Brave Old World is an international klezmer band formed in 1989. Members are from the US and Germany. The Washington Post called Brave Old World "the revival's first supergroup. Every player is a virtuoso". In 1992, the group won first prize at the International Klezmer Festival in Sofed, Israel. Clarinetist Joel Rubin was founding member.
The authenic Alpine music presented on this album has a rich tradition.
Keyboards and kitsch have been eschewed on this album, which is intended to introduce listeners to the region’s wide range of styles, instruments and traditions.
Alphorn players, yodellers and "Schwyzerörgeli" (accordian) players, the most famous bands and the Appenzeller Space Schöttl with their rather tongue-in-cheek approach to the music of their homeland. At their Cologne gig, the Cittoller Tanzgeiger from Steiermark astonished the audience with some truly electrifying centuries-old music, while the Familie Engel from Tyrol have a distinctly Baroque chamber music sound. The sentimental songs of the Inntaler Sänger are subtly accompanied on the zither.
And if you never knew a saxophone could yodel, just wait until you hear the jazzy Bavarian folk music of the Interpreten.
Around Christmas time in Sweden, one of the biggest celebrations is St. Lucia's Day (or St. Lucy's Day) on December 13th. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden.
St. Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304AD. The most common story told about St. Lucia is that she would secretly bring food to the persecuted Christians in Rome, who lived in hiding in the catacombs under the city. She would wear candles on her head so she had both her hands free to carry things. Lucy means 'light' so this is a very appropriate name.
December 13th was also the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, in the old 'Julian' Calendar and a pagan festival of lights in Sweden was turned into St. Lucia's Day.
St. Lucia's Day is now celebrated by a girl dressing in a white dress with a red sash round her waist and a crown of candles on her head. Small children use electric candles but from about 12 years old, real candles are used!
The crown is made of Lingonberry branches which are evergreen and symbolise new life in winter. Schools normally have their own St. Lucia's and some town and villages also choose a girl to play St. Lucia in a procession where carols are sung.
A national Lucia is also chosen. Lucias also visit hospitals and old people's homes singing a song about St Lucia and handing out 'Pepparkakor', ginger snap biscuits.
Small children sometimes like dressing up as Lucia (with the help of their parents!). Also boys might dress up as 'Stjärngossar' (star boys) and girls might be 'tärnor' (like Lucia but without the candles).
A popular food eaten at St. Lucia's day are 'Lussekatts', St Lucia's day buns flavoured with saffron and dotted with raisins which are eaten for breakfast.
The group Tolovaj Mataj was founded in 1994. Its members - Peter Kus, Jernej Pečak and Roman Ravnič - are musicians with lots of experience in the field of traditional and folk revival music. They perform songs and dance tunes of the entire Slovene cultural territory and are especially attracted by its outer regions.Their various musical line-ups present a number of instruments from traditional music (a fiddle, a bassett, a zither, a bagpipe, a clarinet, a flute, a mouth organ, an ocarina) and also their vocals.
Tracks:
1.Ta ukava
2.Lučija - Socerbska pompadura - Napitnica
3.Samarjanka - Tkalečka - Šotis
4.Godći godjo
5.Prvi rej - Svatbena polka
6.Mafrina - Kantali smo veselo
7.Tri jetrve
8.Adamčkov France
9.Drügački život - Drmac - Po zelenoj trati
10.Karneval - Komar se je ozenil
11.Eno drevce - Čotić
12.Oj Ive - Črnomaljsko kolo
13.Od kneza Marka
14.Ta ta pod stigla
A small lovely land - with a great variety of musical styles!
Celtic Wedding is an album of traditional Breton music performed by the Irish band The Chieftains. The album features guest performances by the Breton artists, Nolwenn Monjarrret, Bernard Pichard, Alain Guerton and Michel Bertae. Nolwen Monjarret later appeared on the Chieftains' album, The Bells of Dublin, performing "A Breton Carol" with the band.
The album's liner notes state that the music was selected from a publication entitled Tonioù Breizh-Izel (Traditional Tunes from Lower Brittany), which contains over 3,000 tunes collected by Polig Monjarret, who collaborated with Paddy Moloney in choosing the tunes for the album. The original album's cover (later changed in more recent reprints) features a painting by the Scottish painter Alexander Goudie. Celtic Wedding was nominated for a Grammy Award
1. Dans Mod Koh a Vaod (Old fashioned Dance) 2. A Breton Carol 3. Dans Tro Fisel (Dance from the Fisel Country) 4. Marches (From the Vannes Country) 5. Dans Bro-Leon (Dance and Song from the Leon Country) 6. Heuliadenn Tonioù Breizh-Izel (A Medley in which each member of the Band plays a Tune of his own Choice) 7. Ev Chistr 'Ta, Laou! (Cider Drinking Song) 8. Jabadaw (Dance from Breton Cornwall) 9. Celtic Wedding (A Medley of Song and Dance describing the Famous Ancient Breton Ceremony)
