Bulgarian Voices

Perhaps one of the most intriguing types of music in the world is Bulgarian music. It is unlike any on earth. The voices of the Bulgarians are surreal and the choral music they make is quite untraditional, thereby establishing itself as a distinctly unique vocal anomaly. Perhaps it is their voices or perhaps it is the clashes their voices make with each other that make their music so enticing, so beautiful. Here is a performance of the Bulgarian State Women's Choir on the Johnny Carson show, obviously a while ago.



I'm sure you have heard nothing like that before, and I hope you understand how different their singing is. I particularly enjoy their first song, Ergen Dede. I believe it's about an old man who fools a young woman into loving him. I first heard the song done by the women's choir in my own school. It was a high school choir, and obviously all the girls who sang the song were Americans. After hearing this song for the first time sung by native Bulgarians, I was simply agog. My ears were shaken. Words cannot express their tone and their style, except that it is truly Bulgarian.

For me, after hearing this music, I feel rejuvenated. Actually, to this day watching that video makes me smile. The women singing the songs are so happy to be showing what Bulgarians are and how they are so unique. The women singing it have a certain pride that I am envious of. One time I even proclaimed, "If I were born as someone else, I would want to the large Bulgarian lady in the center who smiles while she sings." A silly remark it was, but it is also quite serious. If I could be in a choir that could make people happy every time they heard the music I would feel great.

I think it is important to study the music of different cultures, because it can spark in interest in yourself. Although Bulgarian music has done this for me, I believe that there are many other musical niches out there. Perhaps a native style of singing, or maybe a modern type is the kind that you can most relate to. Whatever it is, I would like to encourage my readers to learn about foreign types of music as well as domestic, because there may be something inside of you yearning to hear this.