Added (30.12.2008, 04:18)
---------------------------------------------
Saelem, all,
maybe I just should upload the scripts in English to this post in the next days, then you will see...
Guess many of you spend the holidays at home, right?
Best regards
M. M.

Added (31.12.2008, 10:15)
---------------------------------------------
Saelem again,
here's the script to the first issue of "Globalwize goes Qazaqstan!" If you follow the link quoted in my first post, you will find the podcast (several mp3-files) of all my broadcast issues with comments spoken in German - this is why I post here the comments in the English version.
But it seems to be tricky, because I have to cut the text into small pieces, due to the strickt restrictions of the software that supporst this page. Sorry, in the former site those things were much easier.
Let's go...

Жүзбир де төрт Megahertz. X-радиосина қош келдиндер! Сендер
„Globalwize“ бағдарламасың тындап отырсындар.

This is how the announcement of our programme could sound in Kazakh, and just there were are going to travel right now: to the ninth largest country on earth, or: the greatest post-soviet successor state after Russia.

Others tell you better about geography, language and history, but just try to shift on a world map Kazakhstan’s shape westward, so that it’s west coast lies where you see the French coast. Then you can imagine how large the terrain is, that we are going to visit during the next hour.

Let’s right get to our first example by fading into an improvisation, a Kuy, being played on the kazakh folk instrument, the dombra. The player has just been explaining something about the piece…

1) Qashimbay Akhmedzharov - Kuy
(Source Link: ftp://lrc.wfu.edu/kazakh_music/ )

This relative of the lute has two or more strings, and usually on one of them the melody is being played, the other(s) keep the basic note. Frequently the higher strings have the basic tone, so that the melody is lower than the accompaniment.

Very different sounds are created on the kobyz, a violin-like instrument. Just listen how, at the beginning of the piece, a single note is changing it’s timbre: that seems to relate us to the mongolic overtone singing tradition; but then follows a melodic line using intervals, which are apparently close to the turco-arabic cultures:
2) Raushan Obazbaeva

I do not know that piece’s title. Actually it’s time for an appeal. Wherever I got kazakh music pieces to download, I never found any information on where the music had been recorded, nor when. So listen:
Musicologists of all countries, unite! And then grab a note book with gigantic hard disk, sound card, a set of stereo microphones, a lot of blank CDs, and head for Kazakhstan! Record everything you happen to catch with your micros, write a nice documentation and take the stuff to your seminars. Bartók and Kódaly would envy you for that chance to record, and analyse true folk music in best quality !

In the following excerpt a singer accompanies herself on the dombra; here we got a fine sample of kazakh melos, that seems to follow more the unwritten laws of modality than european functional harmony theory:
3) Sawle Zhanpeisova Zawres (Mukhiyt)
(Source Link: ftp://lrc.wfu.edu/kazakh_music/ )

Following good old „Globalwize“-tradition, you do not have to write down the music titles, as I deposed a play list that you can order by mail from my generous host Jean Trouillet. (Those were my words during the broadcast. In this translation, I inserted the additional links to the numbered examples, and as the added literature is in german, it will not be too interesting here. After telling about ordering the playlist, I asked my german audience to tell me if they want to hear more of kazakh music in a future programme.)

In the next music you will hear, how the folk music has influenced the classical composers. In this sample I first inserted a cultural shock, as I made a montage of the verses of the folk song Қарақторғай and the corresponding elements in Rakhmadiev’s Violin concerto, third movement. But the folk song is quoted in the Rock version of the famous band Үркэр. After the “rough cut” part you will hear the original classical version, that is, half of that third movement, followed by:
4) Erkegali Rakhmadiev, Violinconcerto, IIIrd .movement (excerpt)
5) Үркэр, Қарақторғай.
(Source Link: http://www.urker.kz/ )

- - - to be continued.

Added (31.12.2008, 10:18)
---------------------------------------------
Saelem again, here's the next slice of text:
Now, let’s move fast: Two very typical samples for pop music from Kazakhstan:
6) Kydyrali Bolmanov, Sygir jirau
7) Akhbota Kerimbekova, Begimajdyng zhyry

But no one should believe, that after 14 years independence from Russia there is no music with russian texts any more. In the miner’s town Karaganda the band "La Legione” is doing a fine job, the make Rap – in russian. Well, Rap sound quite all the same all over the world….
8) La legione, okruga
(Source Link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/lalegionemusic.htm )
Some translation:

I take a taxi home, through the window I see my well known precinct, which became a good friend to me; / traitors and enemies, I secretly think of them; / I pour bitter coffee into life’s bright milk;
The round spectre of emotions closes finally, my colours, my realm, the stylistic lines in the face;
Hardly perceptible look on life, I recognise you, brother, these notes are known to me, you fulfil the
Plan again....
And so on.
Maybe these lines are in a special language, only to be understood by insiders…

Quite futuristic is the sound of the band Musicola:
9) Musicola, Dorogi me ty
(Source Link: http://www.musicola.ru/songs.htm# )

...and there’s nothing, you could not find in Kazakhstan. Some Reggae, please? Let’s go !
10) Rakhat, Bir Tamshi Zhas
(Source Link: http://www.rakhat.com/ )
The text is beautifully innocent:

A teardrop

The eyes filled with tears
My love, you thought of me.
Blushing, your pale face burns
Like fire and flame.

Chorus:
You long for me
And you look sad.
Pouring from your eye
A teardrop fell.
From the depth of my great sentiments
This song returns.
How could I now
Call you weak.
- - - to be continued.

Added (31.12.2008, 10:20)
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...the third slice...
I’d love to come back to Uerker. It seems to me that they are the band who most successfully merge traditional folk elements with western rock music.
11) Uerker, Mahabbat Aeny

In May, the month when the flowers are late,
In the month when the flowers are late, you appeared.
Returning to this thought, you feel flames in your body.
Successes followed the feast.

Chorus:
My love, what a word from you,
As if written on my heart.
What eyes, what a feeling
As if it took a century.

Childhood stayed with a winking hand.
Eternal love raised her flag.

Quite another very sensitive tendency I hear in the music of the saxophone player and singer Batyr, whose music sometimes sounds very “latin”, even brazilian. Let’s listen to his very emotional hymn to “mother home”:
12) Batyr, Otan Ana

For the referred latino sounds I only got short samples, which I would not like to play in this broadcast.

At the beginning of our programme I had an excerpt from a classical piece, and – here I sit and can not help it – I must share with you the amazing sweetness of the following piece. When I heard it for the first time I was about to cry. I got this recording from my friends in Astana, the Kazakh State String Quartet. Please, enjoy with me
13) Gaziza A Zhubarova, stringquartet d-minor, I.st movement,
performed by my friends.
X-Радиоға қош келдиндер!
Those who tuned in during the last minutes, you did not switch to another station, you are listening to „Globalwize“, we are exploring Kazakhstan by ears and made a detour to the classics of this wonderful country.
And now I do not with to hear any know-it-all attitudes from the academic corner such as, „In the time when this piece was written, Pierre Boulez had presented his Premier livre des Struktures, and Stockhausen...“ No, no, no. Please not again that silly cultural imperialism. This string quartet had been written one year before Josef the Terrible finally kicked the bucket in 1953. And this brute, who, with his ill misunderstanding of politics caused (amongst other fatalities) a famine in Kazakhstan, which killed nearly a fifth of the population at that time, this brute believed to have to govern as well cultural affairs. As if at any time spirit and power would have been in accord. Under the dictatorship of „socialist realism“ every thing was banned, that demanded exceedingly the dictator’s ignorance. (Analphabets got to dictate…) And if you listen to this music from this perspective, you will surely feel that it is a testimony of great courage.
But let us return to more peaceful sounds. Like this I imagine the evening mood in the hills above Almaty:
14) Ramazan Stamgaziev, Kusni Saulem
(Source Link: ftp://lrc.wfu.edu/kazakh_music/ )

And behind, shining n the light of the sinking sun, the snow covered summits of
Zailijskij Alatau.

Our journey comes to an end, at least for tonight, and I am hoping for your overwhelming feedback. If you wish, we meet again, maybe in autumn. As a farewell please let me invite you to come on board of my Silkroad Express.
Zholyngyz akh bolsyn! May your path be white ! Saw bolyngyz, stay in good health and - khosh, fare well:
Your Mad Musicologist.
15) Mad Musicologist, Silkroad Express

Remarks:
The translations of the song texts I owe to the students of SANA, the organisation of kazakh students in Germany. Көп Рақмет !
The broadcast was made possible by the aid of my dear friend and comrade-in-arms, Jean Trouillet. Merci beaucoup !
Finally, vielen Dank to Radio X, the local independent and non-commercial radio station for the Rhine-Main- region, for letting me into the studio.

General links I made public in my playlist:
general links:
infos:

http://www.akorda.kz/page.php?lang=2

http://welcome.to/kazakhstan

pictures:

http://www.almadf.kz/english/big.html

music:

http://www.cdroots.com/face-035.html Ensemble Buerler - Traditional songs of the Kazakhs – cdRoots

http://www.music.ch/face/sounds/kazakstan.html

http://www.asylmura.kz/english/diski/index.php?p=diski

http://www.kazakhembus.com/Melodiesandsongs.html

http://www.khazaria.com/turkic/kazakhstan.html

http://music.site.kz/index.phtml

http://www.unesco.kz/index.php?sector=®ion=&lang=&newsid=860&announce=
(a CD-Rom download with examples of kazakh music. Ca. 354 MB !)

Frankfurt/Main, April 30th, 2005, copyright for the text: Dr. Werner Linden a.k.a. Mad Musicologist.

- - - to be continued

Added (31.12.2008, 10:29)
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sorry, I could not repair the link to that UNESCO cd-rom. When I try to edit this post, I return to "text too long" :-(
http://www.unesco.kz/index.php?sector=®ion=&lang=&newsid=860&announce
That's the right one. Another amendment: The artist's name in no. 2 should be Raushan Orazbaeva. Any by now, of course I know the music she is playing there is a famous kuy of the Qobyz' inventor, the great Korkyt.
M. M.

Added (31.12.2008, 10:32)
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The site software keeps corrupting that link I was trying to give you correctly.
After "sector", is should read "=®ion=".... Let's see what happens this time :-)
M. M.

Added (31.12.2008, 10:34)
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:-( again. the word is, "region".
M. M.

Added (31.12.2008, 10:46)
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o.k. :-) before "region", you have the sign "&".
Now, I shall try to carry on with the thread you could find at the old forum of the British Kazakh Society".

Saelem, alltogether:
The broadcast no. 2 is available for download.
Here we go, folks!

English traslation:
http://www.uni-hildesheim.de/~akyz0999/RadioX2.SkriptEngl.doc
Broadcast for download:
Part I
Nr. Artist Title Duration
01 ABK Tugan Dala 4’34’‘
02a Aus Mali ... 1’45’‘
02b Abbos (Usbekistan)Link: www.guli-bonu.uz ... 4’32’‘
03 Zholbarys, Engsepov Zhafuz 4’35’‘
04 Khazanghap Kökil 2’41’‘
05 Ulytau Kökil 4’30’‘
06 ÜrkerLink: www.urker.kz Säbi Bolghym Keledi 3’16’‘
07 Batyr Künder Aj 3’46’‘
08a (traditional) Dairabay 2’18’‘
08b Kasyna Dairabay 1’58’‘
08c Erkegali Rakhmadiev Dairabay 3’09’‘
Download:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX2.1.mp3

Part II
Nr. Artist Title Duration
09 Roksonaki Soz 2’49’‘
10 Gaziza A Zhubarova Streichqu. d-moll,II. & III. 6’24’‘
11 Dauys InternationalLink: www.bassko.kz Karlygash 3’38’‘
12 ABK Korlan 2’56’‘
13 MusicolaLink: www.musicola.ru Kustar Aj 5’42’‘
14 Link: www.asylmura.kz Karakatorgaj 1’13’‘
15 ÜrkerLink: www.urker.kz Tughan elim 4’16’‘
16 Link: www.asylmura.kz Aksak kulan 1’59’‘
17 Muzart tobi Öz elim 4’35’‘
Download:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX2.2.mp3

Part III
Nr. Artist Title Duration
17 Muzart tobi Öz elim 3’43’‘
18 Meruert Tusipbaeva Kimai seni baramyn 3’58’‘
19 Berkut Kyn men ai 4’24’‘
20 Link: www.asylmura.kz Kuldash ai 2’09’‘
21 Mad Musicologist Almaty calling 5’13’‘
22a 7th Extension Band Hard Times 6’38’‘
22b Bijelo Dugme Eto! Baš Hoću! 3’49’‘
Download:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX2.3.mp3

[size=13]Enjoy it, please!
Saw bolyngyz
Mad Musicologist

+++

Added (31.12.2008, 10:49)
---------------------------------------------
In this issue I wish to continue my first program, not only by completing Gaziza Akhmetova Zhubanovas string quartet d-minor from 1952, of which we had enjoyed the first movement I presented to you last time. Now you will hear the following and closing movements. But this at a later time.
Of two original themes I found cover versions, so we can step a little bit into comparitative analysis, but we’ll also have fun with that. Then, I received all the way from Almaty, Batyr’s CD, so the ‘‘Brazilian from Kazakhstan'' will make himself heard. And towards the end of this issue, we will have a slight bit of party mood.

02

But now I wish to test you. Two pieces are to follow, one from Uzbekistan, the other one from Mali. But I won’t tell you which comes from which country – you might refer to the playlist (at www.sanakz.de) after listening. So enjoy the music and the guessing.
Let’s hear it!

... (Mali/Uz)

03

Zhafuz, played by Asylbek Engsepov, is a haunting melody coming to us from the great Zholbarys. I do not know anything about the composer, but about the player, who, with his original arrangements, gets very new sounds from his instrument, the dombra. He calls his project ‘‘Dombra – Ästrada – Kompjutor – Küj – Oryndau'', in short DÄKKO, which reminds me a bit of an old british label, but the name means, Dance music, made from kuis, being played on the dombra and accompanied by arrangements composed and performed by the computer. Listen.

04

Let’s have some folk music again: Kökil. This nice piece is passed on to us by the akyn (or: songwriter) Khazanghap, and we will listen to an interpretation from the dombra giant Kurmangazy, and the first thing to note is the free meter as described by Bartók as ‘‘parlando'', furthermore we clearly hear the melodic line is moving in what is called ‘‘church mode'' by musicologists. In this case ‘‘Kökil'' is in the ‘‘Phrygian'' mode. If this is exceedingly scientific, just listen, and after a short announcement you will have the same piece in a slightly different interpretation.

05

...And after the ‘‘classic'' now the same piece again, on the very hard rocks. Bang your head.

06

Did you rock with all those tricky rhythm changes from 6/8 to 7/8? Then chill out down with Urker’s cool "Säbi bolghym keledy" with its extraordinary harmonies. The boys created to alternating accompaniments for the sung line.

Title: Ürker, Säbi bolghym keledy

07

One day I found Batyr's site and got short examples for download. The first thing I thought when listening to the following pieces trailer was, "A Brazilian in Kazakhstan". Just quite the opposite side of our globe! Now dig the full version of "Künder-Aj", by Batyr. Let's dance!

08

Now we will have three different versions of the very same kuy. The first one, being played by a dombra ensemble, seems to me to be authentic. Then we will have an arrangement by professional cultivators of the heritage, but they changed the piece in the style of soviet popular art.
It’s not only that they added new parts, the also added typical Russian instruments such as clarinet, fiddle, and accordion; they finally replaced the dombras by balalaikas. Perfectly played, but not really authentic.
Then follows Erkegali Rakhmadiev’s symphonic interpretation of the very same piece, brilliant instrumentation, but although he calls his piece "Dairabay", this one has little in common with the two preceeding examples: only the introducing measures are clearly recognizable. To be well understood, I do not dare to judge on the quality of the composition here, but rather about the closeness of these examples to the original folk music. But just stay tuned for the three versions of "Dairabay".

09
- - - 2 b contd.....

Added (31.12.2008, 10:51)
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The cello virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma is also inaugurator of the Silkroad Project, in which he is collecting the musical heritage of the countries through which the ancient silk road leads. From our country of studies he had found amongst others the band ‘‘Roksonaki''. I only found one piece of them in the web: ‘‘Soz’‘. Guitar, piano, bass, drum set, voice: everyone has that. But those clay flutes that open the piece, tell us what this music has in common with the legendary trading road. It was actually Marco Polo, who carried this fine instrument from his expedition through Central Asia to Europe, not only in Portugal it is well known as ‘‘Ocarina''. So please, listen:

10

In my spring broadcast I had presented to you the first movement from Gaziza Akhmetova Zhubanova’s string quartet in d-minor from 1952, and I promised to you to let you have the other movements as well. In these movements, a slow one and a very vivacious one, Zhubanova was much more daring, concerning the harmonies, so that the tension becomes far more dramatic, compared to the rather lyrical opening movement. Again we will listen to Kazakh State String Quartet from Astana.

11, 12

Dauys International is Kazakhstan’s first quality girl group, and ABK, consisting of the male singers Medeu Arynbaijev, Kydyrali Bolmanov, and Erlan Kokejew, the well fitting pendant. I do not know whether ABK still exists, but they have been very popular in Kazakhstan during the nineties.
Of Bolmanov we had heard in my spring program the magnificently wild ‘‘Sugir Zhyrau'', for which he had earned a price, later he had formed with the two other singers the trio, of which he is also the producer. Besides, Bolmanov is also the producer of the band Ulytau he had already heard. Sometimes you can hear that. Now I shall put the two bands in a direct contest, but I chose from ABK a piece sing a capella: ‘‘Korlan''.
And now, ye kings of sobstuff in Hamburg, Munich and Berlin!
Listen carefully! Here, perfect setting Matches heartbreaking expression. To be true, that’s not my style, sorry at that, sometimes they created quite horrible tearjerkers, but – this one is advanced metier in writing, and even more in singing. Before we get there, you will enjoy the fresh-style mixed ‘‘Karlygash'' (swallow), sung by Dauys International, and this is a real sweetie.

13
- - - 2 b contd.....

Added (31.12.2008, 10:53)
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Picking up the thread ‘‘Sound'' and my issue dated April 13th:
That time I had been marvelling about the beautiful ‘‘futuristic sounds'' found by the band ‘‘Musicola''. As I found after some more downloads, that was only one feature of their music. As you are going to hear in a minute, their music can be characterized by the inner tension between the modern sound and the melodies, which appear very original, ancient. In the following montage you will hear an excerpt from a piece of theirs, which reminds me of the shaman being possessed, who dances his merry community to ecstatic rapture, followed by a piece in full length in which the melody has a strong resemblance to the flawless brilliants you find in Bartóks pieces in his "Mikrokosmos": absolutely clear in it’s construction, but full of refinement in it’s simplicity. I believe this contrast of archaic melody and futuristic sound makes the charm of ‘‘Musicola’s'' pieces. Get roused.

14

In spring, I had exposed my listeners to a ruthless cultural shock à la ‘‘rough cut'' I was comparing two versions of the folk Karakatorgaj, once being quoted in the final movement of Rakhmadiev’s violin concerto, another time solidly rocked by Ürker. On the site of the project of documentating the cultural heritage of Kazakhstan, Asyl Mura (holy heritage) http://www.asylmura.kz/english/ I tracked the original. The song is actually about a sparrow. Daulet Myktybayev, kobyz.

Just as we’ve been talking about Ürker: whosh!

15

This was Tughan Elım, by Ürker. Their songwriter had given an interview which you find on the band’s homepage in full length, it’s worth it, here I wish to recapitulize only the central topics. ‘‘It is important to stop to feel so-called inferiority complex before the western show business, in particular Russian.
I suppose that any country, and Kazakhstan isn't an exception, has to be taken as a one with a wonderful national culture and great history, which is not similar to Russian or American ones. In this connection the fact of our lives' Americanization is annoying me very much. I suppose that it is annoying not only me. I believe that such notions as "American disease" and "American dream" are unacceptable for our society because we must have "own model of development" and "own Kazakh dream". That's why in our creative work we pay much attention to the substance of our songs text. Our songs are full of patriotic sense and most of them are in Kazakh. Ajdos Saghat, the composer in the band, also declared that for him there is a western counterpiece to this Haltung gebe, which is U 2, ‘‘It seems to me that U 2 group is close to our ideal from the point of their position. I'll be very happy if we take such a place in the life of our country. This group has an indisputable ideological, political and musical authority. They did a lot for the solution of political and national issues.''

16

Aksak Kulan
(The legend of the Dombra)

Times ago a brutal Khan called Tschingis conquered the kazakh country. His numberless hords devastated towns and villages, looted their treasures, killed rebels pitylessly, and threw young people into slavery.
Tschingis-Khan had a son Jochi, who resembled his father completely. Jochi loved to hunt wild golden kulans in the steppe. During one hunt, he saw a limping kulan and her filly. So fast would Jochis arrow hit and kill the young foal.who had seen this, attacked the Khans son and threw him off the saddle. So this was Jochi-Khans last hunt.
For a long time the father would wait for his son to return. Then he orderd that his son be sought, and added the threat, ‘‘whosoever returns with bad news, I shall pour molten lead into his throat.’‘
After a long search the vassals found the young khans body, and they were desparate: How to bring these bad news to their ruler?
All of a sudden they heard a mourningful music. The dombra player Kerbuga was lamenting the people’s sad destiny. The vassals felt relief. He should bring the terrible news to the Khan. Kerbuga knew about the threat and kept silent. So he went to the cruel man and started playing silently. The lamenting melody told of the evil deeds committed by the Khan, and of the suffering of the poor, and how the cruelty was paid with the life. The Khan understood at once, and wished to have the old man killed – but he had not said a single word! Thus he commanded to pour lead into the corpus of the dombra.
This is how the dombra came into existence, the most popular musical instrument of the Kazakhs. The dombra honours still today the vision of freedom. And in the people the legend of Aksak Kulan lives on.
- - -
- - - 2 b contd....

Added (31.12.2008, 10:57)
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17, 18

One of the seven seas is the Caspian Sea. When travelling eastward off the mighty delta of the Volga and the city of Astrahan, then we come to the westernmost part of Kazakhstan – and we are still in Europe. But only for a short distance, as we arrive at the mouth of the river Ural, which comes down all the way from the rigde of the same name, and which we all know to be Europe’s eastern border to Asia. Here, we find th ecity of Atyrau, in outdated maps still called Gurjev, a place not only for oil companies, but as well a renowned music academy, named after the folk musician Dina Nurpeisova. Following the coast, we get to the peninsula Mangyshlak and the biggtest city of the region, Akhtau (white mountain, in earlier days, Shevtchenko), where we have some more very active oil companies, and where, due to the relative wealth and the quite nice temperatures, a vital strand live has developed, if we belive some of the pictures you can watch at www.aktau.net. Sometimes you see people bathing – but I should relativate that as we have many Russians here, and they seem to feel fine in a sea of fourteen centigrades temperature.Anyway, the sound track to that strand scene could come from MuzArt toby, for example with their party piece "Öz Elim". Let's dance.

Music: MuzArt Toby: ‘‘Öz Elim’‘,
Meruert Tusipbaeva ‘‘Kimai seni baramyn’‘
Isn’t that a fine voice, just as in ‘‘Joe le Taxi’‘?...
Of course these songs are not summits of musicological discoveries, but we wanna have fun, don’t we?

19

In strong contrast to thise pieces we are going to listen ao a track, which apparently refers back to the times of tribal wars. The videoclip, which has been filmed for this extraordinary music, shows us jurts and camp fires, wolves are howling, horses are being saddled, you see the men riding, one gets knocked out – and awakes in a jurt, tied in ropes. It is exciting to follow the prisoners view when he wakes up there. He starts singing, and a beauty looses the ropes, hands him an Dombra, he plays a fine solo, and the two ride off. The clan chief does not use his ancient gun as he gets the idea of what is happening. This is all dramatically directed, and here now the music to the clip…
Music: Berkut, Kim nin ai

- - - -

20

We got used to compare what we encounter with those inner images which we created earlier in life. So we are tempted, when listening to a certain set of sounds or chords, to imagine an alpine idyllic set with much of snow and burning candles. But caution! The following example might not be from the mountains south of Almaty, where you can go skiing just as in Davos. Maybe this music was created on a mornig in the steppe, when after first snowfall the saiga antilopes gather to enormous nations and the wolves are hungry –still everything is calm, but the terrible and pityless wind is going to blow your ears off, you don’nt know how strong. Then you try to be as comfortable as possible in the house of felt, and make some music as you are going to listen to right now ‘‘Kuldash-aj’‘, played by Bolat Sarybaev on the Zhetigen.

21
- - - 2 b contd....

Added (31.12.2008, 11:00)
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Of course I could give you numbers about Kazakhstans size, inhabitants, peoples, religions and so forth. But first of all, the are books to do this, and second, numbers in spoken texts are of limited thrill. This is why in my broadcast shortly after Nauryz I tried to virtually move Kazakhstan to Europe, to get a stronger impression. A different topic I carry in my heart, coming to the end of my program. The Kazakhs proudly remember their traditional nomadic way of life. In our time, it seems hardly possible not to be settled: good lod, home, good old region…
However, our idyll of being settled in our good old castle gets slightly cracked by the necessity to go to work today here, tomorrow there, and does not the claim of certain people to be flexible and mobile, ask for a new form of nomadic life? Are not North Americas hoboes work nomads against their own will? And it seems to me, that it is immanent to the nomadic culture to get in friendly contact with the people you meet, so that this culture leads the people to a kind of openness to the world. The word of the ‘‘peasant, who will not eat, what he does not know’‘, puts this difference between the settled cultures, and the non bound, in a very bright light. And in the sense of Hölderlins call, ‘‘Into the open, into the nun bound!’‘, I wish to express my far-sickness, and this with a title namely close to that of an old album of ‘‘The Clash’‘: ‘‘Almaty Calling’‘.
Zholyngyz akh bolsyn! Saw bolyngyz! Khosh! Your Mad Musicologist.

In the remaining time until the next program will start, let me take you back to Europe by a geographical cadence: from the ‘‘main key’‘ Kazakhstan we use the ‘‘intermediary dominant’‘ Jamaica to the ‘‘new key’‘ Europe. However, this will be this time the Balkans.
The title from Jamaica was during my visit there in 1980 a smash hit, but I guess no one will remember today the ‘‘7th Extension Band’‘.
The following title is solid work from the yugoslav rock band ‘‘Bijelo Dugme’‘ and has the fine topic of young people being sick with the ‘‘reasonable grown ups’‘:
As a child, he reasonably cleaned his teeth ans recited nice liettle poems for moms guests. Then he reasonably finished school, reasonably studied, married, to grow reasonably old. What for - !!
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Added (31.12.2008, 11:00)
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Saelem, Magnolia,

it's just easier to find, then. I hope, that this site is not only visited by Kazakhs, but as well of their european friends, and so they might find this commented stuff. Is there more information on Kazakh music in the U.K., than we find it in Germany? That would be highly interesting to me.
Saw bolyngyz
Dr. Werner Linden

++++

Saelemetsizder me,
the third programme is in preparation, focussing more on folk and classical tunes than done in the previous issues, and of course the song which became the new Qazaq National Anthem, will be honoured. *kaz-flag*
As a round-up, there will be a first Qazaq-german musical coproduction.
More I will not reveal right now, for who knows what else might happen till the planned release date of (roundabout) mid of April this year?
In a few days I hope to give to you here the links to my thrid radio show on Qazaq music.
I am happy to say, that so far quite some people in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, have now taken notice of the beautyful music from your country, so my efforts had at least a little effect.
Until soon
Stay all well - Zholyngyz akh bolsyn!
Mad Musicologist

Added (01.01.2009, 08:11)
---------------------------------------------
... and the next slice.
Saelem,
here we go, folks:
my third radio show you can get here:
Three parts:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX3.1.mp3

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX2.2.mp3

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX2.3.mp3

English translation of my comment:
>>http://www.sanakz.de/sana_download/freizeit/RadioX3engl.pdf
Playlist:
Part 1:
No. Artist / title
01 Ak Tamak Link: www.asylmura.kz
02 Tulebayev: National Anthem of Qazaqstan (old)
03 Shämshi Qaldayakov: Mening Qazaqstanym Link: www.asylmura.kz
04 Közimning qarasy (Abaj) Link: www.asylmura.kz
05 Ürker: Közimning qarasy (Abaj) Link: www.urker.kz
06 Raushan Orazbaeva
07 Qasqyr Link: www.asylmura.kz
08 Aqquw Link: www.asylmura.kz
09 Sendej Adam
10 Muhabbatimsan (1) Link: www.vatanweb.sbn.bz
11 Saz Otau, Sagym dala Link: www.vatanweb.sbn.bz
12 Muhabbatimsan (2) Link: www.vatanweb.sbn.bz
Part 2:
Nr. Artist / Title
13 Mening Qazaqstanym Text: Zhumeken Nazhimedenov, Music: Shämshi Qaldayakov
14 DMH: Mening elim
15 Art Rap: Dostarym
16 Bayterek: Hanshajm
17 Yedil Khussain: Bul-Bul-Zaman Link: www.liter.kz (russian)
18 Qaldayakov: Hymn of Qazaqstan
19 Zhubanov: Abaj (Aria from the opera) Link: www.asylmura.kz
20 Zhubanova: Enlik Kebek Link: www.asylmura.kz
Part 3:
Nr. Artist / Title
21 Ürker: Moj Kasachstan Link: www.urker.kz
22 Orda: Kesh meni
23 Elik Aj Link: www.asylmura.kz
24 Eligay (Ghaziza, Ürker remix)
25 Musicola: Ersultan Link: www.musicola.ru
26 Alimzhan & Mad Musicologist: Qazaghyma. Club Version
27 Masdongar: Mariam, Arrouse

I am so happy now!
Saw bolyngyz
Mad Musicologist

+++

+++

Saelem, all! (ahem.... :oops: )
these shows are only possible with the great support I received already.
I am just the ‘‘loudspeaker’‘ which needs to be ‘‘fed’‘ with musical input.
Thanks to all who informed (and please: still inform me) about new links with qazaq music of whatever genre! Thanks to all who help me spreading this thing in the WWW, as the radio stations are still only local.
And thanks to all who are patient with me when I am wrong in pronounciation or background information. 8)
And: I think I can keep it going! Just opened a new source of highly valuable music archives with hours of tunes!
Keep on singing, dancing... :guitar: :smoke:
Saw bolyngyz
M. M.

- - - 2 b contd....

Added (01.01.2009, 08:12)
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[size=9]
+++

+++

Saelem, all
1.) @ Donatus: Sorry 4 the late reply, you will have tried googling in the meantime and maybe you found Rakhmadiev's Violin concerto on a CD. But there is not very much more else, as far as I know.

2.) @ all of you over there: :rox: Be merry with me!
http://sana-web.net/index.php?name=Files&op=showcat&cid=19
This is the link to my fourth radio issue, you'll find every necessary file in that site.
Enjoy it, please!

Sau bolyngyz
Mad Musicologist

+++

Hi, Donatus,
it takes very long normally until they answer. It seems they could need some help in the field of public relations .
Well, I never bought any cd of them, you will probably get those only in QAZ, not abroad. I downloaded the tunes that I quoted in my issues.
Anyway, I hope to have been informative and entertaining. I have grown to love this kind of work.
In case you have any new links with interesting music or pictures, please let us all know.
Thanxxxx.
Mad Musicologist

+++

Sälem all,
thanks to the generosity of my qazaqi friends in Germany, the site ‘‘www.atameken.de’‘ is hosting me in a ‘‘special corner’‘, which will also be available in English in short.
Presently, they created a version in German, containing all my 4 radio issues and some more...
http://www.atameken.de/2008/01/30/special-corner-of-mad-musicologist.html
Please, have fun.
Mad Musicologist.

+++

+++
Saelem, all,
it is a long time since my last visit here, but now:
Yes, of course Tolkyn Zabirova is a good singer, though her music is very ‘‘westernized’‘. However, she has a brilliant voice.
Let me modestly lead your attention to the fact that, due to restructuring of the website ‘‘atameken.de’‘, my ‘‘special corner has a new link as follows:
http://www.atameken.de/2008/01/30/special-corner-of-mad-musicologist.html.
I am still in research and thus hoping to be able to present a fifth radio issue somewhen this year.
In the meantime, I whish you all a good time un the U.K., good studies, good jobs, and, before all: GOOD HEALTH!
Best
Mad Musicologist

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- - - 2 b contd.....

Added (01.01.2009, 08:34)
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maybe a short notice to the admin of this site:
If you wish me to stop uploading this text, please do not hesitate to tell me.
If you should wish to have the mp3-files to upload them to this site, you could send me a "PM" with any postal contact address, then I can send you a CD-Rom.
It's free. I do not make any money with this job, I am working "pro reo" (or, if you prefer, "pro deo"), absolutely non-profit. Just 2 make sure.
O.K., let's go on.

First, it seems by slicing the text in so many bits things get confused.
Some of the links seem to be incorrect concerning the third issue, and now I can't correct the input any more, so I have to do it here:
Part 1: http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX3.1.mp3
Part 2: http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX3.2.mp3
Part 3: http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/11/874758/RadioX3.3.mp3

Then, I did note give you the English Text for that 3rd issue. It is here to follow....

Added (11.01.2009, 14:02)
---------------------------------------------
Radio X 3

01 Ak Tamak
Sälemetsizder me, greetings, dear friends, qosh keldinder (welcome), with these sounds of mozartesque easiness! Sender “Globalwize”baghdarlamasyng tyndap otyrsyndar. Who ever tried to play this instrument, that is called so misleadingly “Jews harp“ (nor being a typical Jewish instrument, and no harp at all either), he will know how much concentration it needs to produce at least some harmonics with it, and to play such a melody so vividly to the dance, that is a great achievement indeed. To use the name of the classic composer in this context might seem to some people a nice provocation – and this is how I meant it: that was my contribution to the anniversary year. But behold: is it not true that also for him, the perceivable easiness of his themes is the result of a deliberate work on his inspirations?
You might sense from my words, that this time I am more serious this time than in my previous broadcasts. I encountered a barrier, which is not that easy to get over. There is much material to be presented, enough for some more issues. An increasing number of sites come up which generously offer music files for download, consequently it becomes harder every time to keep track, to tell original from stereotype, just because the quantity is growing rapidly: Qazaqstan is also in the field of music deliberately on the march. To this comes, that the questions arising from the survey of the musical examples, lead me to growingly complex topics, that I could foresee, but those are not as “radiogen“ as the role of a pure DJ. This issue could become my last one about Qazaqstan, despite becoming melancholic because of the many exciting discoveries I would surely miss. But just to go on presenting seems to me problematic too, as I really fear routine being a creator of boredom. So what am I up to this time?

In every program I had tried to cover the genres of folk, pop/rock and classical music. Now, the proportion of classical pieces will be somewhat greater, if not in time, but in number. There is a piece of the great akyn Abaj – who by the way had translated some of Goethe’s poetry to Qazaq – but I really do not know how much of this considerable volume. That song of Abaj’s I shall offer in two versions: a classical one and a cover version from the band Ürker. The composer Zhubanov had written an opera on Abaj’s life, and I can offer a hauntingly beautiful aria from that opera. Akhmet Zhubanov was the father of the composer Gaziza Akhmetova Zhubanova, whose string quartet we enjoyed in the course of the two previous issues. From her opera Enlik-Kebek I have a not less astonishing aria in an original recording from the fifties. The portion of folk music will as well be grater in this program. And just when I thought to have finished my concept for this program, I found myself overtaken by politics. Did I ever tell you how sympathetic I found the national anthem of Qazaqstan, being a slow waltz in opposite to the standard march rhythm? Here it is, just as a farewell:

02 Tulebayev: National Anthem Qaz.
That has been, even at times of the “Kazakh Socialist Soviet Republic“, the official anthem.
Right: that had been. Since January 7th, 2006, Qazaqstan has a new national anthem, composed in 1956 by Shämshy Qaldayakov on verses of Zhumeken Nazhimedenow, and this is the original version of the tune in a recording of that time.

03 Shämshy Qaldayakov: Mening Qazaqstanim (source: Asyl Mura).
Take notice, how that singer intonates the song: I perceive a note of strong self confidence, already at that time, as if she was saying, “Hear, people, the time of false humbleness is over, now you will see and hear us, the Qazaqs, and who would not listen to the song, he must listen to the storm!” Of course the song’s verses do not say this, but only the way in which she intonates the tune, real great. And did you get the irregular periods in the melody? Not the even groups of two, four, eight measures, but some with eight, some with nine, some with seven…
Anyway, I shall continue on this topic later, to avoid monothematic development. Let us take up the next thread: Abaj’s song Közimning kharasy.

- - - to be continued....

Added (11.01.2009, 14:04)
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The first two verses I got in a translation:

You pupil of my eyes

You pupil of my eyes,
You mirror of my soul.
Love’s sores are
Endlessly deep in me.
No Qazaq wise man,
No old man
Would pretend,
There’d be another human being
Like you.
Now I am crying, now I praise,
Let my tears run.
When I find words,
They are there for my love.
I touch her heart
And keep the good note.
She really knows.
Now I do not speak great words.
When you think more profound,
You will not be helpless.

Maybe it seems only to me, but it could be really true: Qazaq texts are written with much more delicacy, than we are accustomed to from the songs of the west. Let me recall the innocent text of Raqats reggae song, that one with the teardrop falling. Or Ürkers gorgeous Mahabbat äny, with those magnificent final verses,
Childhood stayed with a winking hand.
Eternal love raised her flag.
They do not bluntly say what moves them, but they find images of rare delicacy. How crude are titles of the kind let’s talk about sex.
So let us enjoy two versions of that love song of Abaj, first a classical arrangement, which I know from Asyl Mura, and then a rock version of Ürker.
04 Abaj: Közimning kharasy (Asyl Mura)
05 Abaj: Közimning kharasy (Ürker)

“Qasqyr” is a highly interesting piece, that leads me straight to the issue of onomatopoeia, and to this fits a second tune, interestingly being played on the qobyz as well, “Aqquw”.
Those who heard my first broadcast, they will remember an example I presented, with a passage resembling to the muezzin’s call:
06 Excerpt Raushan Orazbaeva.
Since the medieval age the builders of organs from entire Europe tried so hard to create a register that resembles the human voice, the famous “Vox humana", and absolutely unnoticed Qazaqstan had an instrument, much simpler constructed as an organ, but that allows so enormous changes in timbre, that the player can imitate animal’s and even human voices. And the qobyz-wolves are howling really intimidating.
07 Qasqyr
08 Aqquw
By the way, “aqquw” means, “swan”.
Dear friends of the Globalwize community, I did warn you, this time I am more serious. For this reason let us relax now with Seifullin Jolbaris’ (“Jolbaris” is “tiger”) song
09 Sendei Adam.

- - - to be continued

Added (11.01.2009, 15:34)
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And so I hope to raise the tension again. There is a part of Qazaqstan, and to the same extent to Uzbekistan, the southern neighbour, which belongs to the tragical losers by the soviet colonisation. This region – the language there seems to be somewhere between Qazaq and Uzbek – is called Qaraqalpaqstan,
Qaraqalpaqstan, I repeat that slower for those who whish to write that down. I am talking about the country around Lake Aral, which daily horribly testifies by its unstoppable vanishing the stupidity of purely commercial thought (if you wish to call it so). On the opposite side of our blue marble there is quite a similar tragedy happening, even though the landscape looks quote different (I am referring to the outrage committed against the rain forest in the Amazonas basin). So what was the crime?
Some leaders believed they could do a good business in the mainly hot climate of Uzbekistan and southern Qazaqstan, by growing cotton. They had the water taken away from the two largest rivers that emptied into Lake Aral, the Uzbek Amyrdaya, and the Qazaq Syrdaya, and used it to water the cotton fields. Now, the air in that place is rigorously dry, which caused the little plants to need very much water, which consequently did not reach the lake anymore. Even on the satellite pictures taken from that region, provided for example by the NASA, the results are well visible also for amateur geographers like me. Never before on earth a lake has retreated during a few decades from the dimension of 127 times larger than Lake Constance, to less than the half.
Contemporary surface of Lake Aral: 33.600 sqkm, in 1960: 68.000.
Lake Constance: 536 sqkm. The water became salty. The fishes died. Like absurd reminders, the fishermen’s vessels lie in the desert sand; you do not see any water around. The few people, who could not leave, have only one sorrow: water. The cattle are running, screaming with thirst, over the scorched pastries. The wind is full of salt and the fine dusts of the former see ground (that had become by the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizer in the plantations hazardous waste) crumbling in the glowing sun. Toxic waste on an area of more than 34.000 sqkm.
And again, as if that was the last comfort, rises from here music of indescribable beauty and elegance. But please do not jump to the conclusion from this, that life in Qaraqalpaqstan was nothing but happy disco nights. Even though it sounds alike.
10) Muhabbatimsan (1)
11) Saz Otau, Sagym dala
12) Muhabbatimsan (2)

Back again in the mainland, I wish to continue the topic “National Anthem”. The tune had been published later on as a kind of entertainment song, later some musicians who dubbed their band “Valley of little Hooligans” had catapulted it to the age of rap (Dolina malenkih huliganov, short DMH). First the pop song, and then – “please bring your backrest in an upright position, stop smoking please and fasten your safety belts, we are taking off in a few minutes.”
13) Text: Zhumeken Nazhimedenow, Music: Shämshi Qaldajakow: Mening Qazaqstanym
14) DMH: Menim elim
I am not thoroughly sure whether the guys thought of musical satire when putting on a loan from the museum of prehistoric sound storage mediums, and at the end they turn off the power. The text claims to be quite patriotic, as you get from an excerpt:
Kazakhstan’s vast expanses are our wealth,
Look here, my Kazakh people, it is our land:
Our nature, our oil, our vastness.
Our land is abundant in everything.

The word Kazakhstan is very valuable,
Kazakhstan’s president is very influential.
First he took the country by his hand,
And has made it and its people independent.

Forward, Kazakhs, it's our time,
Put Kazakhstan on its feet, get hardened.
West-Mangystau is our home.
Golden sun, golden grain – our Kazakhstan.

The region West-Mangystau lies on the shore of the Caspian Sea, with the capital Aqtau, which I mentioned in my last broadcast. – The official hymn will be heard later on. [/size
- - - to be continued

Added (11.01.2009, 15:40)
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Of course the German audience will wonder about the big news I am making of this, as normally National anthems are not quite the stuff for those who are engages globalwize, but rather those who are interested in nationalistic thoughts. Okay, it’s not that I try to bow and scrape before those who otherwise might not put my issues on the web. No. Complete nonsense. Of course it is understandable when listeners from Germany raise their brows when witnessing enthusiasm for national topics. But we should not draw conclusions from our shaming history to other nations attitude towards their home country. Let me please remind you that Qazaqstan through fifteen decades had been dominated by the Russians, that under Stalin, in the name of a so called “internationalist” doctrine any practice of their culture and even their language was forbidden, and only in the time after Stalin the situation became gradually better. And just in this time of a timid renaissance the piece, which is now the national anthem, was composed.
And I think, we might join the feast.
But before that I might serve another example from the series “listen, people, we are a Turk nation.“
15) Art Rap. Dotarym

And lets just have another one:
16) Bayterek. Hanshaim

Completely different is Yedil Khussain in his piece Bul-Bul-Zaman, where he includes quite a row of traditional folk instruments. Starting with the Shan-Kobyz, he lets follow Sybyzghy, a flute, then the zhetigen and a dombra. Occasionally a neat lead guitar turns up, and when he sings, that sound to me a little like the old Mongolian tradition of throat singing.
17) Yedil Khussain. Bul-Bul-Zaman

In this span between Turkfolk and Mongolia now fits, as I think, the national anthem as embracing the enormous country.

My Qazaqstan
In the sky the golden sun,
In the fields the golden grains,
An epos of bravery –
So is my land!
For centuries
We are heroic.
We are proud and strong,
My Qazaq people!
Chorus:
Oh you my country, oh you my country,
I am the flower that has been grown up by you,
I am the song that sounds from your lips, oh country!
My home is my Qazaqstan!

We have a vast land,
And the way to future is free.
Our people is united,
Our country – independent.
New ages it meets
Like an old friend.
The country of our fortune
Is this land here!
Chorus:
Oh you my country, oh you my country,
I am the flower that has been grown up by you,
I am the song that sounds from your lips, oh country!
My home is my Qazaqstan!
18) Qaldayakov. Hymn of Qazaqstan
19) Zhubanov. Abaj (Aria from the opera)
Tokhsan-bir de segiz MHz. X radiosyna khosh keldinder.
We are still on tour in Qazaqstan, and what followed so incredibly soft after the heavy final chords of the new anthem, that was an aria of Akhmet Zhubanov’s opera “Abaj”. You do sense the circle is going to be closed, and as I had announced this aria, so I bring now to you that from the highly romantic opera “Enlik Kebek” written by Zhubanov’s daughter, Gaziza Akhmetova Zhubanova. (The summary of the ancient tragical love story that makes the plot of this opera I know from Dagmar Schreiber’s travel guide “Discover Qazaqstan”.)
20) Zhubanova. Enlik Kebek
Here now again a piece of Ürker, this time in Russian, here they invoke the country’s beauty and the unity of its people, that consists of many peoples – slightly as in Jamaica: Out of many, one people.

- - - to be continued

Added (11.01.2009, 15:46)
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I might dare to point out that the incessant concentration on the own country could lead to blinkered vision. But that would be in contrary to the nomadic heritage, of which I spoke in my last broadcast.
21) Ürker: Moj Kasachstan
22) Orda: Kesh meny
Orda’s title Kesh meny had a good place in the Qazaqi top charts quite for a while.
The band is formed of a trio of three broth