Yehudi Menuhin presents Deben Bhattacharya’s film Raga, made in 1969, just as the world was discovering Indian music thanks to Menuhin and the Beatles. The film and accompanying soundtrack include rare performances by classical masters in the first of this Musical Explorers series, curated by Simon Broughton. The Musical Explorers series from ARC Music makes available, often for the first time, a valuable range of historical films and audio recordings gathered from all over the world. During the 20th century more people started travelling and became more aware and interested in the world’s musical traditions. And technological advances meant that the equipment necessary to record those musical traditions in their natural environment become more portable and higher quality.

This album of traditional Bulgarian folk song features Galina Durmushliyska, from Dobrudja province in northeastern Bulgaria, a one of the finest native contemporary exponents of traditional Bulgarian song. As a singer she maintains the highest interpretational integrity and possesses an exceptionally warm voice. Accompanying Ms. Durmushliyska are Theodosii Spassov (kaval) and Krûstyo Dimov (kaval), the Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra and the Bulgarian National Radio Folklore Orchestra.

The tracks on this new release come from Zimbabwe and South Africa, and feature a variance of inspiring traditional songs and exciting new compositions.; This music is known worldwide for its rhythmic intricacies, driving energy, and unrivaled enthusiasm.; These pieces are sung some a capella, some with instrumental accompaniments, but all with beautiful close harmonies.

Now known for the intensity of their live shows, this re-released CD, Tummel’s first, features around one-third original compositions and evident Eastern European music influences (Macedonian, Roma, etc…) This is traditional Klezmer music presented in a very un-traditional, entertaining way. “This klezmer septet does a great job… jazz and Middle Eastern influences recalls the Klezmatics…their innovative use of guitar and bouzouki brings out the Turkish flavor....” – SR, Sing Out!

Magical Flutes From The Andes explores the enchanting and haunting sounds of flutes and pan pipes from Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. The flutes are accompanied by many other traditional South American instruments, such as kenas, zamponas, rondador, charrango, guitars, and various percussion instruments. The tracks on this album include traditional Andean music, and original compositions by Pablo Carcamo.

This double disc compilation album presents the best of English folk, where artists such as Eliza Carthy, The Demon Barbers, Bellowhead and Kate Rusby amongst others have revived traditional English folklore penned over a century ago, bringing it back to the forefront of the folk scene. The fourth in the series of ARC Music’s exclusive Ultimate Guide albums, this is an exciting and superb collection of 35 songs that steeps the listener in history from all corners of England. “There cannot be many examples in history of an obsolete art form reaching the verge of extinction only to rise phoenix-like from the ashes and come to dominate popular culture, yet such is the story of English folk…” (Jon Boden)

This album takes the listener for a musical journey across the Middle East. Works from Armenia, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Kurdistan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen are featured. Styles and genres included on this recording vary from 1950s raw Bedouin field recordings, to spiritual Sufi and gypsy music, to today’s catchy modern compositions.

This diverse repertoire of folk music is performed by Huseyin Turkmenler and his wife Gunay Turkmenler. The songs included on this release feature love songs, lover's laments, folk songs, and instrumental dances and taksims. Traditional instruments were used in this recording, including the saz, darbuka, def, and zil.

Dynamic and lively Russian music and songs, presented by the award-winning Ensemble Balalaika. Played on original Russian instruments balalaikas, bayan (button accordion), zhaleika (shepherds flute) etc.

A superb selection of Irish ballads delivered by some of the greatest representatives of Irish folk, e.g. The Dubliners, Declan Hunt, Terry O'Neill, Brier, Corrib Folk, Blackthorn and many more. The songs include such classics as The Boys of Killibegs, All for me Grog, Cuanla, Sing Irishmen Sing, Carnlough Bay, Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore and many others.

Classical Music

London Jewish Male Choir presents regaling performances of classic cantorial and liturgical songs, Sephardic (Judeo-Spanish) songs, Chassidic pieces and modern Israeli compositions. Extensive information is included in English and German.

Giovanni Sciarrino (aka John Noise Manis) is a figure of considerable importance in the recording and dissemination of Javanese Gamelan music, a multi-layered music of unique character, tunings and timbres to the Western ear. The program of "Gamelan From Central Java" features a variety of different styles from the classical Gamelan repertory, including one modern composition. It offers a different and incredibly rich, musically bracing and engaging listening experience.

• An album of compositions for Egyptian dance, featuring “Egypt's Ambassador of Rhythm”, Hossan Ramzy, a well-known figure in Western music circles. • Mr. Ramzy's partner, Prof. Maged Serour, is a Qanun virtuoso. • The history of the Qanun, a plucked box zither, dates back over 1000 years."

Bashir Abdel ‘Aal, flautist extraordinaire, presents an album of outstanding beauty with atmospheric, meditative, calming music, played with awe-inspiring mastery that is delicately accompanied and supported on keyboard.