The Gamelan Orchestra from Pliatan Bali - live at The Wintergarden Theatre in London 1952

The Gamelan Orchestra - Music from Bali 
- Record Two

Argo Records - ARS 1007 - P.1952
- (XB 100-3, 4)

Gamelan orchestra from Pliatan, Indonesia led by Anak Agung Gde Mandera recorded live at Wintergarden Theatre, London 1952

This LP was also released as: [Westminster XWN 2210? - P.1957] = Argo Records - RG-2 - P.1952

Side A

2-A1 Kebiar 8'49

2-A2 Oleg 8'44

2-A3 Barong 5'32

Side B

2-B1 Djanger, Ende, Baris 18'25

This is the cover of Record One that is already here in a previous post and to be quite frank I never expected to find Record Two, but here it is! It did however cost me a pretty penny and lot of determination to be able to share it with you and present it here. It makes me very happy and I hope you can share my joy! This copy is in wonderful condition and the photography of the sleeve is a joy to behold. There is not much to add to this post as almost all I know about it is already in the previous post!

Music From Bali - Record Two

It is a commonplace of musical history that Claude Debussy was considerably influenced by the Gamelan which appeared at the Exposition Universelle in Paris during 1889. But, with the exception of a number of Dutch musicologists — notably Dr. Jaap Kunst—few Western music lovers have any knowledge of Balinese music and the opportunities of hearing it-such records that do exist being almost unknown in Great Britain and the U.S.—have been few. Indeed, so far as London and New York are concerned, the recent appearance of the Gamelan from Pliatan, Indonesia, under its brilliant director, Anak Agung Gde Mandera, is the first opportunity the music lover has had of assessing this fascinating and highly organised musical art. Unlike much Eastern music, Western ears have no difficulty in appreciating the music of Bali, and it is certain that with the issue of these, the first long playing records, made in collaboration with the Indonesian Government, many will wish to become more closely acquainted with what, is, quite clearly, a folk art in the highest stage of development, In the opinion of those but qualified to judge these records present an adequate survey of Balinese music as it is today and can safely be said to serve as a comprehensive introduction to this neglected-so far as Western ears are concerned-branch of music.

Kebiar. This dance, created during the early thirties by a famous dancer from South Bali, inspired Anak Mandera to compose what many consider to be one of the most beautiful pieces co contemporary Balinese music. Following a bold statement of the principal motif a gentle swaying accompaniment is heard underlined, as it were, by the lower gong. Working gradually towards a climax the main theme is restated in augmentation while the accompaniment becomes more excited breaking into an ostinato figure accentuated by syncopated chords on the barong. This fine example of the Kebiar was awarded the all-Bali prize in 1938.

Oleg. As in the preceding work this music accompanies a modern dance, in this instance one from North Bali. It consists of a simple melody reiterated on the Hatong or Balinese flute accompanied by a variety of complex rhythmic patterns played on the various sections of the Gamelan with a bewildering subtlety of tone colour that is an outstanding feature of this branch of Indonesian music.

Barong. Is one of the many primitive dance-plays that are highly thought of by the Balinese. Barong is a mythical animal, a fantastic lion, who protects the Balinese against evil. He fights against Rangda. Queen of the Witches, symbol of darkness. Illness and death. The music consists, in the main, of a constantly repeated figure against which the roan of the lion are heard. At the death of Rangda the gamelan bursts into a jubilant statement of the main theme bringing the work to a close on a note of triumph.

Djanger, Ende, Saris. The first of these three dances. Djanger, is a simple folk tune sung in unison by boys and girls. It is a typical example of its kind. The second, Ende, is a fighting dance. A sham duel is fought out to the stimulation of a small gamelan consisting of kendang, small gong, and tarompet. The fighters are dressed in grotesque costumes and armed with roatan sticks. Although intended as a friendly sport there have been instances of the fighters continuing to the death. The third, Baris, is a short dance-play, in which Ardjuna, the hero of the Mahabhara epic is disturbed, while fasting, by heavenly nymphs, sent by the Gods to test him to see whether he is strong enough to become their champion against the Demon King. Alarmed, the Demon King sends a wild boar against Ardjuna who kills it. His claim is disputed by the God Shin. To settle this dispute Ardjuna fights Shiva in his human form and on winning the contest is proclaimed by the Gods.

Cyril Clarke.

quoted from the record sleeve

Technical Credits. Recorded during actual performance at the Winter Garden Theatre in association with Mr. Derrick de Marney  for and on behalf of The Indonesian Government. The original magnetic tape recording and transfer of the record to disc masters was mad. by Alec Herbage, Harley Usill and Cyril Clarke. The sleeve and label was designed by Victor Ross. Photographs by Dennis de Marney.

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Sicily in Music and Song - James McNeish 1960 recordings

Sicily in Music and Song

recordings from 1960 by James McNeish

Argo DA 30 - P.1965

Side A

A1 Tarantella (Catania province) 1'50

A2 La vò - Lullaby (Catania) 2'52

A3 Stornello (Catania province) 2'37

A4 Tarantellina (Enna province) 0'32

A5 C'era 'na volta (Trapani) 0'58

A6 Ballad of Giuliano 3'53

A7 Dungeon Song (Palermo) 2'18

A8 Lullaby (Trapani province) 2'05

A9 La nova moda di li fimmini 2'08

A10 Easter wailing (Caltanissetta) 3'02

A11 Romance (Catania province) 1'31

Side B

B12 Ballad of Turiddu Carnevale (Palermo province) 1'38

B13 Pastoral (Agrigento province) 2'18

B14 Tarantella (Ragusa province) 1'51

B15 Sonnu Sonnuzu (Caltanissetta province) 1'50

B16 Stornello (Enna province) 2'54

B17 Prayer song (Palermo province) 0'45

B18 Mazurka (Ragusa province) 1'31

B19 Nennia (Enna) 2'12

B20 Drum sonata (Agrigento province) 2'33

B21 Stornello a botte (Enna province) 2'25

B22 Scialoma (Trapani province) 1'18

Here is another of the James McNeish field recordings full of good music and atmosphere. I think that some tracks on this record are very precious in deed. I like the big variation covering many different styles and traditions, only thing that is sad is that so many tracks are so short. That does not make the record less important it only makes you want to hear more. I think the Easter wailing track, the Pastorale and the Prayer song are wonderful glimpses allowing a real time travel. The Tarantellina with the jews harp and the Nennia is also very good listening.

Hope you enjoy this one! I will post another one of his recordings with music from Greece, but a little later. Too much other music waiting in line... We will see what comes first, and maybe someone else has some more of the McNeish recordings they could pass along to me so I could put them together with the others...

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Portrait of Andalusia - Rec. 1956 by Deben Bhattacharya

Portrait of Andalusia - The Living Tradition

Recordings 1956 by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Record Co. - ZRG 560 - P.1968

A Street In Andalusia

The Roman Marchers In The Procession

The Cross Bearer In The Procession

Easter Procession In Puente Genil

A Close Up From The Procession

Penitents In Puente Genil

Side A

A1 Saetas et tambours assourdis 4'12

A2 Soleá 3'50

A3 Procéssion de Paques à l'église de la Macarena 8'34

A4 Serrana 4'04

Side B

B1 Cantiñas de Cadiz 3'46

B2 Soleá 3'15

B3 Alegrias de Cadiz 2'34

B4 Saeta mozarabe 1'03

B5 Improvisation à la guitare 8'44

B6 Soleá "Apolá" 3'01

Julian De Cordoba - (B2)

Juan Garcia (B6)

Accompanied by Jose Bedmar (A2,A4,B1,B2,B3,B6)

Antonio Fernandez (A2, B1, B3)

I really like this record very much and I think it is partially because I like the singing of the Saeta so much. There are some other great recordings of Saeta music and as Easter is approaching maybe there will be time to post something more of that. I have to say again that I find the earlier recordings by Deben Bhattachariya to be the most enjoyable and maybe it is the time that has passed and maybe it is partly the fresh and eager recorder himself. This record is in my opinion very pleasant as a whole and hopefully there will be more of his excursions in Andalucia unearthed before we have found all the records he produced. There is a gypsy music collection that may have some more. If you know anything more let me know and that is also in general if you find some of his recordings that are not here already I would be most happy if you shared them with me! This record comes with a four leaf inlay of accompanying notes and you have just seen all the photos from that folder.

After this one, I have just a few more of his recordings so maybe there will be a break from Deben for a while. There is no shortage of music however, just to little time to prepare the posts. I think I will share some more religious and ritual music as it has been a long time interest of mine and I have a big collection from many parts of the world and representing many of the faiths, religions and practices.

This record I got from Barraka, a long time friend who shares, if not all, so at least very many of my musical tastes. We first met already in the early seventies I think, looking for rembetika and demotica in a shop called Zorba, that like so many record shops are no more. It was run by a very jovial fellow by the name Costas.

Maybe you can guess that there will be much more Greek music later on...

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Songs and Dances of Macedonia - Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Songs and Dances of Macedonia - The Living Tradition

Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Record Co. ZFB 56 - P.1972

Side A

A1 Ipirotigo

A2 Mparfalidigo

A3 Karagouna

A4 Laigo

A5 Gotsari

Side B

B1 Ovcarka

B2 Crnagorca

B3 Battle Tune

B4 Spaivcheto

B5 Wedding Dance

B6 Table Songs

B7 Wedding Dances

Here is one more of the Deben Bhattacharya field recordings. This time he is going further south to Macedonia. A helping hand extended from a good friend in music allows us to hear these recordings. It was through him we were supplied with the rip and photos of cover and labels. Himself an excellent stringman who plays several instruments, pointed out the merits of the bouzouki player Dino Trig who is represented with three tracks on this record, A1, A4 and A5, all samples of rather inticate pickings, hear for yourself. Hope you enjoy! As always there is many things to read at folkcatalogues blog, also this one is mentioned in a post on a Greek Argo record that I will post here a little later. Read on here...

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Music from Czechoslovakia - Recordings by James McNeish

Music from Czechoslovakia - [Folk Music of Czechoslovakia]

Recordings by James McNeish

Argo Record Co. - DA 89 - P.1970

Side A

A1 Song — Dance 3'43

A2 Poison Ballad 1'00

A3 Children's Song - The Burning Sun 2'15

A4 Landler 1'08

A5 Love Song 2'05

A6 Drinking Song 0'56

A7 Bagpipe Solo 1'07

A8 Hollar Song 1'30

A9 Lullaby, Chodsko area 0'50

A10 Love Song 1'23

A11 Murder Ballad, 3'02

A12 Cimbalom Solo 3'38

A13 Nature Song 1'33

Side B

B1 Wedding Song 1'15

B2 Lullaby for an Illegitimate Child 1'43

B3 Bandit Song 1'50

B4 Bagpipe Song 0'45

B5 Song Without Words 1'58

B6 Polka 2'45

B7 Hollar Duet 1'07

B8 Bagpipe Song 0'44

B9 Field Song 3'12

B10 Bagpipe Solo 4'35

B11 Orphan's Lullaby 2'18

B12 Wedding Song 1'38

IT is said that Karel Plicka, the, indefatigable collector of Slovak melodies, amassed in his lifetime some fifty thousand texts and tunes. When it is considered that Slovakia in size, and population roughly represents only a third of Czechoslovakia the statement even if exaggerated, gives some idea of the musical resource of that country. Had Plicka devoted himself to Moravia or Bohemia instead, his rewards would probably have been as great.

Plicka's energies were at their height between the wars. And today?

In a corner of southern Moravia, to take one sparsely populated valley on the Velička River where I recorded in 1966, there are still two hundred individual Folk musicians of repute. In southern Bohemia young girls will stroll into the country, exchanging songs all day, and return at night without having repeated themselves

In mid-Slovakia, marooned in a rundown school under the Tatra Mountains, I encountered a young schoolteacher who began singing work songs at nine in the evening and was still singing, far from exhausted, at three the following morning.

A portion of the music of these three areas is reflected on this disc: a highly personal choice resulting from two postwar field trips. In these areas alone there is a complex of regional expression, enriched by western and eastern cultures, sufficient to occupy a team of ethno-musicologists for a lifetime. From the sleeve notes by James McNeish...

James McNeish

These field recordings were made in 1960 and 1966 by New Zealander James McNeish. McNeish is an interesting character. Born in 1931 in New Zealand, he did a BA in modern languages, taught a bit, then, in 1958, worked his passage to Europe on a Norwegian freighter.

He became a fireman at Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop and, after a spell teaching in south London, set off around Europe in 1959 with his first wife, recording folk music. He recorded in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary before landing in Sicily in 1960, where he stayed two to three years.

Back in London (1963 or 1964), he turned the Greece and Sicily recordings into two series of radio programmes for the BBC’s Third Programme. Two people from Argo sat in on one of the programme recording sessions, “got excited by what they heard and commissioned a disc”, he remembers.

The Sicily recordings – Sicily in Music and Song (Argo DA 30) – and this album got a simultaneous release in the UK and the USA in early 1965. A later Argo LP of McNeish recordings – Folk Music of Czechoslovakia – was one of reviewer Brian Rust’s albums of the year in The Gramophone in 1970. "A model of its kind, instructive and delightful."

quoted from Folkcatalogues excellent blog some more to read about McNeish and Argo there!

I choose this one because it fitted with the previous post. I will post the Greece, and Sicily albums mentioned in the text a little later but first there are still some more Deben Bhattachariya coming...

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Songs and Dances from Czechoslovakia - Rec. by Deben Bhattacharya

Songs and Dances from Czechoslovakia - The Living Tradition

Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Record Co. - ZFB 59 - P.1972

Side A

A1 Shepherd's Fujara and song 3'45

A2 Ballad 4'49

A3 Cerkany 5'56

A4 Mountain song 3'14

A5 Dudy 2'04

Side B

B1 Gathering hay 4'50

B2 Harvest song 1'17

B3 Humorous song 1'26

B4 Vitani jara 3'16

B5 V lete 3'00

B6 Drinking song 2'16

B7 Starodavny valassky 3'52

Here is one more of the Deben Bhattacharya East European folk music recordings. This record was kindly supplied by rff000, a collector friend in music who not only shared his rip of the music and photos of the sleeve but also made good scans of the labels, to allow me to keep the same format for the posts here! I thank him much for that! All I did was some minor editing for clarity and readability only.

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Music from Yugoslavia - rec. by Deben Bhattacharya

Music from Yugoslavia - The Living Tradition

Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Record Co. - ZFB 53 - P.1971

Side A

A1 Spasila sen Janka 2'08

A2 Vse tičice lepo pojo 4'25

A3 Bog daj, bog daj dobro večer 1'56

A4 Dance Music - Dude 1'20

A5 Shepherd's Music - Dude 1'05

A6 Wedding Music - Sophila 1'00

A7 Done Donke 2'05

A8 Ballad 4'15

A9 Epic song 1'30

Side B

B1 Treha 3'25

B2 Zorla & Tupan 3'25

B3 Kolo 1'53

B4 Što me gledaš tako tužno - Love Song 2'26

B5 Prelude 2'45

B6 Gonde Meho 3'02

B7 Cučuk 2'13

B8 Two Kavals 1'05

I have decided that I will continue posting the East European folk music recordings by Deben Bhattacharya.

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Music from Rumania - Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Music from Rumania - The Living Tradition

Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Records - ZRG 531 - P.1967

Side A

Brasov:

A1 Răsărit—a Găinusa

A2 Inflorit—a Rugutu

Cimpulung, Muscel:

A3 Doina—Cimbalom

A4 Hora—Dance

Olenita:

A5 Sîrbá Tigănească

A6 Cintec si Horá lăutărească

Radauti, Moldavia:

A7 Foaie verde foica vita

Cimpulung, Moldavia:

A8 Trilişeşti—dance

A9 Improvisation on Bucium

Side B

Lăzăreni:

B1 Wedding dance

B2 Talandar — dance

B3 Doina

Mera:

B4 Marching music

Leşul Ilvej:

B5 De—a Mîná

B6 Învîrtită — dance

B7 Doina

Cojocna:

B8 Slow dance from Pata

Cimpulung, Moldavia:

B9 Bătută—dance

B10 Farmer's wedding

B11 Tărăneasca, farmer's dance

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Music from Hungary - Deben Bhattacharya rec. 1963-67

Music from Hungary - The Living Tradition

Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Record Co. - ZFB 49 - P.1971

Side A

"Village Traditions"

A1 Csardas — slow and fast

a) Megérett a fakete cseresznye — The cherries are getting ripe

b) Szörkesztyü — The woolen gloves

A2 Song for Ring dance - Badogozzák a Pilisi templomot

A3 In the Green Wood - Zöld erdöben

A4 Pigherd's Dances

a) Pigherd's Dance

b) Esteledik a faluna — The evening comes to the village.

c) Hol lakik kend Báosi — Where does uncle live?

A5 Pigherd's Dances

a) Kanásztáne

b) Gyöngyömnek 100 forint ar ára — The price of my pearl is 100 florins

A6 Two Melodies on Bagpipes

a) Kukorica Csutája — Corn on the cob

b) Este virágzik a repee — In the evening the yellow blossom blooms

A7 Song of Szebeny

De sáros és porzik a szép Szebényi utea — How muddy; how dusty is the road to Szebén

A8 Love Songs from Ccárdas dance

a) Háromszinü sözre van a lovamnak — My horse has haor on its skin in three colours

b) Este késön koálltam a kiskapuba egy dül — Late in the evening I stood alone I stood alone at the small side-door.

A9 Wedding Song and Dance

— Máma tedd rá, holnap tedd rá — Mother how early must I leave you?

A10 Love Song

— Csütörtökön este… Thursday evening I was down at the end of the village.

A11 Fergsteges (Storm) — dance

Side B

"The Gypsies"

B1 Ciganytánc

— Two Cimbaloms

B2 Shepherd's Melody

— Juhászlegeny. Szegény. Juhászlegeny

B3 Gyors Csárdás — fast Csárdás

B4 The Rain

— Esik esö fuj a szél — The rain rains and the wind blows.

B5 Gyors Csardas — fast dance

"The Csango Hungarians"

B6 The Ballad of the Three Orphans

— Kaszálomba van egy nyirfa…

— In my grass field there is a birch three.

B7 Old Csardas

— Cicéles levélbül — Played on a pair of green pear leaves!

B8 Lullaby — Babaalitó

B9 Bride's song

— Készüjj Szep Leány Készujj

— Prepare yourself beautiful girl, prepare yourself.

B10 Kecsketanc — Goat dance,

Another installment in the "Deben goes to Eastern Europe" series. Next and last from Hungary for the time being, will be the Ocora. as always I hope you enjoy! Don't miss the tune played on green pear leaves B7!

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Music from the Middle East - Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Music from the Middle East - Recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo Records - ZRG 532 - P.1967

Side A

A1a Syria - Mawal 2'40

A1b Syria - Andalusi Muwashashah 9'43

A2 Syria - Water-seller in Damascus Market 1'21

A3 Syria - Flute-seller in Damasqus Market 1'36

A4 Syria - Derwish prayer music in maqam Segah 6'15

Side B

B1 Bedouine Camp Syrian Desert - Coffee grinding beats 2'37

B2 Bedouine Camp Syrian Desert - Ballad Bedouine 3'35

B3 Iraq - Ehlelawi 3'29

B4 Iraq - Tabl 2'41

B5 Palestine - Bedouine Love Song 3'08

B6 Palestine - Dabkeh al-a Dala'ona 2'58

B7 Palestine - Arabic Romance in maqam Seeka 4'37

Joudad Halibie,qanun, A1a, A1b

Mohammad Jabban, Ud, A1a, A1b

Hazim, rabab, B2

Al-Haj Hashim Mohammad Al-Rejab, santur, B3

Shu'aib Ibrahim, joza, B3

Abdul-Karim Al-Azawi, tabl, B3, B4

Audi Said Hattas, rebaba, vocal, B5

Shelim Awwad, Mijwiz, B6

Yousif Naif, vocal, B6

Sebag Yehuda, B7

It is time for some more Deben Bhattacharya, My friends have left India on their way back and they will soon be clooser to this music than the Carnatic. The classical indian music will stay a long time in their ears and it am sure it will never leave either them nor this blog. We shall come back to India soon enough but now lets here some Arabic music along the middle eastern countries. Time for some strong coffee with the Bedouins of Jordania and Iraq! This Coffe Grinding beat is even better than the one coming on the next Deben in the Desert ....

As always, I hope you enjoy!

Ud

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Don't you just feel uncomfortable when they chop off the head of the musicians !!!

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Qanun

Dancing Derwishes

Nay

Rababa

Water vendor in the market of Damascus

Smell the coffee Arvind and Costis ;-)

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