Blackcap from Erato by Kairos Collective / Michiel van der Meulen
BLACKCAP
Albanian folk melody
This Albanian folk melody was transcribed from a Radio Tirana broadcast by ethnomusicologist Wouter Swets, probably in the 1950s or 60s. Introduced by his ensemble Čalgija in the 1970s, the piece became part of the ragtag repertoire of the emerging Dutch folk music scene, under the name Albanees Radio Tirana 1 (‘Albanian Radio Tirana 1’, for lack of something better).
Even though I never managed to find an Albanian rendering, it is one of my top favourite Balkan tunes, and I decided to include an modal arrangement on this album as a tribute to the music I grew up with. It uses the same ensemble as the previous track, but the added microtonal tambura brings a completely different feel. I can only hope that I am doing right by the seemingly forgotten original.
The blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) is a warbler also known as mock nightingale, which migrates—amongst other routes—between northwestern and southeastern Europe. The name encapsulates the beauty of the melody and its pathway through Europe’s æther.
Tracklist
| 2. | Blackcap | 3:20 |
Credits
Arrangement: Michiel van der Meulen | Mode: folkloristic forms of makams Gerdaniye, Muhayyer and Hüseynî | Metre: 9/8 (2-2-2-3 → 2-3-2-2) → 13/8 (2-2-2-3-2-2) → 9/8 (2-3-2-2) | Musicians: Harris Lambrakis (ney), Giorgos Papaioannou (violin), Manolis Kanakakis (kanun), Taxiarchis Georgoulis (oud), Nikos Papaioannou (cello), Michiel van der Meulen (tambura), Marijia Katsouna (bendir)
License
All rights reserved.
Kairos Collective is the occasional ensemble that Michiel van der Meulen assembles to record or perform his contemporary modal music. Kairos is the personification of the right moment, the time to act or an opportunity to be seized, perfectly encapsulating the spirit and atmosphere of the collective's sessions.