Traditional music from different countries - PLEASE ADD YOURS

I've been wondering how to put this to y'all.

Most of us know the old classics, and a lot of songs that have worldwide spread and popularity. We all know the traditional songs and melodies from our own country. But how many songs from "far away" (from wherever one happens to be) countries do we know? Not many, if any. Wouldn't it be nice to broaden our musical minds a bit and hear something we haven't hear before, maybe from a different culture altogether?

Personally, I've always felt that Chinese traditional music sounds a bit like a cat with a bellyache [don't get me wrong here, I don't want to offend anybody and I'm sure the Chinese have a similar flattering opinion on some western music] - but that is likely because my ear is not accustomed to that kind of music, and I've probably only heard a very tiny bit of it. On the other hand, the other day I came across a piece of music from a Korean composer, that I found absolutely beautiful and not in the least "Asian sounding". Now, that just goes to show you how little I know about Korea, China and "Asian music" in general - very little to be sure. (Should add here that I'm from Denmark, which is western Europe.)

Anyway, we have here a collection of people from aaaall over the place. That is the perfect opportunity to get to know each other's traditional music. How about we all think about what song/melody from our own particular country (traditional and well known to ourselves, but little known outside our own backyard) we may have a recording of (and preferably sheet for as well), and then present it (or them) to the rest of us here in Forum.

I've posted a couple already, and as soon as I think of more I'll post them right here as well.

I hope others will follow suit.

Looking forward to some new experiences in music.

When I think about music in Brazil, more specifically Rio Grande do Sul, which is the state I currently live in, traditional regional music (Música Gauchesca) is the first thing I can think of. And its not normally played on the piano; it's more like a guitar-accordion kind of music. I know, it doesn't seem all that good, does it? It sort of isn't. But you can play almost anything on the piano, so I don't doubt you can play this too.

The stories told with the music are nice, but the rhythm of the songs ain't something I listen to willingly. But it's different and not so many people have heard of it. My dad loves it though, everyone around here kind of does--and I've grown used to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VAvuqEB4Xs&feature=related

Hey, that's Gaucho music, I like that! I like Gauchos too (being a horse-person). When you listen to it, you can hear the similarities to Mexican music (of which you hear a lot when you're in the southern US), and you can also hear the same rhythms that you hear in a Tango.

Very cool, thanks for sharing

Well, here’s one from Denmark then.

Brudevalsen (The Wedding Waltz)

The Danish composer Niels W. Gade wrote this piece in 1854, for a new ballet “Et Folkesagn” by August Bournonville (Danish choreographer). He didn’t like it that much himself and wanted to throw it away, but Bournonville saved it and insisted on using it for his ballet. The Ballet was a success and so was the little waltz. So much so, that by the end of the century it had become a traditional wedding waltz, danced at Danish weddings. To this day it is danced (by the new couple) at just about every wedding in Denmark.

This is an mp3 of the waltz entire.

This is how HRH Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary danced it at their wedding on May 14, 2004:



Aren’t they cute? Yes, the crowding in on the young couple is a tradition too.

PS: Here's the SHEET as well.

Very nice, I saw the wedding live, was probably broadcast in all the Nordic countries.

I'd like to post two videos, first a popular folk song in Iceland, Maístjarnan (The May Star.) Actually it's filmed in Meissen, Germany, they were visiting an Icelandic friend there. Check out related videos of this song.



Here is a group of the younger generation, good entertainers. They call themselves Ljótu hálfvitarnir (the great morons, but actually they are very bright!) The song is called Sonur hafsins (The Son of The Sea.) It's about a young man of a family of seamen who doesn't want to go to sea, and his family is not happy with that.

I liked Maístjarnan a lot. Liked the choir version a lot too.

One of the related videos turned out to be of an Icelandic horse named Maistjarna, but I love horses, so I was happy to watch that as well My knowledge of Iceland is limited to bits on the news (mostly about volcanos), some very good programs on the rough countryside and the fishermen, and reading "Njals Saga" and "Sigurd Torleifsons Horses" (a lot), but it's still obvious there is a common background there (way back).

I'm impressed that you understand any Icelandic, it's a difficult language. I've been refreshing my limited Danish skills, since I was in Malmö. I rented a room from a Danish owner. Inneboende as they call it in Sweden, when the renter and owner share facilities of the house. We agreed to speak Swedish during my stay, because we both had to get better in the language.

The choir was good, I'd like to be in a choir because they usually get to travel every once in a while abroad.

Cologne is know for its carnival, so there are some "classical" carnival songs, like this one:



But I don't like it very much.

But I like another German composer

There is only one Bach, but I liked the Cologne music. Guess this is what the play at Oktoberfest, or what?

I'd like to add one more, then I'm finished, promise. It's Bubbi Morthens, but he's half Danish. A live guitar version of one of his songs, it's better in the full version, but here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6bSrA4jQ8M

Pianoted wrote:There is only one Bach, but I liked the Cologne music. Guess this is what the play at Oktoberfest, or what?

No, Oktoberfest is some 500 km away from Cologne. And while nearly everyone in Germany speaks German, if someone born in Cologne starts speaking in Kölsch (Cologne dialect, as in the Song), a true Bavarian would have a very hard time to understand it and vice versa

Pianoted wrote:
I'd like to add one more, then I'm finished, promise. It's Bubbi Morthens, but he's half Danish. A live guitar version of one of his songs, it's better in the full version, but here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6bSrA4jQ8M

Nice, I like it.

frank wrote:Cologne is know for its carnival, so there are some "classical" carnival songs, like this one:
But I like another German composer

I love "Air in D", but the umba-umba music has it's place as well, we gotta have some fun once in a while
The Germans sure like to sing, don't they, almost as much as the Danes, he he.

You Germans also have one of the most beautiful lullabys ever written:
Schlafe Mein Prinzchen

Pianoted wrote:It's Bubbi Morthens, but he's half Danish.

I really liked that, must be because of that Danish half LOL.
He reminds me of Niels Hausgaard. Just a shame I don't understand the lyrics, I'm sure they're good.
I like folk singers, as they usually have some great lyrics.

Yeah I remember now, the Oktoberfest is in Munchen, that is the real Oktoberfest. Zum Wohl, he he! (Means cheers.) I noticed the Kölsch was somewhat different from the German I learned in school many years ago.

Bubbi actually speaks good Danish, as you can see in this video (playing in Faroe Islands.) Niels Hausgaard is very good, I looked at some YT-videos of him.

Niel Hausgaard is really great, I have some of his songs that are way better than what is on YT, but I think if I upload them, I'll just be asked to delete them, probably a violation of copyright, sigh.

Since you're not standing in line to post here, I'll add another Danish one:

"The Copenhagen Railway steam Galop" by H.C. Lumbye
He was a Danish composer (1810-1874), and also conductor of the Tivoli orchestra for 30 years.
His music is very popular, but I don't know if it's all that well known outside our little country.

The music visualizes a journey from Copenhagen to Roskilde by steam train.
Talk about descriptive music!

Nice music and a vintage train, reminds me that Iron Maiden will be in Roskilde music festival next summer, very tempting to go there. Although I won't be able to take this train, someone says in the comments they're not using it anymore.

Did the conductor say "last stop, the train doesn't go any further" in the end?

Here is a classic Irish tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9GPNsNxuZ4

He says "Roskilde, the train goes no further", that's pretty good of you to understand that.

Oh, that's the Dubliners, I love them, I have a couple of CDs with them.

Not a big rush here. Well, if nobody else will, I will present this beautiful piece
from our great mountainous neighbor to the north, NORWAY:

Morgenstemning (Morning Mood) by Edvard Grieg



A fitting tribute to your beautiful country, Thomandy.
Do you have any "more traditional" (as in non-classical) pieces you'd like to contribute?

Hey, check out these Irish pieces, Jytte.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7O9OqBd2us&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItYRcdi150M&feature=related

Never heard them before, but I like them. There is probably better pieces out there, just two I happen to come across on Youtube.

Oh that's great.
Especially the first one is very beautiful. I have to dig a little to find out exactly what the music is, but it sounds familiar to me. Maybe because it is very similar to the music from "Titanic" (loved that music). They must have "borrowed" something here or been inspired by it.
Thanks for sharing.

Edit: First one is a Traditional Irish air "Down by the Sally Gardens",

Here is "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFPdBUl7XQ

Arvo Pärt (born 11 September 1935; Estonian pronunciation: [ˈɑrvo ˈpært]) is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music.

Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs a self-made compositional technique called tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from Gregorian chant.

Pärt was born in Paide, Järva County, Estonia. A prolonged struggle with Soviet officials led him to emigrate with his wife and their two sons in 1980. He lived first in Vienna, Austria, where he took Austrian citizenship, and then re-located to Berlin, Germany. He returned to Estonia around the turn of the 21st century and now lives in Tallinn.

Enjoy

That was absolutely beautiful !!!!
I've never heard of him, but I will listen to more of his music from now on. This was really great, and someone did a fine job of the video as well, wonderful.
Thank you so much for sharing the music and his story

And thank you for watching

Hi here is a traditional song from bolivia, I posted it in a new topic by mistake.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNVOn77AGa0

Oh, that's so pretty. Thanks for sharing.