Music from the 21st Century Taiwanese Chamber Ensemble (Taiwan), Mary Ann Kennedy (Scotland), Abatwa (Rwanda).
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Taiwan Erhu by the 21st Century Taiwanese Chamber Ensemble.
The Erhu is considered one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and is of Central Asian origin. It is similar to the violin only with just two (horsehair) strings. The ensemble plays Asian and European instruments in a characteristic contemporary way. In the first part the quintet plays traditional repertoire, the second part consists of classical Western compositions with works by Claude Debussy, Erik Satie and Duke Ellington. Apparently the ancient Erhu keeps up with the times, the musical styles and the artists.
Cd. Taiwan Erhu – The 21e Century Taiwanese Chamber Ensemble. Label: Buda Musique (2016), code: 3789395. Distribution Xango. Video
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Mary Anne Kennedy is an award-winning artist and a BBC celebrity. An Dan, Gaelic Songs for a Modern World is her first solo album, an album with songs about love, loss, nature, cherishing, war and peace, the everlasting and the temporary. Her great dedication to preserving Gaelic musical traditions is obvious.
CD: An Dàn (Gaelic Songs for a modern world) – Mary Ann Kennedy. Label: Arc Music(2017), code: EUCD2737.
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Why did we stop growing tall? by Abatwa (The Pygmy).
Tribal sounds from Rwanda, performed on 1-string violins and 11-string harps. Solo and duo singing and drumming chase after each other. The Abatwa is one of the most threatened communities in Africa. This album reflects their unstable situation.
CD: Why did we stop growing tall? – Abatwa (The Pygmy). Label: Glitterbeat (2017), code : GBCD049. Distribution: XANGO music.
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