The most demanding and interesting from my fair share of cross-over projects.
Setting aside the modern mythology about roots of nations, great migrations and other speculations, I'm happy that Mikhail's dream and reality did not collide head on. He wrote:
'I had been studying the common denominator of meditative structures in various folkloristic forms of expression, for instance the Russian tradition of lengthy songs with their characteristically brooding melancholy. Actually, a similar mood might be found in Tuvan songs of the steppe, and is also reflected in the the musical landscape of folk songs from the Radopi region in Bulgaria, as well as in many Jewish songs, filled as they are with that very same stillness and affection....
During rehearsals, singers who had never seen each other before and were at first glance utterly remote from each other as far as cultural roots are concerned, began suddenly and spontaneously to perform their forefathers’ songs for their “alien” colleagues, as though discovering this possibility for themselves right then and there. Each began to pick up intonations, modes, and moods of songs stemming from seemingly infinitely distant areas. The family were coming together, getting to know each other as though after centuries of separation.'
I've recorded this in Ton Studio 2 at Bulgarian Television, tracking dozen U89s and some KM184s thru Neve 81 series into A824. It took some time performers to settle up. At some point I found my self alone in the control room. Lowered the lights and cranked control volume up to my comfort level, relatively high back then. Really liked the way this project was coming up and enjoyed every take.
Withnesing the magic happening at the other side of the window, I felt uneasy - what if this only my joy and can be translated to others?
The Tuva guys and I liked to smoke and much needed break was called. Going out I found small crowd hanging in the hallway, appreciating the music coming from my control room.
It was not only me….
Boby Borisov
Credits note: I can't recall giving away any 24 channel master tapes, so I’m not sure what “Mixed by Erik Lautwald, Mikhail Alperin” actualy means :-)
An wonderful live performance at Sava Center, Beograd, Serbia (2004) >>>