AM Foreign World Cup: Round 3 - Europe (Part 1)

[Stephan]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata
Aleksandar Šišić - Ćhelipe

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti
Goran Bregovic - Mesecina

[Honorio]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel (Estonia, 1978)
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt (Finland, 1995)
I included Maria Kalaniemi in my Top 10 of impressive musicians and I like a lot her song but my vote goes to "Spiegel im Spiegel" because of Arvo Pärt's ability to create so much beauty with so minimal elements. Recently I stumbled upon this "song" while I was watching the movie "This Must Be the Place" and I thought... aah, that's what I call beauty.
Stephan, I found a link for Sofias Flykt.


Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervelė (Lithuania, 2004)
bob hund - Düsseldorf (Sweden, 1996)
I'm usually following nicolas' suggestion about voting for the least Western-influenced song. But I'm going to make an exception now (well, just like I did two weeks ago with "Kurumaya-san"). I like the Lithuanian polyphonic folk sounds of Atalyja but I go with the Swedish indie pop of bob hund.


Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata (Bulgaria, 1975)
Aleksandar Šišić - Chélipe (Serbia, 1970s?)
On the first bracket I did not voted for the impressive musicianship but I'm going to do the opposite now. The otherwordly Bulgarian voices are amazing but so are the vertiginous fingers of Aca Šišić.


Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Erau zarzăarii-nfloriţi (Romania, 1977)
Goran Bregović - Mesečina (Bosnia, 1995)
The sample of Romanian lăutărească is great but my vote goes to "Mesečina," it encapsulates the sounds of Balkanika like no other song, this ragged and off-key but throbbing and enthusiastic sound. Love the sax solo from 2'21"
Stephan, it seems that the link for "Mesečina" is no longer working but here's another link.

[Miguel]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervelė

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Erau zarzăarii-nfloriţi

[DaveC]

Bracket 3.4.1
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt
Thrilling beats elegant.

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervelė
Delightful beats almost anything

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata
Overwhelming beats virtuoso

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Erau zarzăarii-nfloriţi
I've never heard anything like this before.

[nicolas]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel 4.5
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt 4

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele 4.5
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf 3.5

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata 5
Aleksandar Šišic - Chelipe 5
Difficult choice between 2 divine songs. I'll chose Sisic because he's so reprensentative of gypsy music. It is much more than mere virtuosity; once you've realized how fast he plays, on the fourth or fifth listen you just get toi the real point of this music : is it sad or happy music? This is a music of a people who were despised by the inhabitants of the countries where they lived but were asked to play at happy events such as weddings.

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti 4.75
Goran Bregovic - Mesecina 5
You've noticed that I love gypsy music... Mesecina wins by a short margin

[Honorio]

Welcome, DaveC!!!

[DaveC]

Thanks Honorio. I am finding lots of great music through this game. However, thanks to the overview I have found that one of may favourite songs of all time was eliminated in the first round!

[Henrik]

Thanks Honorio. I am finding lots of great music through this game. However, thanks to the overview I have found that one of may favourite songs of all time was eliminated in the first round!

I'm curious which song that was...

And welcome indeed!

[Henrik]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata
Aleksandar Šišić - Ćhelipe

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti
Goran Bregovic - Mesecina

I was going to say that these were four relatively easy choices when I got to "Era Zarzarii-nfloriti", which is really something else. My vote still has to go to "Mesecina" but what a match-up!

[Henrik]

A fantastic compilation of gypsy music!

[DaveC]

Thanks Honorio. I am finding lots of great music through this game. However, thanks to the overview I have found that one of may favourite songs of all time was eliminated in the first round!

I'm curious which song that was...

And welcome indeed!

During the 1980’s, I used to tape John Peel’s program and listen to it in my car during the commute to work (an hour each way). One day in 1986, he played the first song from a new Peel session – it was several minutes of pure joy. All the rest of the way to work, I kept rewinding the tape and replaying the song over again. At the office, I had to sit in my car for a few minutes and compose myself before returning to the real world. That song was Manhenga by the Bhundu Boys. The whole session was great. I kept that tape for years until it disintegrated through overuse. I purchased copies of all their Zimbabwean recordings. The version of Manhenga on Shabini is good, but somehow misses the magic of the Peel Session version. I know that the session is occasionally replayed on British radio, but it has never been commercially released – in spite of being one of Peel’s favourites. So the only recording I have of it is the one in my head. Maybe my private version is better than the original now, but I still love it.

[nicolas]

A fantastic compilation of gypsy music!

Yes. And every compilation from this German label (Network) is fantastic

Many of my nominations here come from these

[Dan]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel 7.5
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt 7.75

I really enjoyed listening to Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum album for the 90s poll. I liked that album because the music sounded sacred and as old as the mountains, and it reminded me of the mesmerizing choral music from the Baroque period in classical music. But I’m not a huge fan of Pärt’s music when there’s no singing/chanting. I can completely understand why so many people find it absolutely beautiful, but I just can’t help myself feeling that his minimilist approach to classical music sounds lightweight and too basic compared to the great composers of earlier periods in classical music (despite knowing that that's not the point). On the other hand, I find the accordion-based Finnish folk music of “Sofias Flykt” rather exciting. I second newbie DaveC’s comment that in this bracket “thrilling beats elegant”.

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele 7.5
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf 7.75

I like the Bob Hund song a little less every time I hear it (a shrinker, as nicolas would say) but I feel the same way about most indie rock from the 90s. That said, I still prefer it slightly to the Atalyja song. The vocal harmonies in “Gervele” are lovely, but I would’ve liked the song more if it didn’t have the rock-like drums and electric guitar in the background.

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata 9.25
Aleksandar Šišić - Ćhelipe 9

Jesus, these last two brackets are just fucking wonderul! It’s a pity all 4 songs can’t go through to the next round.

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti 8.75
Goran Bregovic - Mesecina 9.25

See previous comment. I think I’ll listen to the gypsy compilation that Henrik posted next.

[nicolas]

That compilation is HUGE. It is one of my favorite compilations EVER. In my top 15 of compilations, see in blue the ones from that fantastic label Network Medien

• 1 Jacques Brel Quinze ans d'amour
  2 Roy Orbison The All-Time Greatest Hits
  3 Various Artists Road of the Gypsies
  4 Leadbelly Huddie Leadbetter's Best
  5 Various Artists The Soul of Klezmer
  6 Various Artists Desert Blues
  7 Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions
  8 The Beatles Past Masters vol. 2
  9 Various Artists Anthology of American Folk Music
  10 Various Artists Musica Negra in the Americas
  11 Various Artists Balkan Blues
  12 Various Artists Africa 50 Years Of Music
  13 Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings
  14 Various Artists Folksongs (Frémeaux)
  15 Various Artists Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Collection 1960-2000: The Journey of Chris Strachwitz

[jamieW]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
Winner: Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt
I’ve always loved the simple beauty of Arvo Part’s music (“Benjamin Britten” made my All-Time favorite songs list). However, I’ve never heard this type of sudden stop-and-start accordion before—and was absolutely mesmerized by it.

Bracket 3.4.2
Winner: Atalyja - Gervele
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf
Wow. “Gervele” felt like it hypnotized me and transported me into another world. It’s one of my favorite vocal performances ever, and features the perfect instrumental accompaniment. It’s funny how two artists that I was already familiar with (and like a lot) lost easily this week to artists I’d never heard before. Nothing against Hund’s song at all, which is catchy and fun, but this matchup wasn’t at all close for me. “Gervele” is an absolute lock for my next favorite songs list.

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata
Winner: Aleksandar Šišić - Ćhelipe
Again, I’m somewhat familiar with Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares, and like what I’ve heard. This matchup features outstanding vocals versus equally outstanding violin. It’s a painfully difficult choice, since both of these may also make my next songs list, but I give the slight edge to “Chelipe.”

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti
Winner: Goran Bregovic - Mesecina
Another really close matchup featuring wonderful vocals: I give the edge to the explosive bursts of energy in “Mesecina.” Once I finish school in April and have more time, it’s a priority of mine to explore the compilation of gypsy music Henrik provided. What a great week of music this was!

[Kingoftonga]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti

[Poliuks]

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt
Like silence, only quieter. This is the only way I can describe this song. Ideal for certain moods, when I am tired of noise and looking for something meditative.

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf
Etheral vocals of Gervele are incredible, but I agree with Dan - drums ruin the effect a bit. Düsseldorf is... well, average; definitely not something I would notice between tons of other indie songs. Forgattable.

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata
Aleksandar Šišić - Ćhelipe
Nicolas' point about gypsy music is crucial here; without it I would treat Ćhelipe as a virtuoso show (well, melody is also great), but now I listen to it in another way.

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti
Goran Bregovic - Mesecina
Pass. I think that Mesecina suffers a bit from bad sound quality - it is especially painful on headphones. That gives its oponent an advantage, but it would be unfair to compare songs by quality of video.

[Stephan]

My votes are for Arvo, Atalyja, the choir, and Romica/Florea.

Bracket 3.4.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel - 7
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt - 3

Bracket 3.4.2
Atalyja - Gervele - 7
Bob Hund - Düsseldorf - 3

Bracket 3.4.3
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Pritouritze Planinata - 6
Aleksandar Šišić - Ćhelipe - 4

Bracket 3.4.4
Romica Puceanu & Florea Cioaca - Era Zarzarii-nfloriti - 4
Goran Bregovic - Mesecina - 5

[Henrik]

Bye bye bob hund