Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir is an internationally renowned World Music
ensemble that blends traditional six-part a cappella
repertoire with modern arrangements. It is most recognized under their contribution to Marcel Cellier
's Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares project. First created as the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir in Bulgaria
in 1952 by Georgi Boyadjiev. The choir is now under the direction of Dora Hristova.
Singers are chosen from country villages for the beauty and openness of their voices, and they undergo extensive training in the unique, centuries-old singing style. Influenced by Bulgaria's Thracian
, Bulgarian
, Ottoman
and Byzantine
history, their music is striking in its use of diaphonic singing and distinctive timbre, as well as its modal scales and dissonant harmonies (abundant second, seventh, and ninth intervals).
Though the choir became widely known when the trend-setting English alternative record label 4AD
reissued a pair of anthology albums in 1986 and 1988 with the now famous title Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
, their recordings date as far back as 1957. The first pressing of the Voix Bulgares album was the result of fifteen years of work by Swiss ethnomusicologist and producer Marcel Cellier
and was originally released in 1975 on his small Discs Cellier label. Ivo Watts-Russell
(founder of 4AD) was introduced to the choir from a third or fourth generation audio cassette lent to him by Peter Murphy
, singer from the band Bauhaus
. He became thoroughly entranced by the music, and tracked down and licensed the recordings from Cellier. The group has since performed extensively around the world to wide acclaim and were honored with a Grammy Award
in 1990 for their second album.
Three prominent soloists of the group have also performed together as the Trio Bulgarka
, notably on the Kate Bush
albums The Sensual World
and The Red Shoes
. The whole ensemble performed with the Italian rock band Elio e Le Storie Tese
in the single Pipppero off the album Italyan, rum casusu çikti
.
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
ensemble that blends traditional six-part a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
repertoire with modern arrangements. It is most recognized under their contribution to Marcel Cellier
Marcel Cellier
Marcel Cellier is a Swiss organist, ethnomusicologist and music producer, internationally known for his Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares project presenting Bulgarian traditional music and his work with Gheorghe Zamfir....
's Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares project. First created as the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
in 1952 by Georgi Boyadjiev. The choir is now under the direction of Dora Hristova.
Singers are chosen from country villages for the beauty and openness of their voices, and they undergo extensive training in the unique, centuries-old singing style. Influenced by Bulgaria's Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
, Bulgarian
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
, Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
history, their music is striking in its use of diaphonic singing and distinctive timbre, as well as its modal scales and dissonant harmonies (abundant second, seventh, and ninth intervals).
Though the choir became widely known when the trend-setting English alternative record label 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
reissued a pair of anthology albums in 1986 and 1988 with the now famous title Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (album)
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares is an album of Bulgarian folk songs performed by the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir with guest-soloists Yanka Rupkina, Kalinka Valcheva and Stefka Sabotinova.The album was the result of fifteen years of work by Swiss ethnomusicologist and...
, their recordings date as far back as 1957. The first pressing of the Voix Bulgares album was the result of fifteen years of work by Swiss ethnomusicologist and producer Marcel Cellier
Marcel Cellier
Marcel Cellier is a Swiss organist, ethnomusicologist and music producer, internationally known for his Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares project presenting Bulgarian traditional music and his work with Gheorghe Zamfir....
and was originally released in 1975 on his small Discs Cellier label. Ivo Watts-Russell
Ivo Watts-Russell
Ivo Watts-Russell was joint-founder with Peter Kent of the English indie record label 4AD. He has also produced several records, himself preferring to use the term "musical director" to explain his role in the creation....
(founder of 4AD) was introduced to the choir from a third or fourth generation audio cassette lent to him by Peter Murphy
Peter Murphy (musician)
Peter John Murphy is an English rock vocalist. He was the vocalist of the rock group Bauhaus, and later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria...
, singer from the band Bauhaus
Bauhaus (band)
Bauhaus was an English rock band formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy , Daniel Ash , Kevin Haskins and David J . The band was originally Bauhaus 1919 before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation...
. He became thoroughly entranced by the music, and tracked down and licensed the recordings from Cellier. The group has since performed extensively around the world to wide acclaim and were honored with a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 1990 for their second album.
Three prominent soloists of the group have also performed together as the Trio Bulgarka
Trio Bulgarka
Trio Bulgarka is a Bulgarian vocal ensemble.They gained international prominence through their contributions to the groundbreaking 1975 world music album Balkana: The music of Bulgaria, originally released on the now defunct Hannibal label.The trio comprises Stoyanka Boneva from Pirin, Yanka Rupkina...
, notably on the Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
albums The Sensual World
The Sensual World
-Personnel:*Haydn Bendall: engineer*Andrew Boland: engineer*Stoyanka Boneva: vocals*Kate Bush: piano, keyboards, vocals, background vocals, producer*Paddy Bush: mandolin, background vocals, valiha, whip, tupan*Clare Connors: violin...
and The Red Shoes
The Red Shoes (album)
-Personnel:*Jeff Beck: Guitar*Haydn Bendall: Engineer*Gary Brooker: Hammond Organ*Kate Bush: Bass, Guitar, Piano, Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, vocals, Producer, Fender Rhodes...
. The whole ensemble performed with the Italian rock band Elio e Le Storie Tese
Elio e le Storie Tese
Elio e le Storie Tese , often abbreviated EelST, is an Italian band from Milan, formed in 1980, whose music is clearly inspired to the style of Frank Zappa, both in music and lyrics...
in the single Pipppero off the album Italyan, rum casusu çikti
Italyan, rum casusu çikti
Italyan, rum casusu çikti is the third album by Italian rock band Elio e le storie tese.-Track listing:# Rum Casusu - 0:21# Servi della gleba? - 0:17 # Servi della gleba 4:38...
.
Discography
- 1966 Music of Bulgaria, The Ensemble of the Bulgarian Republic (re-released in 1990, recorded in 1955)
- 1975 Le Mystère des Voix BulgaresLe Mystère des Voix Bulgares (album)Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares is an album of Bulgarian folk songs performed by the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir with guest-soloists Yanka Rupkina, Kalinka Valcheva and Stefka Sabotinova.The album was the result of fifteen years of work by Swiss ethnomusicologist and...
, Compilation, Disques Cellier - 1987 Cathedral Concert (Live), Polygram (re-released in 1992)
- 1988 Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, volume II, Disques Cellier
- 1989 Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, volume III, Disques Cellier
- 1993 From Bulgaria with Love: The Pop Album, Rhino / WEA
- 1993 Melody Rhythm & Harmony, Rhino / WEA
- 1994 Ritual, Nonesuch
- 1995 Box Set: Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, volumes 1 - II and Ritual, Nonesuch
- 1998 Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, volume IV, Philips
- 2001 Bulgarian Custom Songs, Gega
- 2003 A Portrait of Nikolai Kaufmann, Riva Sound / KVZ Music Ltd.
- 2008 Music From Alone in the Dark, composed by Olivier Derivière, Milan Records