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  Various Artists
The Alan Lomax Collection:
Spanish Recordings: Basque Country - Biscay & Guipuzcoa (Rounder Records,
2004)
Spanish Recordings: Basque Country - Navarre (Rounder Records,
2004)
Italian Treasury: Liguria Piemonte & Val D'Aosta (Rounder Records,
2004)
These three volumes are part of the Alan Lomax Collection produced by Rounder
Records. Around 150 albums are planned for eventual release, drawn from the vast
archive of field recordings amassed by ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax. The format
is the same for each of these three releases: all transfers are from the
original source materials, extensive explanatory notes are included for each
recording as well as lyrics and translations.
Each CD also features specially
commissioned essays by ethnomusicologists that place the recordings in their
historical, ethnographic and musicological context. Footnotes, bibliography and
discography are included with each CD. For the generalist listener, this is
ample material for understanding these important and often irreplaceable field
recordings. Each release is a model of care and attention and include as much as
50% new material not previously released.
From 1952 through early 1955, Alan Lomax traversed first Spain and then Italy
amassing a large body of field recordings that form The Spanish Recordings and the Italian Treasury. Both recording projects were massive in scale
and attempted to capture the music of village and rural life in each country.
The Spanish recordings are of special interest because there are few important
sound documents of traditional music from early- and mid-twentieth century
Spain. Although the folk traditions have survived to a greater degree in Spain
than in many parts of Europe, the conditions of life are so altered from the
time of these field recordings that the folk traditions have changed in
fundamental ways. In Italy, the music of the preindustrial peasant culture Lomax
recorded in the mid-1950s has in large part disappeared, and the recordings now
serve as reminders of a different way of life and of musical traditions that
have all but disappeared.
Every care has been taken with the transfer of sound recordings from the
original reel to reel tapes to digital media. The sound quality is typically
excellent given the primitive conditions of the time. (Lomax often recorded in
remote locations, reached by mule or donkey, that had no electricity or running
water. The recording equipment was bulky and reel to reel tape was expensive and
not always easy to acquire.) The repertoire from each region is varied and
reflects the care Lomax took in performing his advance work prior to the
recording sessions. None of the performers were professionals in the
contemporary sense of the word, though many were active paid performers playing
and singing in local festivals, wedding and baptism celebrations. Some
recordings were even made at regional folk music festivals.
The Spanish and Italian field recordings of Alan Lomax are invaluable documents
of mid-twentieth century traditional music in these countries. The presentation
of this material in The Alan Lomax Collection, released on Rounder Records, is
everything that could be hoped for. The lover of traditional music can enjoy the
recordings for their varied and authentic performances, while those interested
in them as ethnomusicological documents will be pleased with their careful
contextual presentation. Rounder is to be congratulated for producing such a
fine series and making it available to the general public. Up-to-date
information on The Alan Lomax Collection can be found at
http://www.rounder.com/rounder/artists/lomax_alan/.
[ Buy the 3 CDs:
Spanish Recordings: Basque Country - Biscay & Guiuzcoa,
Spanish Recordings: Basque Country - Navarre &
Italian Treasury: Liguria Piemonte & Val D'Aosta.
Or purchase some of the other titles of the collection:
The Spanish Recordings: Galicia,
The Spanish Recordings: Aragon and Valencia,
Extremadura: Spanish Recordings,
Italian Treasury: Calabria,
Italian Treasury-Sicily,
Italian Treasury: Folk Music & Song of Italy,
Italian Treasury: Emilia-Romanga,
Italian Treasury: Liguria-Baiardo & Imperia,
The Italian Treasury: Abruzzo,
Italian Treasury: Liguria-Polyphony of Ceriana,
Italian Treasury: Puglia the Salento,
Italian Treasury-Trallaleri of].
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