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!
