Vielleux Du Bourbonnais ~ Vielles & Cornemuses

Hurdy-Gurdy & Bagpipes
Auvidis Ethnic B6830
1985

01 - Conscription [F. Paris] (3:57)
02 - Bourree a Malochet (3:27)
03 - Tambour d'argent (2:43)
04 - Lanlaude (3:24)
05 - Bourree de la chapelotte (trad.) (2:00)
06 - Ego sum pauper (5:29)
07 - Pour l'amour d'une fille (2:47)
08 - L'orientale (3:30)
09 - Passion (4:38)
10 - M'y promenant (2:19)
11 - Bourree a Berot (2:59)
12 - Papillote (2:45)
13 - Rose (4:39)



Vielles & Cornemuses by the quartet Vielleux du Bourbonnais is a very fabulous disque featuring ensemble playing of traditional French instrumental music. As one would expect from the title, the album concentrates on bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy, most of the tunes featuring both instruments with no other accompaniment. The hurdy-gurdy is a viol whose strings are sounded by means of a wooden wheel. Because of its sharp tone, and the fact that several of the strings are drones that sound continuously while the instrument plays, the hurdy-gurdy actually sounds quite similar to the bagpipe, and the two go well together. Like Café Carbons, Vielleux du Bourbonnais play their music with great respect for the melodic traditions they use. The major innovation is the use of bagpipes in several different keys to facilitate playing harmony with one another; this is standard today in French traditional musique, but was unknown 30 years ago. Vielleux du Bourbonnais infuse their musique with great energy and vitality, making 'Vielles & Cornemuses' a fresh & enjoyable album for lovers of bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies. If you don’t know much about this music, however, don’t look for help in the sleeve notes; the booklet has no information about any of the musicians or the music except a brief blurb and credits for the authors; it doesn’t even identify the members of the band.

this is the kinda schtuff i go crazy for. another generous bestowment from majestueux Miguel & his consistently mind expanding Toro y Loco ministries. 320 remerciements pour le partage

Valentin Clastrier ~ Grand Maitres de la Vielle à Roue [Auvidis, 1987]

Valentine Clastrier
»Grand maitres de la Vielle à Roue«
1987
Auvidis, A 6130

01. L'heure dégourdie
02. Madranque
03. Organistrum
04. Ile flottante
05. Petite musique de chanvre
06. Saga
07. Marche anti-militaire du Gué de la pierre
08. Introduction et Ouanigou
09. Danse du tilbet da Haljama
10. Doli doulou
11. Eko Yégoung
12. Abzébef béassda
13. Cigada synthética

»Migrations«
14. Baraka
15. Rituel I
16. Migration 1
17. Migration 2
18. Migration 3
19. Migration 4
20. Rituel II
21. Etude 0001
22. Baraka [rappel]

French musician Valentin Clastrier (b. 1947) is one of the few performers in the world specializing in contemporary music for the hurdy-gurdy; before Clastrier, the instrument was used primarily in the performance of European Medieval and folk musics.

He began his career as a guitarist, and was introduced to the hurdy-gurdy in 1970. His instrument has 27 strings rather than the conventional six.

Clastrier's strikingly original compositions for the instrument (in both acoustic and electroacoustic versions) have been recorded, in collaboration with other musicians (including tubist and serpent player Michel Godard, accordionist Jean-Louis Matinier, saxophonist/clarinetists Michaël Riessler and Louis Sclavis, and percussionists Gérard Siracusa and Carlo Rizzo).

this totally épique post punk hurdy gurdy slab beats any crummy canterbury twaddle hands down. clastrier unleashes a monster of mad genius. 320 daps to vespucci fer this insanely great 320 rip + pimped out booklet skans.