European music often invokes images of classical greats such as
Beethoven or Mozart, perpetuating a long-standing tradition of
orchestration and performance that is still prevalent in many areas
of the world today.
But these compositions hardly represent the only type of music
with a European origin. A more primitive and rhythmic style of
music preceded the invention of such instruments as the classical
pianoforte and still continue on today under the label of
“folk music.”
The Hammer Museum’s Spring Festival of World Music will
expose listeners to this unique kind of sound on April 23, when the
Balkan Music Ensemble performs. But don’t get the wrong idea
of the label “folk music.” This performance will have
little in common with singer-songwriters such as James Taylor and
Joni Mitchell, and will instead showcase an ensemble comprised by a
women’s choir, with traditional Bulgarian
instrumentation.
Music traditionally holds a very prominent position in Bulgarian
culture. Each village typically has its own music ensemble, which
performs frequently throughout the year, at times of both remorse
and celebration.
“In Bulgaria, we have very big bands and groups like our
National Folk Ensemble “˜Philip Koutev,'” said
Balkan Music Ensemble co-director Tzvetanka Varimezova. “They
have hundreds of dancers, singers and musicians. They perform when
they are invited, for celebrations through the year, especially for
our celebration of nationality.”
Varimezova and her husband, Ian Varimezov, spent most of their
lives as professional musicians and conductors in these types of
ensembles in Bulgaria until they were extended an invitation to
teach at UCLA’s Department of Ethnomusicology by department
chair Tim Rice.
Yet her role as an instructor hasn’t stopped Varimezova
from continuing to participate directly in her own ensemble of UCLA
students, some of whom had never been exposed to this type of music
prior to their participation.
“We’ve performed since 2001 with this choir, and
then my husband leads the band,” said Varimezova. “We
perform together with everybody ““ musicians (and) singers. My
husband and I also sing and play during the concert.”
The Balkan Music Ensemble showcases both a cappella and
accompanied works of two- and three-part harmony, sung by an
all-female choir, with males performing the accompanying musical
component. This arrangement is typical for a Bulgarian ensemble;
larger groups often include groups of male and/or female dancers as
well.
Last year, the ensemble found a way to incorporate dancing into
their performance at the world music festival, taking advantage of
both the courtyard location and the audience.
“The Balkan music ensemble invites the audience to dance,
demonstrating a simple dance (almost like a line dance) that
everyone in the audience can learn and participate in,” said
Rice.
Perhaps the most unique and engaging aspect of Balkan folk music
lies is the immediacy and intensity of its sound and rhythm,
evident in its use of syncopation, extended time and irregular
meter. This technique makes Bulgarian folk song unique, because it
is virtually non-existent in the majority of other types of
European music. Also, the variety of Bulgarian instruments utilized
in performing folk music, such as the gulduka (resembling a violin,
but played upright, like a string bass), caval (an end-blown
flute), gaida (a type of bagpipe made out of lambskin), and
tamboura (an eight-stringed, guitar-like instrument), make it stand
out from traditional European music. With these instruments,
Bulgarian folk music possesses the ability to cover a wealth of
subjects and a variety of artistic forms, rhythms and melodies.
“The voices of the choir sound like or harmonize with our
Bulgarian instruments, which ties everything together,” said
Varimezova.