Among the new entries in the music collection of the Bulgarian National Radio there are compositions of renowned Bulgarian shepherd’s flute virtuoso Theodosii Spassov and the Folk Orchestra of the BNR. They were presented in June in Lumière hall of the National Palace of Culture to a numerous audience.
The pieces have been specially selected and arranged for the radio group conducted by Dimitar Hristov. The virtuoso instrumentalist shared with the audience that he had long dreamed of this concert.
“I started playing in this band in the early 1990s”, Dimitar Hristov told RB. “Some of the greatest folk musicians of the time were part of it. Although the generations have changed, today the band also features well-known names. I see many of my classmates and colleagues with whom I have worked over the years. I am glad to say that this is an orchestra all of whose members have graduated a musical high-school and then a music conservatory. All pieces that we present were arranged especially for this occasion - not only for the group but also for each of the instrumentalists. Writing the scores, I was imagining the concrete musicians who would be playing the pieces. This program offers my vantage point on folklore”.
“The idea came from conductor Dimitar Hristov", Vania Moneva - producer at the BNR explains. "We had planned this event in the previous season but the schedule of Theodosii is so saturated with engagements that we hardly managed to find a gap and realize the concert. The conductor and the orchestra prepared the program over a relatively long period, as it presents new works and arrangements of our famous musician, written during the last years. I think we saw little-known sides of his creativity as an author and artist, closer to the classical folk image, not so much in the field of ethno and jazz music. We also heard several plays in the rendition of Theodosii Spassov Trio, which features Peyo Peev (fiddler from the Folk Orchestra) and guitarist Petar Milanov. It was a concert with a nice tempo and rhythm, intense, and interesting. It was onne of the memorable events this season. The crowded hall applauded the musicians loudly, demanding several encores. I believe that this program should reach out to the audience of the most prestigious festivals in this country. So far we have live recordings from the concert, but it would be great to do a studio recording, too.”
One of the few pieces in the project that had been performed and recorded previously is entitled "Something Wonderful." As the author Theodosii Spassos says, it has been inspired by a beautiful stroll along Istanbul”.
Although deeply national, Teodosiy Spassov’s music has long belonged to the whole world. For more than three decades he has been working with elite performers from different parts of the world. In some of the projects he was guest soloist and others - the author and the main engine. He plays ethno, jazz, world music but has never severed the connection to his roots - traditional Bulgarian folk music. His unique performance style combines all these influences in a truly unique way. He also writes theater and film music, works for symphony orchestras and kaval (the traditional Bulgarian wooden shepherd’s flute). He has released dozens of solo albums in different genres.
An equal partner in the new project, the Orchestra for Folk Music of the BNR unites professionals from different generations. Set up in 1952, its creative biography stores thousands of songs and tunes whose performers are the biggest names in Bulgarian folk art. Under the direction of renowned conductors and composers, the group not only keeps the tradition alive but in their concerts and recordings we find the modern face of Bulgarian folklore. This group is the winner of prestigious awards, including the Crystal Lyre and the Golden Age - the badge of honor of the Ministry of Culture for special contribution to Bulgarian culture. Since 2011, the head of the BNR’s Folk Orchestra has been Dimitar Hristov - one of the most talented young artists in the genre.
English version: Rossitsa Petcova
