Thursday 30 December 2010

Auto Da Fe-The Spectre

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Auto Da Fe was formed in 2000 in Pomona, CA by Martin Kvisvic (Pyramids on Mars, Amps For Christ) and Tara Tavi (Amps For Christ, Soddamn Inssein, Aye Aye Captain [with Dame Darcy], Blue Silk Sutures and ThunderSnail). Pan-global instrumentation includes yang qin, guzheng, tambur, bouzouki, tablas, wood marimba, balalaika, handmade electric zithers, Gothic harp, Chinese banjo, Tibetan temple cymbals and bells as well as traditional guitar, bass, trumpet, and drums.

"Martin Kvisvic and Tara Tavi of Amps for Christ teamed up in Auto Da Fe to mess up with the geopolitics of our planet. Using a brilliantly mismatched arsenal of traditional instruments, the two of them shatter cultural and political frontiers. Through the course of the 18 tracks, the listener is treated to guzheng (a Chinese zither), Tibetan cymbals, tambur, balalaika (a Russian lute), bouzouki, and various bowed instruments, in addition to Gothic harp and tablas (performed by guest musicians), and more conventional (i.e. Western) instruments. The songs -- all original, it seems, but there are no songwriting credits -- mimic folk styles to add to the cultural confusion. For instance, 'Past Times' sounds very much like an old English song*, except that Tara's voice is backed by guzheng. Following a similar logic, 'Ne'er Do will' could be a skiprope rhyme, 'Huar Weishenme' would be a Jewish lament, and 'The Spectre' might be a frantic East-European instrumental tune. But the instrumentation always sends such issues out the window. What is left is this duo's unbridled creativity, their knowledgeable disregard toward tradition, and Tara Tavi's voice, at times charming, haunting or scary ('Undun'). Several guests contribute to the sound palette, including members of Man is the Bastard. The overall attitude is definitely that of the underground folk scene, but ignores its improvisational/jam aspect; The Spectre is thoroughly composed and focuses on catchy -- if unpredictably arranged -- tunes. A find to treasure and one of the truly surprising albums of 2006." - Francois Couture in All-Music Guide

* Past Times IS an old English song-it was written by King Henry VIII in the early part of the 16th Century. It is thought to be written for Catherine of Aragon, and as it stands it is a great choice of opener for The Spectre, and a good indication of the procession that follows. Martin Kvisvic is also known as Pyramids on Mars and is known for developing his own instruments, which include solid body electric sitar stick (long sitar), two cello sticks, electric dulcimer, oud and bouzookie.




link here

http://www.mediafire.com/?sg8kkwc23t1u8ft

Sunday 19 December 2010

Hamlet Gonashvili

As previously mentioned in my post explaining about the origins of my blog-name and the song tsintskaro, I offer this album of Georgian folk songs sung by Hamlet Gonashvili.

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bio

HAMLET GONASHVILI was considered the voice of Georgia. He was an outstanding soloist, influential teacher and brilliant performer of traditional Georgian music. Born in the Eastern part of the country, he was know to be the best interpreter of songs from the regions of Kartli and Kakheti. He played an important role in the world-famous Rustavi choir, the first choir in Georgia to include into its programme songs from all regions of the country. At the hight of his creative powers HAMLET GONASHVILI died in a tragic accident in 1985 falling off a tree while picking apples. He had been awarded his country's most important honours and prizes.

After a year of research JARO has managed to discover missing tapes in Russia which document GONASHVILI's solo parts, in order to produce a collection of his most impressive songs.




***History of Georgian Music from the liner notes of Hamlet Gonashvili****

An element of the rich and diverse culture of the Georgian people, the traditional songs of Georgia are a musical chronicle of the country's history. Despite the numerous incursions of foreign invaders - Arab, Mongolian, Turkish, Persian - Georgia has preserved its language, both oral and written, its architecture, its religion and a large number of unique songs and melodies.

In the course of it's historical development, Georgia has come to have many lingual and musical dialects. The song types are named after the different regions - Kakheti, Kartalinia, Racha, Svaneti, Megrelia, Imereti, Guria, Adzharia - and their musical dialects differ considerably from one another in rhythm, intonation, texture and harmony. Fundamentally, Georgian songs consist of three parts although Gurian and Adzharian sometimes consist of four. A particularly interesting form of Gurian and Adzharian song is the krimanchuli - a type of yodel, a melody of a figural nature. To this day unisonous singing has survived in Hevsureti, Tusheti and other mountainous areas. Monophonic singing is common in certain types of songs of the West and East of Georgia.

Developed over the centuries, the traditions and styles of performances have been handed down from generation to generation by outstanding singers, many of whom founded their own schools and whose memory lives on in the minds of the Georgian people.

The Georgian chorals, priceless jewels in the treasury of traditional Georgian music, became particularly widespread between the 9th and the 12th centuries. According to the prominent musicologist Ivaneh Javakhisvili, even prior to the 9th century a school of sacred singing existed in Georgia. Evidence of this is the special attention paid to choral singing not only at the seminaries and academies affiliated with Georgian churches and monasteries, but also at Georgian cultural centres in other countries. Along with the diverse hymnographic literature, Georgian chorals were performed at centres of learning in Mtskheta, Tbilisi, Gelati and Ikalta, as well as abroad in Jerusalem, Athos, Petritsoni and other places. These seminaries and academies had splendid choirs where singers skilled in the choral arts were trained. Georgian literary sources of the 9th to the 12th centuries name prominent Georgian hymnographers, composers and choral performers who contributed to the development of the Georgian musical culture. Recording of the chorals became possible with the invention of the Georgian neumatic notation by composers like Georgi and Efrem Mtatsmindeli, John and Stephen Mtbevari, Mikael Modrekili, Catholicos Arsen, and John Mannchkhi. Of the collections of Georgian chorals that have come down to us, the oldest (10th Century) was compiled by the hymnographer Mikael Modrekili. It provides a good impression of the Georgian musical culture and craftmanship of the medieval period and marks the beginning of professional Georgian music.

Igor Stravinski "Recordings of the Georgian people's polyphonic songs represent important musical impressions. They are recorded in a tradition of active reproduction of Georgian folk music, the origin of which begins in ancient times. It is a wonderful discovery and can give us much more than all the modern music can..."



Tracklist

1. Satrpialo (highland, love song)- A mountaineers song performed in Eastern Georgia to the accompanionment of the "panduri" (ancient oriental lute)

2. Orovela (Kartalino-Kakhetian, work song)- Sung during the ploughing. Probably an ancient song, since the plough is an implement in use since time immemorial. "The song may have been a paean to an agrarian deity or one of the elemental forces" (Sh Aslanishvili)

3. Kakhuri Nana (Kakhetian, lullaby) - In pre-Christian Georgia "Nana" was the name of the sun godess. Later this meaning was forgotten.

4. Gaprindi Shavo Mertskhalo (Kartelino-Kakhetian, lyric song) - Expresses a family's anxiety and grief over the fate of relatives who have gone off to the wars.

5. Chela (Megrelian, carter's song) - A carter's lyrical song, accompanying some job that is not repetitive. The song speaks of the carter's lot, Chela being the name of his ox.

6. Tsintskaro (Kartelino-Kakhetian, lyric song) - An outstanding example of Kartalino-Kakhetian lyrics voicing a young man's poetical mood.

7. Shavi Shashnvi (Gurian, hunter's song) - A comic hunting song marked by harmonic wealth and contrastive polyphony.

8. Imeruli Nana (Imeretian, lullaby)

9. Chona (Kartalino-Kakhetian, ritual song) - A congratulatory song performed by a group of singers on Easter night.

10. Zari (Gurian, lament)

11. Kalospiruli (Kartalino-Kakhetian, work song) - Sung during the threshing.

12. Berikatsi Var (Karalino-Kakhetian, epic song)

13. Shen, Bicho, Anagurelo (Kakhetian, lyric song) - A song dedicated to the hard working young singer.

14. Daigvianes (Kartalion-Kakhetian, lyric song) - An elegiac song to lyrics by A. Tsereteli





I hope you enjoy this as much as I have and continue to. It is still available to buy through Jaro medien.online.




http://www.mediafire.com/?29dwyi21ctlw0fo

Thursday 16 December 2010

Before the Spring

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I took the blog name Before the Spring from the Georgian folk song Tsintskaro, the lyrics are as follows

"Tsintskaro chamoviare, tsintskaro (...Tsintskaro chamoviare).
Tsin shemkhvda qali lamazi tsin shemkhvda (...koka rom edga ganzeda).
Sitkva vut'khar da itskina, sitkva vutkhari (...ganriskhda gadga ganzeda).
Tsintskaro chamoviare, tsintskaro (...tsintskaro chamoviare)."

"I walked by the spring; met a beautiful girl; the one holding a jar on her shoulder; i told her a word; she got angry with me and stood aside."

I first heard this song used to devestating effect in Herzog's Nosferatu in the "last supper" sequence toward the end of the film and was later reproduced on the track Hello Earth from Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love" album. I've never managed to find an affordable copy of Ensemble Gordela's version, but during my search I was introduced to Hamlet Gonashvili (more about him later) and the Rustavi Choir...so anyway, it's probably my favourite song by anybody and seemed like a good thing to use as a name.


I want to use this blog to post some of my favourite albums, and the odd playlist. I'm new to this, so am getting used to the format and what-not, so hints and tips (like how do I embed video from youtube) are welcome. I'm not sure how often I will get around to posting, but the first thing I will offer is a collection of songs that I've been enjoying recently. I will be posting some of the albums that feature these tracks over the coming weeks.

So here's the tracklisting

1. Orovela-Hamlet Gonashvili
2. God is Alive, Magic is Afoot-Buffy Sainte-Marie
3. Uamh An Oir-Martyn Bennett
4. Gently Johnny-Paul Giovanni
5. Mother Goose-Jethro Tull
6. Murder of Maria Marten-Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band
7. Ritournelle-Emmanuelle Parrenin
8. Lunaria Enters the Blue Lodge-Fursaxa
9. Between Two Mysteries-Mount Eerie
10. Puhuri-Paavoharju
11. Eternity Road-The Moody Blues
12. Idumæa [Clodagh Simonds]-Current 93
13. Fast Asleep-Hush Arbors
14. Earl Gray-Fleetwood Mac
15. A Sunday in Madrid-Robert Wyatt
16. Husks-Alexander Tucker
17. A Second Fall-Hala Strana
18. In The Moonlight and Fog/Amidst This Apocalyptic Twilight-The Illalogical Spoon

Enjoy!


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http://www.mediafire.com/?42z810lprfzfsls