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"Tender bells are heart - soon it will be Christmas again"

The messages of world-famous Christmas songs reach the hearts of Bulgarians the fastest in Bulgarian

Bulgarian singer Rumyana Kotseva releases an album with iconic Christmas songs

Author:
Rumiana Kotseva
Photo: Facebook / Rumiana Kotseva

Christmas is a very special holiday for Bulgarian pop singer Rumiana Kotseva. For years in a row, she gathers her family and friends in her home - cherished moments that warm her days until next Christmas. This year, the pop singer gave an emotional musical experience to her native audience, singing some of the "Eternal Christmas Songs" in Bulgarian. That is the name of her album, which was reissued on CD, but is also expected to be released on the once-fashionable vinyl records.

"This CD is in great demand and every year my friends call me asking me to give it to them, because they can't think of a better Christmas gift than it. That's why I decided to reissue it, adding three more to the compilation of 11 songs, for which I also wrote lyrics. These are "Let it snow", "Winter Wonderland" and "Ave Maria"",  the singer tells us.


To sing some of the most famous Christmas songs in Bulgarian is an old dream of Rumiana Kotseva:

"While I was working abroad, I noticed how much people around the world like Christmas songs. When we returned home, no one sang them, nor were they writing any. Not to mention that we didn't even have Christmas – we didn't have Santa Claus, but Grandfather Frost (Dyado Mraz). That's why I decided it would be nice to sing and record these songs for the Bulgarian audience as well. My opinion is that the messages of these songs, which are incredibly strong, will reach the hearts of the Bulgarian listeners the most directly if they hear them in their native language." 

To select the most suitable titles, Rumiana Kotseva listens to over 120 songs from different countries. And it takes her nearly two years to write the appropriate lyrics in Bulgarian: 

"If you don't know, let me tell you that singing in Bulgarian is much more difficult than in English. It is more difficult because in English there are short or polysyllabic words that are pronounced clearly and easily, while in Bulgarian, the same words have a certain stress, which, when sung, must coincide with the strong beat in the measure, otherwise it sounds unnatural."

The singer divides Christmas songs into three groups:

"Some glorify the very event that we celebrate at Christmas - the Nativity of Christ. The other group is the songs that are dedicated to the traditions established over time in human society - to decorate a Christmas tree at home, to make a festive table on Christmas, to gather the whole family around it, to give each other gifts, to make children happy, to make noble gestures outside the family... The third group includes the so-called winter and children's songs - these are the most joyful Christmas songs! For the first group of songs – on a church theme, I read several Bibles and prayer books to find the most accurate words to use in the translation – for example, about the Holy Virgin Mary, who is always holy and rules our souls, while Jesus Christ – the hearts and minds. When I wrote the lyrics, Rumen Boyadzhiev-Jr. created incredible original orchestrations that were unlike any other, even though these songs have been performed thousands of times around the world in different interpretations. But the Bulgarian ones turned out wonderful!", says Rumiana Kotseva happily and adds that she recorded the song Amazing Grace at the last moment, before the album was released, which is why it is included in it in an a cappella version.




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