Music of Bulgaria

Recorded in Paris in 1955, this album includes the talents of the soloists, chorus and orchestra of the Ensemble of the Bulgarian Republic with Phillipe Koutev as The Conductor. The LP includes such traditional hits as, "Theodora Is Dozing," "Fida Is Sleepy," "Mother Has Decided To Marry Me Off," "Theodora, Have You Had Supper," (apparently Theodora was quite popular) and "Rank Weeds" (my personal fave). The text on the back also adds some character by stressing the rugged nature of the people and their land, stating that, "The recording reflects Bulgaria's essentially rural character, with its crops of cereals and fodder for great herds of livestock, and extensive vineyards; the music reflects, too, the fiercely independent nature of the farmer populace, who struggled for independence from both Turkey and Serbia for hundreds of years [blah blah blah]....stubborn resistance to anything considered foreign [blah blah blah]...the dances in which the body is fully used and are often erotic." Wow, sounds tasty. The great thing about this album is that not only is it available online (a definite result of the fact that it was released on the classy and always diligent Nonesuch Records label), but it has its own Wikipedia page! At the site you can learn that this album, and class of music, actually employs "mathematical theory of sounds" to make "cosmic music." And there you have it...

Final Verdict: "Cosmically Delicious."