Archive Recording Reviews In this installment of the EAR you will find a review by Archive employee and UCLA Moving Image Archive Studies graduate student Anna Lynn Martino, Dr. Sam Parnes (PhD Ethnomusicology, UCLA) and Anagha Music record producer R.Mohan. If you are interested in reviewing Archive recordings for the EAR please contact us for more information.
Title: Deep Ska : 80 original ska classics. Published/distributed: London : Proper Records, p1999. Publisher number: P1113, P1114, P1115, P1116 Proper Records. Artists: Various performers including Stranger Cole, Skatalites, and Dottie & Bunny. Call Number: ARCD 4867, ARCD 4868, ARCD 4869, ARCD 4870.
Deep Ska is a collection of ska classics compiled by Joop Visser for Proper Records. This 4-disc box set and accompanying booklet is perfect for someone who wants to learn more about ska and does not know where to begin. The collection features tracks from the two major producers of the time: Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd. Tracks included are The Duke Reid Group’s Rude Boy, Toots & the Maytals’ John James and the Skatalites’ Green Island. The collection starts with Stranger Cole’s Rough and Tough and ends with Desmond Dekker & the Aces 007 from 1967.
Another highlight to the set is the illustrated booklet with liner notes written by Visser. He briefly mentions mento, which is traditional Jamaican folk music, and the influence of American rhythm & blues and jazz on the Jamaican music scene. Visser uses the notes to highlight the Skatalites and specifically takes time to discuss the lives and careers of Roland Alphonso and Tommy McCook, both of whom passed away in 1998. Though the track dates are not included in the notes, this is a fairly good compilation if you want all the ska standards as well as a smattering of rare tracks.
By Anna Lynn Martino
Title: Bayanihan [videorecording] / Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company.
Published/distributed: Pacific Palisades, Calif. : Masterworks Video Enterprises.
Physical description: 1 videocassette (58 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in. Archive Call Number: ARVT 103.
This amateur one-camera video features the Bayanihan Philippine Dancers at the Manila Hotel’s Maynila Restaurant where since 1980 they have appeared nightly. According to Joel Jacinto (director of Search to Involve Pilipino Americans school/social service agency, and dancer who co-founded Kayamanan ng Lahi, a Los Angeles-based Filipino folk dance group), the documenter may reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first Philippine folk dance ensemble to tour the world regularly (1958 to the present), Bayanihan influenced and permanently changed the approach of Philippine dance troupes worldwide. During tours, part of the troupe remains in Manila to entertain. Their recordings, and eventually instruments imported from the Philippines replaced accompaniments of solo piano or, on occasion, makeshift ensemble, although a few recordings were already extant before 1958.
After fieldwork, the Manila-based leaders of Bayanihan choreographed the typical show into a specific format consisting of dance suites, usually Igorot, Maria Clara, Moslem, and Fiesta, and finally a small group of traditional songs. The Igorots from the mountains of Luzon, as well as the Moslems from the south have preserved the pre-colonial music instruments and some of their traditions. The Maria Clara, named after a character from the revolutionary José Rizal’s novel Noli me Tangere, consists of dances from the Spanish colonial period.
The video, which lacks notes, consists of an extended excerpt from their show It begins with a set atypical of the touring ensemble, consisting of a rondalla-accompanied choral performance of recent popular songs, including “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika” (How Beautiful Is Our Music) by Ryan Cayabyab, and “Anak” (Child) by Freddie Aguilar. After an MC says his only words: “Welcome and Mabuhay,” the Igorot suite begins with a bird-imitating dance, and includes Banga–a demanding dance involving the balancing of many water jugs on top of the head. A female soloist sings “Sampaguita,” a late nineteenth-century song devoted to Philippines’ national flower. The Maria Clara Suite consists of “Jovencita,” “Putritos,” and ends with a castinet-filled jota from the region around Manila. The Moslem Suite begins with “Malong” where the women display their scarves and the men some martial arts moves. The following dance, probably “Pangalay,” features a woman wearing metal extensions on her fingers. “Vinta” involves balancing on two bamboo poles, representing a boat. The suite closes with “Singkil.” where a prince and princess perform over clicking bamboo poles. With the camera below stage level, much is lost here. The soloist returns, singing an early twentieth century song “Kabukiran,” (Countryside). The Fiesta Suite begins with the “Pandango sa Ilaw/Oasioas,” another demanding dance that calls for balancing lanterns on the head and both hands, and imitates the fishermen at night. The dance song “Antipolo” reflects the annual pilgrimage to this town near Manila. The video ends before the next dance song “Santa Clara,” a devotion to this saint, is finished.
The camera position is the first of three major problems. A wineglass on a nearby table often obscures the dancing. The color often fades to black and white. It takes a special ability to photograph dance well.
By Dr. Sam Parnes
Title: Music! 100 recordings, 100 years of the Berlin Phonogramm-Archiv, 1900-2000. Published/distributed: Mainz, Germany : Wergo, p2000. Publisher number: SM 1701 2 Wergo. SM 1702 2 Wergo. SM 1703 2 Wergo. SM 1704 2 Wergo. Physical description: 4 sound discs : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Call Number: ARCD 617-620.
The Berlin Sound Recording Archive, founded in 1901, is the second-oldest archive devoted exclusively to music field recordings. A collection in Vienna was founded in 1899. In 1901, when similar libraries in the United States had not yet separated ethnomusicology from anthropology, when ethnologists dominated by Franz Boas collected American Indian music, ethnomusicology was born in Berlin with the acoustician Carl Stumpf and his colleague Erich von Hornbostel, both of whom founded the Berlin archive. In ethnomusicology, the four CD set could be the most important compilation ever, because it covers practically the entire history of field recording. Although the earliest date in the title is 1900, the earliest example, Franz Boas’ recording of a dance song from the Thompson River Indians of British Columbia, dates from 1897, only seven years after the first field recording, that of the Passamquady Indians of Maine.
The four CDs, edited by Artur Simon and.Ulrich Wegner, the former the editor of all the recordings of the Museum Collection Berlin, are accompanied by extensive descriptions. The program notes form a 284-page book with photographs. The description of each field recording is an article, either newly written or extracted from the writing of the given collector. The first CD consists of wax cylinder recordings from 1897 to 1935 (not 1983 to 1954 indicated in the subtitle), the second consisting of reel-to-reel tapes from 1951 to 1974, and the last two CDs include more recent fieldwork. Here we focus on only the cylinder recordings.
The CD begins with a selection dating from September 24, 1900, when Carl Stumpf documented a Thai theatrical troupe in the Berlin Zoological Gardens. The archive started with the cylinders of this flute and xylophone ensemble. Stumpf’s research eventually resulted in his article “Tonsystem und Musik der Siamesen.” Nine other Asian recordings follow, then 6 from Oceania, 12 from Africa, 6 from the Americas, and 7 from Europe. (The other CDs are also arranged geographically.) The individuals who collected this music (besides Stumpf) are 15 ethnologists, 8 ethnomusicologists, 4 musicians (including a musicologist), 2 linguists and a language teacher, 2 missionaries, 2 explorers, a chemist, a physician, a military lieutenant, a translator/consul, a teacher, a museum curator, a historian, and a teacher. All were recorded in the areas in question except for the Thai troupe mentioned above, and some Hopi Indians who visited Berlin six years later.
Many cylinders in the Berlin archives have deteriorated to such an extent that they could not be included in a compilation. All of the selections are accompanied by the rhythmical click of the cylinder mechanism. In the most deteriorated examples in the compilation, for instance, the masked dance song from New Guinea, the click affects the singers’ pitch, in other words, a noticeable wow occurs. Some instruments are too soft to be recorded well, for instance, the mbiras. The quality of many vocal selections was too poor for the lyrics to be translated. Some cylinders could not be transcribed to any other recording medium without recent digital scanning technology–specifically the oversized concert cylinders such as those that an unnamed Arab ethnomusicologist used to record Tuareg caravan songs.
In at least one case, the lyrics most likely could be translated, but the research had not been accomplished. In 1934, the Czech pianist and composer based in Manila, Jeno von Takacs made 40 recordings of Igorots (indigenous inhabitants from the mountains of Northern Luzon) at a gold mine where they were forced to work. The collection disappeared during World War II, and was believed to be lost until discovered in 1993. With Von Takacs most likely not understanding the Igorot dialects, combined with the long disappearance of the collection, this means research is still in the future. Some study has already yielded corrections to misidentified cylinders; for example in 1999, the Hopis said that a “Snake Song” was actually a butterfly dance, and that a “Song of the Dead” was a long hair katsina song.
Some music is familiar, but many traditions died out. A 1911 recording “Temple Music” is actually the Japanese gagaku piece “Etenraku” which has remained unchanged and remains a staple of gagaku (Many ethnomusicology students, including myself, have tried their hand performing this piece in universities whose departments include Japanese ensembles.) The Chinese Yangzi River rowing songs died out when boats started to be motorized. The Uzbec qobuz 2-string fiddle was common in the cities, then moved to rural areas where it has practically vanished. Other genres that now exist only on recording is the entire repertoires of Tierra del Fuegan tribes (the people died out also), the Monumbo masked dance songs of New Guinea, the Kurdish death laments of Turkey, Hopi Katsina songs, Wendish spinning songs, and German culture in Bohemia (extinguished because of World War II). In some cases the style remains but the tradition died out; for example, the Kurdish laments, and the oiwaku of the Echigo region of Japan. Polish folksongs are important, but the old singing method is no longer extant.
Among the examples are the oldest recordings ever of an ethnic group or tradition: Yemenite Jewish songs in Yemen (although some were recorded in Jerusalem earlier), the Kurds of Turkey, Australian Aboriginal “Dreamland” songs, Thai music, and Creole/Aboriginal Argentines. Some recordings are unique, such as the imitations of Krishna’s flute by a singer who was a friend of Mahatma Gandhi, and auditory illusion effects from a lamellophone in Angola.
Because of everything explained above, this anthology of cylinder recordings cannot be overlooked.
By Dr. Sam Parnes
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Author/Name: Sayeeram, Aruna.Title: Sree Ramaseva Mandali / Aruna Sairam. Published/distributed: Bangalore, India : Anagha Music, cp2003. Publisher number: AMYL 0001. Call Number ARCD 4933-4934
Author/Name: Hyderabad Brothers. Title: Sree Ramaseva Mandali / Hyderabad Brothers. Published/distributed: Bangalore, India: Anagha Music, cp2003. Publisher number: AMYL 0002. Call Number: ARCD 4935-4936
Author/Name: Thyagarajan, O. S. Title: Sree Ramaseva Mandali / O. S. Thiagarajan. Published/distributed: Bangalore, India : Anagha Music, cp2003. Publisher number: AMYL 0003. Call Number 4937-4938
Anagha Music presents a series of live recordings of concerts of classical Carnatic music of concerts held under the aegis of the prestigious “Sree Rama Seva Mandali” at Bangalore. These live concert recordings have been brought out with a desire to share these delightful moments with Carnatic Music lovers who long to hear such quality concerts recorded live. It is hoped to re-kindle the warm feelings these concerts evoked in the hearts of audiences in the hallowed confines of “Sree Rama Seva Mandali”, Bangalore. For those who were unable to be present at these concerts, it is hoped to bring through these recordings, the sublime feelings of warmth and contentment experienced by the audience then.
The concerts have been presented in the un-edited version, in the same sequence of rendering, lest the musical value and depth evoked during these concerts be compromised. It is hoped that the connoisseurs of Carnatic music will enjoy the recordings of these concerts and savour the essence of wonderful Carnatic music. The lyrics of the compositions have been compiled in the booklets presented with the CDs for the reference of enthusiasts.
Anagha Music presents the artistes of the calibre of Aruna Sairam, O.S Thyagarajan and Hyderabad Brothers in its maiden venture.
Aruna Sairam (ARCD is a seasoned artist with a vigorous voice that has good range and appeal. Her voice has an unusual timbre that gives strength to her renditions. She exudes certain vibrancy and charm in her concerts, which is received well by her audience. Her renderings reveal her sincerity and intensity of expression and feel for lyrics. Aruna Sairam is one of the rare musicians who have developed a very good insight of the compositions she renders. She is a very popular artist who sincerely tries to satisfy the demands of her audience. Aruna's concert is an all-mix of elements-devotion, joy, range, resonance and impact.
She lives up to their expectations in this concert. All Muthuswamy Dikshiter’s compositions taken up by her have been rendered with a rare degree of balance and poise. The Anandabhiravi composition of Dikshiter ‘Thygarajayoga’ was rendered with an emphasis to bring out the beauty of the lyrics. The ‘Amritavarshini’ composition of Dikshiter was rendered with a certain amount of freeness and abandonment. ‘Rajagopalam Bhaje ‘ of Dikshiter in ‘Mohanam’ was rendered elaborately bringing in the subtleties of the composition. She took up Hemavathi for rendering the ‘Ragam Thanam Pallavi’. She interspersed her renderings with several Purandara Dasar’s compositions. Her ‘Abhang’ of Janabhai brought out the simplicity of this great saint who was a servant in the household of Saint Jnaneshwar. In this concert she was well supported by Nalina Mohan’s fluent bowing on the violin and supportive accompaniment by Tanjavur Murugabhupathy on the Mridangam and Ms Sukhanya Ramgopal on the Ghatam.
Hyderabad Brothers, D.Seshachari and D.Raghavachari, hail from an orthodox music family from Andhra Pradesh. They underwent systematic training under the guidance of their father. They emerged as very good performers at a very tender age. They are one of the most popular vocal duos in Carnatic music today. They have great understanding between each other. Their scholarship is amply complimented by their well-matched voices. The brothers have evolved a compact pattern of presentation. They have mastered the art of performing appealing Carnatic music concerts by virtue of their immense scholarship and strict adherence to tradition. Their music, which has great strength and appeal, is bright, imaginative and full of verve and vigour. Their grip over ‘sruthi’, ‘laya’ and ‘sahithya bhava’ is remarkable. Their repertoire is wide and varied.
The Hyderabad Brothers were in an introspective mood during the entire concert whose recordings are presented by Anagha Music. The tempo of the varnam in ‘Sri’ Ragam was slow and majestic and this set the concert’s tone within the first few minutes of its commencement. The depth in the voice of Sheshachary brought out the essence of the raga and the composition. The ‘Nattai’ that followed revealed the deep serenity of Dikshithar’s composition “ Swaminatha Paripalaya”. Deeply evocative and classic rendering of Thyagaraja’s “Brova Bharama” in ‘Bahudhari’ followed. The violinist Ramanujacharyulu showed his mettle and the sensitivity in the intervening passages, which enhanced the overall beauty of this presentation in Bahudari. Thygarajar’s “Durmargachara” in ‘Ranjini’ was very focussed and the rhythmic interludes revealed the brothers’ balanced grip on laya and bhava. The rare Ananda Bhairavi composition “Neeka Teliyaka” of Thygarajar was rendered with mastery and flair, while the Padams and Javalis were handled sensitively. The compositions of Purandara Dasa and Sadashiva Bramhendra sung to perfection had a profound effect on the audience.
V.Praveen on the mridangam and M.A. Krishnaswamy on the Ghatam provided just the right kind of accompaniment to lift this concert to a new high. This gem of a concert is a collector’s item for the fans of Hyderabad Brothers.
O.S.Thyagarajan, a senior vocalist of repute is one of the most sought-after musicians today. He hails from a very traditional and distinguished music family from a village in Tanjore District. He had his initial training under his father. He had the privilege of being a disciple of Tiger Varadachariar and Tanjavur Ponniah Pillai. He further enriched his knowledge under Lalgudi Jayaraman and T M Thyagarajan. He has a very expressive voice, which one feels has a certain smoothness of unrestricted movement over the octaves. The voice seems to glide effortlessly and there is not a moment of uncertainty or tentativeness in his presentations. His concerts are known for his scholarship and strict adherence to tradition.
The music lovers are blessed to be present in concerts when the music presented by the artistes elevates them to greater aesthetic sense. These concerts are talked about for a long time and remembered nostalgically by those who were present during those concerts. This is a peculiar chemistry of receptivity of listener’s minds, sudden inspiration propelled by artistic urge, scholarly presentation, emotive accompaniment, and good selection of items, intellectual stimulation and excellent arrangement by the organisers. One such concert was by O.S.Thyagarajan, under the aegis of SVN academy, which is the offshoot of the famed Sri Rama Seva Mandali, Bangalore, which is presented by Anagha Music. This concert had everything a connoisseur looks for in Carnatic Music concerts. It revealed the scholarship of the vocalist in the elaborate ‘Thodi’ ‘alapana’ rendered during ‘Ragam Thanam Pallavi’. The varnam in ‘Begada’ set the tempo of the concert. Shyama Shastri’s composition “Shankari Shankaru” in the raga Saveri was rendered deftly, keeping intact the feel for the lyrics of the composer. The Kannada Gowla composition of Thygaraja “Orajupu Ju “ was rendered with deep devotion and though brief, it left a lasting impact on the music lovers. The Kalyani raga Alapana for Thygarajar’s ‘Amma Ravamma’ showed the artiste in very good form .His voice moved with absolute ease and was very expressive throughout the rendering of this piece. “Vanadamu” in ‘Sahana’ by Thygaraja was rendered with a lot of feel and sensitivity. In spite of a sudden jump in the ‘charanam’ due to power failure during the recording of this concert, it was decided to provide the evocative ‘alapana’ in this raga rendered by the vocalist for the music lovers to savour this experience.
By R.Mohan
