety of sounds utilizing combinations of pursed tones, harmonic manipulation, vocalizations, and circular breathing techniques. Using a sonic palette of traditional and modern didgeridoos made from wood, bamboo, plastic pipe, and cactus, the Didgeri Dudes and special guest Stuart Dempster paint ambient textures on the canvas of an abandoned two-million gallon underground water cistern at Fort Worden, near Port Townsend, Washington. This huge circular subterranean chamber boasts an extremely long reverberation of well over a minute requiring the musicians therein to play the acoustic space as an instrument. The recording was made during a marathon fourteen-hour session in the dank darkness of the cistern, illuminated only by the light that filtered through the small roof-top entrance. The effect of being totally immersed in pure sound for an extended period left the performers emotionally charged and euphoric at day's end. To recreate the dynamic and meditative ambiance of this incredible space, we recommend a quiet listening environment and high-quality speakers or headphones. No overdubbing, electronic effects, nor artificial reverberation was used in this stereo mix from the live four-channel digital recording. (from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

1. Magma {9:32}

2. Land of Snows {14:52}

3. Cosmic Frogs {7:56}

4. Orion Nebula {19:56}

5. Shudder {9:31}

6. Final Peace {8:19}

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Ivory Coast: Dan Masks

The Dan people - Ivory Coast: Dan Masks

music recorded from 1965-1967; released in 1992

Technically speaking, a person wearing a mask acquires beneath this disguise another personality. According to Black African religious belief, the wearer of the mask abandons his human personality to incarnate a supernatural being, most often an ancestral spirit, a mythical figure or a bush spirit. This metamorphosis occurs, from the technical point of view, in three ways: in outward appearance (costume, facial mask), behaviour (gestures, dance movements) and in the voice.

While African masks, above all the face mask, are readily identified worldwide thanks to museum collections and books on African art, their distinctive voices are much less well-known. The voice is, nevertheless, essential to mask performances. Although it is true that there are masks without a voice, there are others which exist exclusively through their sound without any visual disguise.

The Dan people, with their great variety of masks, live in the mountainous West of the Ivory Coast and, and over the border, in the Liberian outback. The greatest part of modern-day Dan country lies in an Atlantic forest zone which, in the mountainous Northern region, gives way to Sudanese savanna. The Dan are great cultivators of dry rice, manioc and, nowadays, of coffee; they also breed small animals and cattle. On the Ivory Coast, where their official name is the Yacuba, the Dan numbered approximately 250,000 in the sixties; in Liberia where their official name is Gio their number was estimated at roughly 100,000. "Dan" is the name of their language (themselves they call "people who speak Dan"), and it is under this name that they have become renowned for their plastic arts, especially their beautiful masks in sculpted wood.

These facial masks are called geego, "head mask", the more general name gee (glo in the South-Western part) designating the whole character. The gee, supposed to come from the bush, are supernatural beings endowed with special powers. Although everyone knows it is the village men who incarnate these gee (in principle the women are supposed to ignore this, but are well aware - in fact they even have their own masks) this in no way diminishes their supernatural power: sacrifices are made to them, blessing is implored of them and they are obeyed. A want of respect for masks is a serious offence, in the past severely punished, to one's society and religion.

Masks have their own hierarchy - some have a strong supernatural power and only appear two or three times in a lifetime. Others are just for public entertainment and brought out at any number of festivities. Some have no voice, others speak. There are many which both speak and sing or yet have a voice manifested through music. A mask's voice and its place hierarchically have no connection: music is used just as expressively with the most modest masks as with the most powerful.

The Dan have two distinct kinds of masks: the "dressed masks" (gee basi) and the "doffed masks" (gee kpa). The first are masks that one sees everywhere: men with a costume covering them entirely and a facial mask (geego). The second are sound masks created solely by their voices.

A mask is generally accompanied by an assistant-interpreter geesioe who repeats or "translates" his words when they are hard to understand, dialogues with him and, in the case of a mask who expresses himself through singing or instrumental music, sings with him. The Dan classify their "dressed" masks in a certain number of categories according to their appearance (facial mask, head-dress, costume), their behaviour (peaceful or violent, dance, acrobatics) and their voice (if they have one). As well as their classifying name, a particular mask in a certain village has a proper name of its own. With certain "doffed" masks, no distinction seems to be made between their classifying name and their identical proper name.

Since the Dan consider their masks (gee) as supernatural beings, neither the spoken nor sung voices of their incarnation can be human. Their wearers must transform their voices into the voices of supernatural beings. The Dan have perfected three techniques to achieve this - they either distort their own voice, alter their vocal timbre by speaking into an instrument, or replace the voice with instruments hidden from the uninitiated. (Hugo Zemp,translated by Jeffrey Grice)

Tracks 1 to 9 are devoted to "Dressed masks" and tracks 10 to 16 to "Doffed masks".

Tracklisting:

1. Geego "Male Mask" {4:13}

2. Geegble "Long Mask" {4:26}

3. Geekezi "Wicked Mask" {4:21}

4. Geenoonoe "Young Girl Mask" {3:01}

5. Glukoeglo "War-making Mask" {3:42}

6. Kagee "Masks with forked Sticks" {3:49}

7. Wepoekoegee "Mask that makes Comedy" {3:14}

8. Giata (The Masks' Race) {3:18}

9. Gia {4:14}

10. Geeglu "Multiple Mask" {3:10}

11. Gbinggee "Night Mask" {3:20}

12. Geemaanoe "Little Bird Mask"/Geeyibo "Mask that eats Water/Pawo {4:20}

13. Geewova "Mask with the big voice" {0:47}

14. Kong (Women's Mask) {3:44}

15. Wodongdogo/baagadioe/geiyomlo {3:12}

16. Blibana (Women's Mask) {2:40}

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Jali Kunda: Griots of West Africa & Beyond

Foday Musa Suso - Jali Kunda: Griots of West Africa & Beyond

released in 1997

In West Africa, the Griot is a musician, entertainer, historian, myth maker and more. For 800 years this expert musician class have been "walking libraries," responsible for preserving the region's wisdom and lore. Epic songs, genealogies and one of the world's richest instrumental traditions have been passed down through arduous apprenticeships, ensuring that the Jali Kunda (Griot family) endures.

Born in Gambia, Foday Musa Suso is a Mandingo Griot. He mastered the Griot's traditional repertory by the time he was 18. Suso then took his kora (a 21-string harp-lute), and traveled through Africa, America and Europe, providing audiences with their first taste of Griot music.

For Jali Kunda, Foday Musa Suso returns to his native village in Gambia with legendary producer Bill Laswell. They visit Senegal and Guinea-Bissau to encounter their Griots, learn their stories and hear their songs. Back in the United States, Suso and Laswell anticipate the next century of Griot music as Suso performs original works by avant-classical minimalist Philip Glass, saxophone innovator Pharoah Sanders, and muscular funksters Mandingo. (from the back cover)

Produced by Foday Musa Suso and Bill Laswell

Tracklisting:

1. Allah l'aake {2:45}
recorded in Kolda, Senegal; Foday Kuyateh, Tamba Kuyateh, Wuye Kanuteh - kora, Balla Camara - drum, Jewuru Suso, Bobo Kuyateh, Musukuto Sakiliba, Jonfolo Sakiliba - singers

2. Sunjata {5:45}
recorded in Tabato, Guinea-Bissau; Omar Jobarteh, Sambel Jobarteh, Fili Jobarteh - balafon, Yaya Jobarteh, Bobo Jobarteh - drums, Jalimakang Konteh, Mairan Jobarteh, Manda Jobarteh, Safi Kuyateh, Keitta Dindingo, Fatou Suso, Jalifatuma Camara, Mairan Camara - singers

3. Sinyaro {3:03}
Bolong Suso, Surakata Suso, Karunka Suso, Cherno Suso, Jewuru Kanute, Musa Kanute - kora, Funeh Kuyateh, Demmu Suso, Bobo Suso, Ndaga Kuyateh, Tida Kanuteh, Nyalin Kuyateh - singers

4. Mariama {4:31}
Momodu Salifu Baldeh, Mamadon Baldeh - nyanyer and voice, Sambel Mballo, Babakary Jallow, Mansa Baldeh, Dikory Siedy, Ganya Siedy - drums

5. Spring Waterfall {7:21}
composed by Foday Musa Suso with Philip Glass; Foday Musa Suso - kora, Philip Glass -piano

6. Jula Faso {3:21}
recorded in Brikama, The Gambia; Bolong Suso, Surakata Suso, Karunka Suso, Cherno Suso, Jewuru Kanute, Musa Kanute - kora, Funeh Kuyateh, Demmu Suso, Bobo Suso, Ndaga Kuyateh, Tida Kanuteh, Nyalin Kuyateh - singers

7. Sunjata {3:10}
recorded in Kolda, Senegal; Jewuru Suso, Bobo Kuyateh, Musukuto Sakiliba, Jonfolo Sakiliba - musicians/singers

8. Lanmbasy Dub {8:23}
dance track originally performed by The Mandingo Griot Society and remixed using samplers, studio technology and the electric kora; Foday Musa Suso - electric kora, percussion and voice, Jeff Bova - electronic keyboards, Bill Laswell - bass, sampled sound, Nicky Skopelitis and Clive Smith - programming

9. Jula Jekereh {4:50}
Mahamadou Suso, Mawudo Suso, Suntu Kuyateh, Yaya Jassy - balafon, Funeh Kuyateh, Demmu Suso, Bobo Suso, Ndaga Kuyateh, Tida Kanuteh, Nyalin Kuyateh - singers

10. Lambango {2:49}
recorded in Tabato, Guinea-Bissau; Omar Jobarteh, Sambel Jobarteh, Fili Jobarteh - balafon, Yaya Jobarteh, Bobo Jobarteh - drums, Jalimakang Konteh, Mairan Jobarteh, Manda Jobarteh, Safi Kuyateh, Keitta Dindingo, Fatou Suso, Jalifatuma Camara, Mairan Camara - singers

11. Samma {8:30}
Foday Musa Suso - kora, Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone

12. Sorrie {3:35}recorded in Brikama, The Gambia; Mahamadou Suso, Mawudo Suso, Suntu Kuyateh, Yaya Jassy - balafon, Funeh Kuyateh, Demmu Suso, Bobo Suso, Ndaga Kuyateh, Tida Kanuteh, Nyalin Kuyateh - singers

13. Yata Kaya {4:55}
Momodu Salifu Baldeh, Mamadon Baldeh - nyanyer, Sambel Mballo, Babakary Jallow, Mansa Baldeh, Dikory Siedy, Ganya Siedy - drums

14. Lambango {8:01}
recorded in Gabu, Guinea-Bissau; Abdou Kuyateh, Sirifo Kuyateh, Burema Kuyateh, Madi Jollo, Kekuto Suso - kora, Malang Kuyateh, Jaali Kuyateh, Aminata Kuyateh, Wudeh Kuyateh, Isatou Kuyateh - singers

15. Allah l'aake {3:51}
recorded in Brikama, The Gambia; Bolong Suso, Surakata Suso, Karunka Suso, Cherno Suso, Jewuru Kanute, Musa Kanute - kora, Funeh Kuyateh, Demmu Suso, Bobo Suso, Ndaga Kuyateh, Tida Kanuteh, Nyalin Kuyateh - singers

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Animals of Africa: Sounds of the Jungle, Plain & Bush

[uncredited artist] - Animals of Africa: Sounds of the Jungle, Plain & Bush

released on LP in 1973

Current research among naturalists tends to break down any remaining class-distinction between animals and man; the more we know about the other creatures on our common planet, the sillier it seems to judge homo sapiens either as superior to all others, as the ancients dreamed, or as the lowest conceivable form of beast, as some of us might suspect today. It turns out that nearly everything we thought unique to our species - city-building, war-making, tool-using, the ability to employ logic - can be already found in some other animal's daily behavior. Even a cursory listening to this record will dispel the notion that we are the sole possessors of the concept of language: I am sure that at least some of these animals' speech is as articulate as ours - all we lack is an effective interpreter, a Rosetta stone that would let us in on their secrets.
But for me, as a composer and musician, the most fascinating aspect of these animal sounds is their musicality, their phrasing. There is never any unclarity or tentativeness in their statement, and that is enviable from any artist's standpoint. Children have this directness, but when we grow up we cloud our speech, befog our meaning, lose our animal voice. Half the struggle of any good singer, actor, instrumentalist, or composer is to find that voice again, to recreate with great care what seemingly comes naturally to the hippo or the leopard. Some of us almost succeed in this, and that is why we respond so strongly to a Bille Holiday, to a Mozart, to a Varese.
It should be unnecessary to say what follows, but I think I must. Listening to this recording in the relative safety and confinement of one's living room could lead all too easily to the waggish parlor-game of finding amusing parallels between, say, the cry of the hyena and the opening of Varese's Integrales, the trumpeting of the elephant and a fanfare in a Mahler symphony, the chattering of the vervet monkey and that of the strings in a Beethoven scherzo. There exist, already, recordings in which bird and animal "noises" have been electronically reprocessed to make little tunes; I need hardly mention the craze, a few years ago, for jungle sounds accompanied by filtered-in sentimental music. All this shows a lack of respect for the animals themselves, for the dangerous and blazing beauty they possess and we have so often lost in our circumscribed lives. The African recording engineers have done so well to give us the voices of their wildlife as they are, where they are, in the forest, bush, hillside, and savannah of an enormous continent few of us have visited, and we are privileged for the gift. Listen carefully, and even some of the language-barrier between man and beast disappears; I find, for example, the passionate love-call of the "unbeautiful" rhinoceros as moving as anything in human music. (William Bolcom)

Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Leopard {1:08}

2. Vervet Monkey {3:05}

3. Hyrax {2:42}

4. Rhinoceros {2:24}

5. Zebra {1:49}

6. Wildebeeste {2:09}

Side Two

1. Lion {2:51}

2. Hyena {2:07}

3. Wild Dog {2:11}

4. Silver-Backed Jackal {1:21}

5. Elephant {2:55}

6. Hippopotamus {2:59}

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Sounds of West Africa: The Kora & the Xylophone

[uncredited artist] - Sounds of West Africa: The Kora & the Xylophone

The Lobi-Dagarti Xylophone (or balophon) of Northern Ghana and the Kora harp-lute of Gambia produce some of the most striking instrumental music to be found anywhere in Africa. The culture of the Lobi and Dagarti people has resisted erosion from Islamic and European contacts and their music remains relatively pure even today. The kora, on the other hand, developed in the Savannah belt, an area profoundly influenced by Islam and North Africa. While retaining its essential sub-Saharan rhythmic character, the kora reflects North African culture in its tonality, timbre and harmonies.
The kora has 21 strings that can be tuned to absolute pitch in at least three distinct tonal modes. The following is one common tuning arrangement. In ascending order the strings are tuned: F, C, D, E, B flat, D, F, A, C, E, (left hand) and F, A, C, E, G, B flat, D, F, G, A, (right hand). (Francis Bebey, African Music, A People's Art, Lawrence Hill and Co.)
The kora is played by the Griots (praise singers and chroniclers) of Gambia, Senegal, Mali and Guinea Bissau. It is taught by father to son so that over the generations a whole lineage of kora players take shape. When a young boy begins to play he must learn countless epic tales, myths, histories of tribes and royal lineages so that soon he emerges as the oral historian par excellence of his people. The first kora player is said to have appeared in the royal court of Kelefa Senneh of Guinea Bissau and formerly all Griots were attached to royal families. But in modern times, with the disintegration of the traditional states, kora players are more or less "at large" and every kora player must have in his repertoire songs recounting the ancestral histories of any number of wealthy potential patrons.
When a Griot spots a "Great Man" in the street or the market he will shout his name and immediately launch into an epic musical account of the glories of the man's lineage. A crowd is sure to gather and the man, the obvious focus of all the commotion, feels constrained to be as generous as possible to the musician so that he will continue to sing his praise as opposed to his defmation. The Griot still depends entirely on patrons for his livelihood. Even today, to turn a Griot away from one's door empty-handed constitutes a major social disgrace.

The Lobi-Dagarti Xylophone

In both Lobi and Dagarti, the xylophone is central in all life events from weddings, funerals, work and recreational situations to cult events. The Lobi-Dagarti xylophone is a 14-key instrument of a type that is widely distributed throughout West Africa as well as in parts of Central and Eastern Africa (e.g. Zaire, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique). It is constructed so that the wooden keys, mounted on a wooden frame, vibrate over graduated gourd resonators. The gourds have small holes covered with a thin paper (made from spider webbing and glue) which vibrates when the keys are struck producing a continuous nasal buzzing sound. Although indigenous musicians are less concerned with absolute pitch than with relative tonal relationships, the xylophones generally conform to the following pentatonic arrangement:
It should be noted that while the Lobi and Dagarti use the same xylophone, they constitute distinct ethnic groups with mutually incomprehensible languages and different musical styles. (Richard Hill) 

Tracklisting:

1. Bin kpe {4:41}

2. Kyipellu festival song {2:31}

3. Chedo {5:12}

4. Nyam born ti waa na {2:24}

5. High Life {2:32}

6. Jimbasin {5:36}

7. Tuntumggben {2:47}

8. Domme wa la sofgu {1:57}

9. Tu tu le tu {2:00}

10. Nabaya (My Beads) {2:55}

11. Ansu "Machhine" Menneh {1:44}

12. Ga da yina-funeral music {2:19}

13. Le ben doma {3:15}

14. Musa Koli {2:20}

15. Laminba {2:48}

16. Dembo {2:41}

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Central African Republic: Banda Polyphony

The Banda people - Central African Republic: Banda Polyphony

originally released in 1976; re-released in 1992

The Banda, who number about 400,000, form the largest ethnic group in the Central African Republic. Although their history cannot be reconstructed with any certainty, it would appear that they came from the East, probably from the valley of the Nile. They are thought to have settled in the region that corresponds to the present Sudanese-Central-African borders in the first half of the 19th century, and subsequently to have been driven into the interior by the raids of slavetraders. They now occupy the upper reaches of the Uaka, the Kotto, the Gribingi, a region of bush-covered savannah with forest galleries.

The Banda people are divided into more than fifty subgroups, each of which has its own customs, speech and music. The Linda and the Dakpa are among the most numerous branches of the Banda people. Being neighbours, and even having established themselves in the very heart of the Banda country, they share to a large extent their musical forms. It is, however, possible to distinguish certain modes of expression. For example, although the Dakpa and the Linda both have ensembles of horns, the form of the instruments, the repertoire and the techniques of musical elaboration vary markedly from one group to another. As in all parts of this cultural area, music is closely associated with social and religious life. Even now it still fulfills a central function at all the events of any importance held in the traditional village.

The vocal music of the Banda is largely monodic, whereas their instrumental music - which usually amounts to an "orchestration" of the sung melodies - can give rise to elaborate and highly complex polyphonic structures. This applies in particular to the music for horns of the Linda and the Dakpa. The ongo horn ensembles are closely associated with the ancestors cult and with the initiation of young boys. Today, however, the music for these instruments is also played at national festivals. The ensembles consist of anything from ten to eighteen instruments, the size of which varies from 20 to 160 cm. They are always accompanied by a pair of jingles struck together. (Simha Arom)

Tracklisting:

Linda Music

1. Music for ongo ensemble: Ndraje balendro, initiation song {4:22}

2. Music for ongo ensemble: Eci ameya, song for the cult of the twins [horns] {1:50}

3. Music for ongo ensemble: Eci ameya, song for the cult of the twins [voices] {1:59}

4. Music for ongo ensemble: Ebena ka cemato, lament {4:06}

5. Music for ongo ensemble: Music for dancing, gboyo {2:47}

6. Mvrele ensemble: flutes {2:21}

7. Mvrele ensemble: voices {4:25}

Dakpa Music

8. Little Suite for ongo-ngala {7:04}

9. Dance of initiates "Brother, I am suffering" {5:07}

10. Suite for the mbaya ensemble {5:52}

11. Damba lekpa, music for the mbaya ensemble {1:23}

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