More Fascinating Folk Music: Sutartinės of Lithuania

Well, now I have Lithuania to add to the list of countries whose folk music to be obsessed with. In a discussion with my teaching colleague Arkadi Serper about what folk music traditions might have influenced Stravinsky’s ear in his youth, I brought up the amazing vocal music of the Caucasus region, particularly Georgian table songs.  Arkadi agreed, and then went on to alert me to several others from within Russia and the former Soviet Union, including Lithuanian sutartinės.

More Ringtone Fun

Alex Ross has announced that his current ringtone is John Adams’ Harmonielehre. Excellent choice.

As of a few days ago, mine is an old favorite: Steve Reich’s Music for a Large Ensemble. Before that, and I’ll probably go back soon, it was the announcement jingle heard constantly on Budapest trams and buses.

Check it out:

Now that I think about it… maybe Six Marimbas.

Another Steve Reich Post

Normally, I avoid writing about what everyone else is writing about, but I can’t help jumping on the Steve Reich bandwagon, as we celebrate the composer’s 70th birthday. I’m certainly as much of a fan as anyone else.

Right now, I’m listening to a big Steve Reich retrospecdtive on NPR’s Fresh Air. I seem to remember Fresh Air being where I first heard Reich interviewed around 1986 or so. Check out the interviews here.

As always, it’s interesting to hear him speak about his work, and there’s no doubt of his important innovations. But, when it comes down to it, I just plain enjoy his music. It’s pleasing and infectious. The technical stuff doesn’t particularly interest me any more. When I was a student he was so controversial; the sort of thing that made my teachers roll their eyes. I’m really glad he now gets appropriate recognition.

Oh, and there’s a tempting new 5-disc retrospective CD . Hmmmm….. Is it really only $31?