Beyond the Mystery – Vol. 1

Beyond the Mystery Vol.1: Village Music of Bulgaria; various artists. Authentic Bulgarian folk music. Field recordings (1966-1972) by Yves Moreau – Part of a 3-CD anthology of Bulgarian Folk Music.

The collection presents original field recordings by Yves Moreau recorded in all ethnographic regions of Bulgaria between 1966 and 1972. Numerous recordings of Bulgarian folk music have been released in recent years but the vast majority have focused mainly on the trendy professional Bulgarian women’s choirs, cleverly marketed internationally as “mysterious” or “magic”. This new collection presents field recordings from all over Bulgaria and the selections offer a precious glimpse into lesser-known instrumental and vocal styles, ancient instruments as well as more modern orchestras, ritual songs, dances in complex rhythms etc.

tracklist

                     Rhodopes

1. 1. Bela sam bela junače instrumental (kaba gajda) 1:53
   2. Râčenica instrumental (kaba gajda) 1:40
   3. Ne faljam ti sa, junače vocal (F (acc kaba gajda) 1:17
   4. Da znaješ majčo vocal (F) (acc. kaval, tambura) 2:26
   5. Minka instrumental (tambura) 2:37
   6. Prehvráknalo e pilence vocal (F) (acc. tambura) 1:53
   7. Goro le goro, zeleno vocal (M) (acc kaba gajda) 2:27
   8. Fatmice mari, hubava vocal (F) (a capella) 1:04
   9. Svomato instrumental (kaba gajda) 2:51
   10. Pospusni sa, Šar planino. vocal (F) (acc. kaba gajda) 3:50
   11. Izlel e Delju hajdutin – vocal (M) (acc kaba gajda) 3:20
   12. Šarena gajda vocal (M) (acc. kaba gajda) 2:04
   13. Pesen za Petko vojvoda vocal (M) (acc. kaba gajda) 2:28
   14. 100 gajdi instrumental (kaba gajda) 1:42Thrace
   15. Bavna & svadbarska râčenica instrumental (orch, svadban) 6:59
   16. Sânuvale Nedo vocal (M) (acc. gadulka, kaval) 2:10
   17. Bučimiš. instrumental (orch. bitov) 1:05
   18. Tâče Ginka platno vocal (F) (acc. orch, bitov) 2:22
   19. Snošti večer vocal (F) (acc. orch, bitov) 2:18
   20. Bavna & Stankinoto lice – instrumental/vocal (M) (occ. gödulka) 3:14
   21. Sabrali sa nabrali vocal (F) (acc, orch, bitov) 1:37
   22. Da znaješ mamo, da znaješ vocal (F) la capella) 1:19
   23. Late le, mamina vocal (M) (acc. orch. bitov) 1:29
   24. Pravo Trakijsko instrumental (gadulka, gajda, kavall 2:36
   25. Džinovsko instrumental (orch. bitov 2:30
   26. Trite Pâti instrumental (kaval) 2:00

Total time 62:57

The late sixties and early seventies were fertile years in the development of folk heritage in Bulgaria. Traditions were still very much alive in towns and villages and the Communist government of that time strongly supported and encouraged the development of creative and performing arts which gave birth to today’s still flourishing women’s choirs and folk-jazz type formations known as svadbari or wedding bands whose exponents include Ivo Papazov and Yuri Yunakov. Listeners will be amazed at the sound quality even after thirty years of storage for those old reel-to-reel tapes. Background noises, such as conversations, passing cars and motorcycles, birds and appreciative crowds have been left untouched. Each CD contains a 12-page descriptive booklet in English and French giving additional background information on the regions and the performers.