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CT13 – Music in the Caucasus

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This episode is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. It’s a lump on the tip of the iceberg. It’s snow dusting the lump the tip of the iceberg. You get our point: the topic of “Music in the Caucasus” is deep and wide and, much like the iceberg, much of it remains obscured to us outsiders looking in.

Today Eli takes us on a brief audio tour of some of local instruments from Dagestan using ethnographic recordings he took during his summer travels. We reflect on what marks out “folk” music from other kinds, such as classical and pop. And, most special, Andrew sings. Just a bit. But it’s inspirational.

Links for Episode 13

Article: “The Role of Music in Human Culture” – Interview with Moby, Hans Zimmer, Rita Ora, and Rusty Rueff

Ored Recordings – Recordings of authentic music of the North Caucasus, based in Nalchik, founded and directed by Bulat Khalilov

Ethnomusicological Insights of the North Caucasus –  A treasure trove of ethnomusicology from the whole Caucasus region.
Lezginka – Caucasian War Dance – Lots of video clips of Lezginka in various cultural settings.
Rasul Gamzatov Homepage – Bio, history, and poems.

Timestamps

2:40 – Ethnomusicology
3:20 – Our intro music… what is it??
6:04 – Rusty Rueff quotation on “What is music?”
7:42 – “Arrival”
10:17 – Andrew sings
11:14 – Andrew sings again
19:58 – Sir Robin bravely ran away…
23:38 – Ored Recordings
23:56 – CLIP: “The Story of the Dog & the Boar”
27:29 – Advice on how to listen to foreign music
28:39 – The pandur
31:35 – The kumuz
32:00 – The mandolin
34:17 – The chagana / mountain fiddle
35:13 – The flute
38:36 – The accordion
40:19 – Lezginka
43:25 – News Minute! – Rasul Gamzatov in India
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