Tuesday 8 January 2013

Australia. Aboriginal Music

An amazing album originally released as part of the UNESCO Musical Sources series. The recordings are of varying quality (tracks 6 and 7 sound great) and were recorded between 1959 and 1969 by Australian ethnomusicologist Alice M. Moyle, some are field recordings, others sound like they were made inside a building because there is slight reverberation. As a sample I have uploaded the first track which is made from excerpts of a rain dreaming ceremony. Although the quality of the recording isn't great and it would be amazing to be able to hear the full ceremony, it is still incredible to hear this music. The rest of the recordings are traditional Aboriginal Australian music from the Northern Territory, made up of singer/s with clapsticks with or without didjeridu accompaniment and there are a few purely vocal songs. Liner Notes included.

2 comments: