Rñyong San Ho-Sang | Ensemble Jong Nong Ak Oho
Ryong San Ho-Sang is track 2 on the disc "Corée : Musique instrumentale de la tradition classique / Korea : Instrumental Music In The Classic Tradition" Ocora label, released in 1988.
Showing posts with label Ethnic music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ethnic music. Show all posts
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Mexico - María Sabina
On June 29, 1955, R. Gordon Wasson, then a vice president of the prestigious banking firm J.P. Morgan, together with his friend, New York fashion photographer Allan Richardson, made history by becoming the first whites to participate in a velada. The nocturnal mushroom ceremony took place in the remote village of Huautla de Jimenez, in the northeast region of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Under the guidance of the now famous Mazatec curandera Maria Sabina, Wasson and Richardson each consumed six pairs of the mushroom Psilocybe caerulescens var. mazatecorum. After an hour the two men began to feel the effects, which were manifest by visions of colorful geometric patterns, palaces, and architectural vistas.
Life magazine, as part of its "Great Adventures Series," published in its May 13th 1957 issue an account of this event titled, "Seeking the Magic Mushroom." This article, which inspired Dr. Timothy Leary and countless others to try the mushrooms, is considered by many to be the instrument that ushered in the "Psychedelic Revolution" of the 1960s.
Huautla de Jimenez would later become inundated with hippies hoping to "trip" with Maria Sabina. John Lennon, Peter Townshend, Mick Jagger, and Bob Dylan are some of the celebrities who traveled to Huautla, seeking the spiritual guidance of Maria Sabina. Although the Life article made Maria famous, it also brought her great suffering. Sadly, her home would later be burned and she was banished to the outskirts of town as punishment for divulging the Indians' age-old secret about their use of teonanacatl, or "God's Flesh." She never regretted having met Wasson, however, and felt that it was destiny.
She passed away on November 22nd 1985, and is now a legend in Mexico.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Japan - Zen Hôyô, Liturgy of Zen Buddhism
Ocora's disc by Zen Hôyô features a monastic rite of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Its alternation of the recitation of sûtras and prayers with instrumental sequences is done in the monk's search for sûnyatâ.
Zen aims at a perfection of personhood. To this end, sitting meditation called “za-zen” is employed as a foundational method of prāxis across the different schools of this Buddha-Way, through which the Zen practitioner attempts to embody non-discriminatory wisdom vis-à-vis the meditational experience known as “satori” (enlightenment). A process of discovering wisdom culminates in the experiential dimension in which the equality of thing-events is apprehended in discerning them. The most distinguishing feature of this school of the Buddha-Way is seen in its contention that wisdom, accompanied by compassion, is expressed in the everyday “life-world” when associating with one's self, people, and nature. The everyday “life-world” for most people is an evanescent transforming stage in which living is consumed, philosophically speaking, by an either-or, ego-logical, dualistic paradigm of thinking with its attendant psychological states such as stress and anxiety. Zen demands an overcoming of this paradigm by practically achieving an holistic perspective in cognition, so that the Zen practitioner can celebrate, with a stillness of mind, a life of tending toward the concrete thing-events of everyday life and nature. For this reason, the Zen practitioner is required to embody freedom expressive of the original human nature.
Japan - Zen Hôyô, Liturgy of Zen Buddhism
Moines du temple Daitokuji de Kyôto - Récitation du Daihishinjû
liturgie du bouddhisme zen (2010 | Ocora Radio France)
Taisen Deshimaru - Maka Hannya Haramita Shingyo
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Viet Nam - Nha Nhac Vietnamese Court Music and Traditional Music
Nhã nhạc is a form of Vietnamese court music. Vietnamese court music is very diverse, but the term nhã nhạc (雅樂, meaning "elegant music" or "ceremonial music") refers specifically to the Vietnamese court music performed from the Trần dynasty of the 13th century to the Nguyễn dynasty, which ended in the early 20th century.
Vietnamese court music was performed at annual ceremonies, including anniversaries and religious holidays, as well as special events such as coronations, funerals or official receptions, by highly trained and skilled court musicians. Along with the musicians, a number of intricate court dances also exist (see Traditional Vietnamese dance). Both musicians and dancers wore elaborately designed costumes during their performances.
While the largest foreign influence on nhã nhạc came from the Ming dynasty court of China, later on there were also adapted a few elements from the music of Champa, which the Vietnamese court found intriguing.
Instruments commonly used for nhã nhạc include kèn bầu (conical oboe), đàn tỳ bà (pear-shaped lute with four strings), đàn nguyệt (moon-shaped two-string lute), đàn tam (fretless lute with snakeskin-covered body and three strings), đàn nhị (two-stringed vertical fiddle), sáo (also called sáo trúc; a bamboo transverse flute), trống (drum played with sticks), and other percussion instruments.
It is believed that nhã nhạc did not truly reach the pinnacle of its development until the Nguyễn Dynasty, when it was synthesized. The Nguyễn emperors declared it as the official court music, and it became an essential part of the extensive rituals of the royal palace.
Nhã nhạc is still performed in the old capital of Huế. 'Nhã nhạc of Huế court' (Nhã nhạc cung đình Huế) was recognised in 2005 by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Extensive efforts have gone underway to preserve this truly unique and highly developed art. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Nha Nhac, Vietnamese Court Music
Musique élégante de Hue - Vietnam, Nha nhac
Vietnamese Traditional Music
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Sardinia - Tenores di Bitti
The Tenores di Bitti are a traditional folk music group from Bitti, Sardinia who employ a polyphonic vocal style, often described as a type of overtone singing, whose oral tradition dates back to 3000 BC.
They extemporize or perform poems with each singer taking one of four parts: boke, bassu, contra, or mea'oke. Boke is the soloist and provides melody, bassu is the root and provides the tonic, contra provides the fifth, and mea'oke provides the octave above the fifth, filling out an chord in just intonation. There are in Bitti more "a tenore" groups and the most famous are Tenores di Bitti Mialinu Pira and Tenores di Bitti remunnu 'e Locu.
Another matter to be pointed is their accuracy in choosing lyrics. Both in dancing (lestru, dillu, seriu, passu torrau,) and slow (isterrita, boch'e notte) forms, the lyrics , by famous poets or from misknown contemporary authors, make the repertoire of Tenores di Bitti “Mialinu Pira” an important vehicle of literary transmission. These songs are profane poems speaking about the shepherds and their solitude in touch with the nature, referring to the popular world and its traditions.
The a cantu a tenore was proclaimed by the UNESCO in 2005 "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity"
Tenores di Bitti "Mialinu Pira" - Milia vattu sa Trota
Tenore di Bitti Remunnu 'e Locu -Sa bellesa de Clori-
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Gambie - L'Art De La Kora
Jali Nyama Suso : Kuruntu Kelefa et Kelefabaa
From the Ocora album release "Gambie - L'Art De La Kora" recorded April 1972, Concert Hall, School of Music, University of Washington.
Suso has probably done more than any other musician to promote the kora/jali tradition outside of Africa. He was a competent kora player by age eight; at 16, a fall cost him a leg, rendering him unable to follow the normal jali existence of traveling around and performing at various ceremonies. He started recording for the radio in 1956 and was a national star by the mid-'60s, even being hired to arrange the national anthem. He worked with American musicologists, leading to a teaching job in the U.S., where he was featured on the Roots soundtrack. In the late '70s, he traveled around Sweden, performing for devoted fans. He contracted tuberculosis in 1986, which eventually led to his death in 1991. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Burundi - Traditional Music
Whispering Song accompanied by inanga
Burundi girl sings song of welcome
Akazehe. Song of welcome
This music from Burundi attempts to present some of the salient examples of musical traditions in the old Kingdom. Some of the music is really quite amazing in the way that it can be both incredibly simple, but at the same time almost mesmerizing. The music are really more of the form for an ethnomusicologist, in that many are simply a minute or two and exist solely to demonstrate a given technique or instrument, but for those ethnomusicologists, it will be quite worthwhile. There are demonstrations of native inanga zithers, ubuhuha vocal techniques, whispered singing techniques, musical bows, and ritualized greetings.
About...
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Mongolia - Urtiin Duu and Throat Singing
The Urtiin duu or “long song” is one of two major forms of Mongolian songs, other are “short song” (Bogino duu). As a grand ritual form of expression associated with important celebrations and festivities, Urtiin duu plays a distinct and honoured role within Mongolian society. It is performed at weddings, the inauguration of a new home, the birth of a child, the branding of foals or other social and religious festivities celebrated by Mongolia’s nomadic communities. Urtiin duu can also be heard at the naadam, a festivity celebrating sports competitions in wrestling, archery and horseracing.
Tuva is a predominantly rural region of Russia located northwest of Mongolia. There, throat-singing is calledKhöömei. Singers use a form of circular breathing which allows them to sustain multiple notes for long periods of time. Young Tuvan singers are trained from childhood through a sort of apprentice system to use the folds of the throat as reverberation chambers. Throat-singing in Tuva is almost exclusively practiced by men, although the taboo against women throat-singers, based on the belief that such singing may cause infertility, is gradually being abandoned, and some girls are now learning and performing Khöömei.
English Wiki and English Unesco org
Spanish Wiki and Spanish Unesco org
English Wiki and Smithsonian Folkways
Spanish Wiki
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Tuareg Music in Essakane (Timbuktu)
Traditional Tuareg music has two major components: the monochord violin anzad played often during night parties and a small tambour covered with goatskin called tende, performed during camel and horse races, and other festivities. Traditional songs called Asak and Tisiway (poems) are sung by women and men during feasts and social occasions. Another popular Tuareg musical genre is takamba, characteristic for its Afro percussions.
About...
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Munir Bashir - منير بشير Meditations
Munir Bashir the King Of Oud (1930-1997) was an Iraqi musician and one of the most famous musicians in the Middle East during the 20th century and was considered to be the supreme master of the Arab maqamat scale system.
He created different styles of the Arabian short scaled lute, the oud. He was one of the first middle eastern instrumentalists known to Europe and America. Bashir’s music is distinguished by a novel style of improvisation that reflects his study of Indian and European tonal art in addition to oriental forms. Born in Iraq, he had to deal with numerous disruptions of violent coup attempts and multiple wars that the country went through. He would eventually exile to Europe and become noticeable first in eastern nations such as Hungary and Bulgaria.
About...
The Oud
Sunday, April 28, 2013
China - Nan-Kouan Music
Tsai Hsiao-Yueh - The Wind In the Sycamores
Courtly Ballads of Southern China
The Nan kuan repertoire was discovered in the West and in France in 1982 through the Dutch sinologist Kristofer Schipper. This discovery was a veritable revelation. Taiwan preserved court music from southern China that had disappear completely from that region and emigrated and took refuge in Taiwan under inexplicable circumstances. This genere has an aristocratic touch that has been maintained in the bourgeoisie of Taiwan and circles of its connoisseurs. This piece is composed of a chamber ensemble of four musicians. Two of them play the pipa and sanxian lutes, a third one a dongxiao vertical flute, and a fourth one an erxian two-strings bowed instrument. According to tradition the musicians sorround the solo female singer who conducts the ensemble with p'ai-pan clappers. Composed of ballads, the repertoires consist of courtly songs.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Tibet - Monks Playing Long Horns at Tikse Monastery
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Madagascar - Valiha
Chant in Xitsonga (one of the South African langues) and fuse Valiha-tube harp & Umakweyane (bow musical instrument) to bring a different flavor.
About Valiha
About Malagasy Music
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Bali - 'Kecak' Balinese Monkey Chant
Kecak (Ketjak and Ketjack) is a form of Balinese dance and music drama that developed in the 1930s in Bali. It is performed primarily by men, although by 2006, a few women's kecak groups exist.
Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 150 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana. The monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Ramafight the evil King Ravana. Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Eximeno and the Inuit Chant
Antonio Eximeno Pujades, (Valencia, on September 26, 1729 - Rome, on June 9, 1808), Jesuit, mathematician, philosopher and Spanish musicologist.
His great book Dell'origine e delle regole della musica colla storia del suo progresso, decadenza, e rinnovazione. Roma, Michel'Angelo Barbiellini, 1774 ("Of the origin and rules on music") was an important item in his time.
Eximeno had the honor of being included in Menéndez Pelayo's monumental work "History of the Spanish Heterodox".
In the appendix of the Italian edition Dell'origine e delle regole della musica (pag 537) appears, in the first line, scored a canadian inuit chant, maybe the earliest transcription of this subject.
Inuit Women (Credit: J.E. Bernier / Library and Archives Canada / C-001499)
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