In these times of wildfires, oil spills, the pandemic, threats to our democracy and all manner of trials, troubles and tribulations, it sometimes takes a little extra effort to find what is beautiful in our world and it's in those moments that listening to staggering polyphonic marvel that is the music of Les Mystére des Voix Bulgares, the female choir music of Bulgaria, where east meets west, can be a healing and cleansing experience.
This music was first heard by this blogger in 1990 and not long afterward came a blissful and spine-tingling concert in Los Angeles, which included instrumental interludes that were impressive as expertly-performed and also fun. You couldn't help walking out of the venue feeling refreshed and hopeful and someday it would be great to hear this music in person again to find that sense of renewal.
After the surprising commercial success of the first volume of Les Mystére des Voix Bulgares, issued in 1987 (first on the British alternative [is that a reasonable descriptor?] label 4AD and then on Elektra's Nonesuch Explorer), a second volume, also recorded in Bulgaria by Swiss organist and musicologist Marcel Cellier was quickly released. If it didn't have the shock and surprise greeting listeners from the first volume, there doesn't really seem to be any lessening of quality.
These recordings range from 1957 to 1987, with one performance from that early date, several from the Seventies and the remainder from the Eighties. There were several ensembles involved, but there really is no strong difference, other than some have more solo work and there is one quartet piece. It's all gorgeous, beautifully rendered and the sound, even from these varied periods, is excellent.
It's been several years since this music has been heard, but returning to it now seems particularly apt and needed.
