I strongly disagree with any presentation of Bulgaria that concentrates on chalga. Although, this is the most popular "music" right now, it is the last thing I would like people to associate my country with.
We do have a lot of world renowned musicians and singers; this is an offense to them, at the very least. You can check out The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices, Theodosii Spasov, Raina Kabaivanska...and so many more...
The Argument:
To some degree, music defines a culture. So the possibillty of my characterizations culturally offensive
---The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices; Where are they?
I always appreciate comments and suggestions; I have to agree that I have not addressed the topic of Bulgarian Folk music as much as I would have liked. And it has been rightly pointed out, I plan to talk about musicians such as The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices. I haven't wrote about them mostly because my interests have been elsewhere and there already exists a large body of work on the internet about their singing.
Chalga or Pop Folk; Is it Bulgarian or Balkan Culture? Yeck, I know . . .
I feel that Chalga (info) is a part of Bulgaria's culture just as much as American Hip-hop is to America's culture. It may not be the most positive representation in some person's eyes but it is an aspect of Bulgaria's cultural sphere. One of the reasons I write about it is that not many people in America know about Chalga nor do they understand the interesting mixes and borrowing of culture.
Why don't you talk about this artist? (Insert your preference)
Odds are, I've never heard of the artist or group. Or, I've heard of them but have been too lazy to talk about them. Regardless, if you feel that there is a form of music that is missing a voice, be sure to email me through my profile with your contributions and suggestions. Also, please remember that I'm an amateur that sees this more as a hobby than a definer of culture, music or nationality.
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That said, enjoy the blog and definitely remember that this is just one viewpoint out of many so be sure to look into other sources as well.
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2 comments:
I think it's important to put this sort of sentiment (which I understand is still fairly common in Bulgaria) in a proper historical and political context as well. During Zhikov's dictatorship in the eighties a supposedly national view of culture was encouraged and enforced, which systematically excluded all "Balkan"/Turkish influence and focussed only on a supposed "European" heritage. Le Mystère... was certainly very much a part of that propaganda effort, which also carried anti-Roma undertones throughout.
And of course, the social divisions of elite vs. the marginalised are still very much in place. Please keep pushing the Chalga - highlighting the music of the poor and ethnically discriminated is an important task.
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