Dolore e magia [Laments and Witchcraft]
Albatros Dischi - VPA 8262 P. 1975 (An original Harmonia Mundi Recording)
Maybe there was no coincidence that these recordings from Central African Republic also were done by Simha Arom and Geneviève Dournon-Taurelle, but posting them in a row certainly was. I have many records with fieldrecordings from Africa and to tell the truth it was just by fluke that the first three were recorded by the same etnomusicologists. It is also funny to notice that the fascination for horns were a common link. I, like Arom wanted to coerce the French Horn, a rather recalcitrant instrument, to give away the most beautiful and brilliant tones it can produce. Having read a bit more about the person behind the recordings I feel a greater sympathy and will search for more evidence of his endaveours. All these early field recordings are most dear to me as they capture so much more than just the music. This is for me armchair ambiance and culture spotting! Hope you enjoy this as well!
Arom recording music with Pygmies in 2001.
Side A
A1 Canto di dolore [Ngbaka] 4'20
A2 Lamento [Gbaya] 1'00
A3 Cante di scherno [Mandja] 2'55
A4 Canto funebre [Mpyemo] 2'52
A5 Canto funebre [Mbangui] 3'06
A6 Rituale per la nacita di Gemelli (a) [Ali] 1'46 *
A6 Rituale per la nacita di Gemelli (b) [Ali] 1'29 *
A6 Rituale per la nacita di Gemelli (c) [Ali] 1'52 *
A6 Rituale per la nacita di Gemelli [Ali] 5'03
A7 Canto d'invettiva [Ngbaka] 2'54
Side B
B1 Canto rituale per i Gemelli [Mpyemo] 1'28
B2 Canto rituale per i Gemelli [Kaka] 1'17
B3 Canto di caccia [Mandja] 2'05
B4 Ninna nanna [Gbaya] 2'43
B5 Canto d'amore [Ngbaka] 2'45
B6 Danza lito in honore di Gemelli [Lito] 2'07
B7 Lamento [Sabanga] 2'55
B8 Rituale di guarigione [Ngbaka/Mandja] 6'13
* The track A6 is included both in three parts 1, b, c, split up by me, and as as one 5'03 track the way it appears on the LP.
It says both on the lables and the cover, that this is "An original Harmonia Mundi Recording". I have not found any Harmonia Mundi release of this record, so if you do find another edition of this it would be nice to be informed. It is very likely that such is the case as several of the non-italian music releases on Albatros Dischi were licenesed from other Labels, like for instance Lyrichord and Folkways etc.
Not many words but here is an article from an Israeli newspaper with links to a few tracks recorded by, and an interview with Simha Arom.