In this unique recording, Lee Jae-Hwa -a geomungo zither virtuoso- performs the suites Geomungo Hoesang and Geomungo Sanjo in the respective styles of the South and North of the Korean peninsula: distinct forms, techniques and rhythms, but with a shared subtlety, sensitivity and emotion. The geomungo, a 6-string zither, features 16 frets over a resonating board made of paulownia wood. It's origins trace back to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo (37 BCE to 668 CE), which dominated the territory of present-day North Korea and a large part of Manchuria. It's rich history spans some 1600 years. The geomungo makes dramatic sounds, through the friction created by the plectrum striking the strings, or the rustling created by the subtle movements of the left hand over the strings. Due to it's dignified and stately nature, the geomungo was considered "the greatest of all instruments" throughout the Korean peninsula.

The vocal power of Mohammed Aman, sensitive to the finest melisma, transporting us back, through courtly poetry and chamber music to former glories of the Hejaz, cradle of Arabian civilization. In 1925, Hejaz became part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was born after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, but the history of Hejaz goes back much further. Since pre-Islamic times, Hejaz has been a hotbed of poetry and music; it was the annual 'Ukaz fair, where tribes from all over Arabia came to compete in poetic jousts. With the advent of Islam, the Umayyad dynasty settled in Damascus, but the cities of the Hejaz retained their importance, and while Mecca and Medina attracted pilgrims from all over the world, they also flourished in the arts and letters. Musicians formed a class of their own, many of whom were freed former slaves of African, Persian or Byzantine origin. Protected by patrons of the arts, they were also very popular, and this prestige extended to female singers, some of whom were of free status and were veritable divas.

The members of the Ensemble Hougaku Shijyuusoudan explore the art of sankyoku: a refined repertoire of instrumental chamber music, to which singing often adds a poetic touch. The practice of this trio music was established as early as the end of the Edo era (late 19th c.), and underwent a major growth with the secularization of shakuhachi flute playing (formerly reserved for itinerant Zen monks of the Fuke sect).

Ancient music and magnificent performers of today, all graduates of the Tokyo National Conservatory and winners of prestigious competitions: while perpetuating the traditional repertoire, they are multiplying collaborations and are also committed to animating the future of their instruments by commissioning works from contemporary composers.

Unanimously praised for his mastery of the sitar – the king instrument of North Indian classical music – Kushal Das is particularly renowned among aficionados (the rasika) for his art of the surbahar: this 'bass-sitar' with its long sustain, ideally suited to subtle alap, is here at the service of the raga Darbari Kanada performed in concert in the setting of the Radio France Auditorium. The adjective darbari comes from a Persian term meaning "royal court", and this was indeed a "majestic" concert lasting almost two hours. What a wonderful harmony between the acoustics of the venue, the choice of raga, the instrument and the artist, for this first concert of Indian classical music in the Auditorium! Although Kushal Das went on to perform other raga with tabla accompaniment, it is only the raga Darbari Kanada that is the subject of this disc: an alap –an improvised prelude, exposition and development of the raga; these terms reflect only an approximation of the real meaning, for when a complete alap is presented in this way by a master, it is much more a world in itself, in which the artist expresses alone, without accompaniment, the extreme of his musical thought in the service of the raga. Darbari Kanada is a deep night raga, and undoubtedly one of the most difficult to master. It requires a great deal of musical maturity to, through its melodic rules, unleash the full extent of its emotional impact imbued with breadth, dignity and depth. A fundamental raga, Darbari Kanada is also a perfect illustration of the fact that in a raga, the note (swara) must be considered as a "note in context", as are so essential the choice of ornaments, proportions, dynamics, angle and direction of the attack –everything that constitutes the "approach to the note".

The Ari people of South-West Ethiopia treat the human voice as a veritable instrument: exploring it's entire acoustic range by varying registers, timbres and vowel resonance; their grand-scale polyphonies are highly sophisticated, yet not without elements of spontaneity and surprise. The period of great collective ceremonies begins at the end of the rainy season - marriages (wochmi), the end of harvesting (buk), funerals (efi) and the lifting of periods of mourning (chi: chi). Participants abandon their habitual activities to devote themselves to the celebration of a decisive life cycle event, amid omnipresent singing and dancing. A strong contrast exists in Ari music between the complexity of the collective polyphonic structure and the sobriety of individual voices. A successful ensemble depends on good combinations of simple elements. Moreover, any apparently rigid polyphonic organization is counterbalanced by a certain flexibility in performance, evident in unpredictable entries of freely moving voices and in a wealth of variations. In Ari polyphonies, a variation is an open proposition, addressed to other musicians, provoking reaction and thereby developing the performance.

In this recording, one of the very first in the santur master's extensive discography, Shivkumar Sharma already shows the full extent of his talent: a remarkable inspiration made up of melodic subtlety and rhythmic liveliness. Shivkumar Sharma [1938-2022] is largely responsible for introducing the santur -a musical instrument for folk music widely used in Kashmir- into classical music. He received dual musical training in tabla and santur from his father, and his development as a virtuoso was extraordinarily fast. This new edition of a disc released over half a century ago is a tribute to this musician, who recently passed away and who, following in the footsteps of a generation of artists such as Vilayat Khan, Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar, brilliantly exposed another facet of North Indian classical music. The tabla accompaniment is provided by Kashinath Mishra [1937], a pupil of the late Pandit Anokhelal Mishra from Benares.

Mosa�c is an ensemble made up of six musicians from Bulgaria, France, Portugal, and Tunisia. Their compositions are above all else a space for musical encounters at the crossroads of jazz and Mediterranean music. Their musical language is varied, combining Balkan ornamentation with the colours of Western European chamber music and the rhythmic essence of North African music. The ensemble explores imaginative worlds and interweaves traditions like a Mosaic, passing from energetic grooves to the breath of the Bulgarian kaval and the woody sonority of stringed instruments. Now that it's creations have been welcomed throughout the Mediterranean, Mosa�c presents a debut album inspired by the different places it has visited and the people it has met.

Derived mostly from pansori singing and originally largely improvised, sanjo became (especially in the stylistic school of Master Choi Ok-sam) a structured instrumental suite: On the 12 silk strings of the gayageum zither, Kim Hae-sook paints with virtuosic serenity, a musical landscape of exaltation and restrained emotion. In the 14th and 15th centuries, most genres of the royal court music of the Joseon dynasty (ancestral rituals, banquets, military ceremonies etc.) were performed to realise the ideals of Confucianism. Emphasis was placed more on ideologies than on acoustic aesthetics. Consequently, rather than appreciating free expression, it was a common practice to moderate melodic progress, tempi and ranges. But a change in the musical climate encouraged emotional expression, calling for virtuosic professional performers. This led to the rise of the vocal genre of pansori as the kind of music that made the audience laugh and cry, which eventually resulted in the emergence of sanjo as solo instrumental music. This new genre overtly adopted the musical language of pansori, so much so that it has often been dubbed “pansori without voice”. The sanjo was originally created on the gayageum zither, the most representative of Korean string instruments. Initially an improvised musical form, the sanjo was diversified as various schools were formed according to teachers’ traditions and performing styles, exploiting the full technical potential of the instrument.

Born in Mexico City, violist Dana Zemtsov has always retained a deep love for the colourful Latin-American culture. The discovery of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's book One Hundred Years of Solitude, in which the vivid literary images of clouds of yellow butterflies precede a forbidden lover's arrival, inspired Dana to revisit her earliest musical memories. This led to a unique project embodying the most characteristic expression of love in Latin-American culture: the beautiful boleros presented on this album entitled Yellow Butterfly. They are so well known that practically every Spanish-speaking person can sing them by heart. With arrangements by the legendary Joan Albert Amargos and Claudio Constantini, the recording conjures the surreal atmosphere of the Americas: melancholy, roughness, poetry, vitality and joy. These 'recomposed' boleros were arranged for solo viola and a small ensemble that consists of pianist Anna Fedorova, trumpeter Angelo Verploegen, bandoneonist Claudio Constantini, double bassist Nicholas Schwartz and percussionist Andre Groen.

Amsterdam-based Ghanaian trumpeter, composer and bandleader Berima Amo blends highlife, Afrobeat, traditional West African rhythms, jazz and soul into a rich, contemporary sound. Rhythms of Love is a heartfelt tribute to the music and icons that shaped his journey-exploring love, unity and cultural pride through hypnotic grooves, expressive trumpet lines and soulful melodies. Bridging tradition and innovation, the album celebrates African musical heritage while carrying it boldly into the future.

Bringing together voices from across the UK Punjabi community, award-winning composer and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra MBE unites leading British vocalists including Heera Group, Premi Johal, Abira Shah and Mohinder Kaur Bhamra with renowned lyricists such as Preet Nihal and Pappi Sing Kenya. Inspired by the timeless lok geet traditions and the golden era of 1980s British Bhangra, Kuljit blends classic folk instruments with fresh contemporary production to celebrate the enduring spirit of Punjabi culture.

Tel ve Ten is the debut album by Ozan Baysal. Discover the diverse sounds of the double-necked baglama, a modified Turkish instrument which has evolved from the traditional Anatolian baglama style, selpe. Featuring improvisations, original compositions and arrangements of traditional Anatolian melodies.

Rooted in the Mandinka idea that history and ancestry shape identity and guide the future, Tona reflects on Kadialy Kouyate's rich heritage as a Kouyate griot and his distinctive style of kora playing, shaped via his life history thus far. With gratitude for the past and optimism for the future, Kadialy continues to refine his artistry, weaving tradition with personal expression.

Rooted in the choro tradition, Alvorada's rich compositions embrace rhythms from across Brazil, including samba, xote, bossa nova and bai�o, tinged with further influences from jazz, tango and more. Faz Tempo pushes traditional expectations with it's bold and intricate arrangements, endlessly varied textures, and breathtaking improvisations and interplay - all transmitted with an infectious joy and soulfulness.

Chinese pipa virtuoso Gao Hong and Indian multi-instrumentalist Baluji Shrivastav OBE unite their rich musical traditions in a cross-cultural collaboration that shines with emotional depth. Alongside Yousef Ali Khan on tabla, Baluji's expressive Indian raags provide a spacious foundation for Gao's intuitive improvisations - at times echoing his motifs, at others soaring freely.

Iranian women have not been permitted to sing solo in public since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Together, vocalist Maliheh Moradi and Iranian composer Ehsan Matoori capture the struggles of being a female musician born in Iran. With their collaboration, they acknowledge the sorrow, suffering and fight for freedom against the injustices that underrepresented communities endure. Inspired by the personal memoirs of Maliheh's life, Ehsan converts the multitude of emotions into captivating traditional Iranian compositions, controversially highlighting the beauty of Maliheh's voice.

Gao Hong (Chinese pipa master) discovers friendship, creativity and the joy of spontaneity with Kadialy Kouyate and his captivating Senegalese kora. With skilful balance of composition and improvisation, the two instruments and musicians converse through the expression of the strings – exchanging cultural stories, traditions and musical styles. This album shines a light on the new possibilities that can arise when peoplefrom all cultures open their hearts and minds to one another, when they abandon inhibitions and simply explore. As Gao concludes, “our music will not just be Chinese or Senegalese, it will be a new form of world music that melds styles and sensibilities from two continents.”

A wildly creative and joyful exploration of traditional Taiwanese culture. The music of A Moving Sound is the result of a deep commitment to making art entwined with spiritual practice. Starshine celebrates life and our journey through it. This album features original compositions weaving folk and traditional opera, from earthy to transcendent, joy to suffering, all enhanced with stunning vocals and the rich textures of traditional Taiwanese instruments. “A Moving Sound is one of the most original outfits working in the world music arena today. An inspired marriage of Taiwanese traditional sounds and Western pop experimentation that forges an important new musical dialogue.” (Tom Pryor)

Award-winning record producer, composer and tabla player, Kuljit Bhamra MBE, brings together celebrated Bollywood singers, lyricists and musicians for Namaste Bombay. With 38 original songs inspired by the origins and developments of 'Bollywood' music over the decades, it features lush instrumentations with traditional strings performed by the Bombay Gold Orchestra. An enthralling filmi journey designed to evoke your own imagined Bollywood fantasy!

2016 release. Celtic Woman has a remarkable twelve-year legacy of introducing the most talented singers and musicians from Ireland onto the world stage. Voices Of Angels showcases the angelic voices of Susan McFadden, Mair�ad Carlin, �abha McMahon and introduces the breathtaking new Celtic violinist Tara McNeill. With some of the most popular songs from the Celtic Woman repertoire, several previously unrecorded tracks and all new orchestral arrangements recorded with the 72-piece Orchestra of Ireland.

2018 release. Multi-platinum international music sensation, Celtic Woman, return with a spectacular studio album Ancient Landis Fall. Ancient Land is the first brand new studio album since the Grammy-nominated Destiny in 2016. Ancient Land will feature all new material for Celtic Woman, with new and original songs alongside traditional Irish pieces and some well-known cover songs.

30 romantic Celtic melodies featuring traditional Irish instruments. 30 Yuletide favorites delivered via the warm, green-hued tones of traditional Irish instrumentation (Celtic harp, guitar, flutes, etc.).

Deluxe CD/DVD edition. 2018 release. Since it's debut, Grammy-nominated global musical sensation Celtic Woman's concerts continue to touch the hearts of a huge audience that spans the globe. Both an accomplished recording ensemble and a one-of-a-kind live act, Celtic Woman combines the country's finest musical talents with epic stage production to present a uniquely inspiring live experience. Filmed in Dublin, Ireland in September 2017, Homecoming: Live From Ireland represents the next chapter of their extraordinary musical journey.

Sacred Spirit is an album blending authentic Native American chants with contemporary musical arrangements in the tradition of Enigma and Deep Forest. For this release, Virgin has changed the cover to the original version, released in the U.K. in 1995. a contribution from sales of this album goes to the Native American Rights Foundation.

2020 release. From traditional standards to contemporary Irish songs, Sharon Browne's Celtic Thunder show has captivated audiences around the world. Now in it's eleventh year, the PBS hit ensemble returns to the US with it's latest Show Celtic Thunder - Ireland. This release combines ten years of Celtic Thunder hits and focuses on their most popular Irish and Celtic songs that have made Celtic Thunder one of the best-loved and most successful musical acts on Public TV and on tour since 2008.