Song Of The Crooked Dance: Early Bulgarian Traditional Music 1927-42
Spurred by the popular success ofLe Mystere des Voix Bulgares(Nonesuch), there has been unprecedented interest by the Western world in the music of  Bulgaria. But the renowned women's choir offers a mere fragment of the country's  diverse musical heritage.Song of the Crooked Dance, a 23-track compilation of recordings from 1927 to 1942, presents a far more  extensive and stunning overview of the Bulgarian traditions, the breadth of which may  surprise most listeners. The impassioned ornamentation of 17-year-old singer Vulkana  Stoyanova echoes the great vocalists of flamenco. Solos on gaida (bagpipe) and kaval  (end-blown flute) recall the launeddas masters of Sardinia and Celtic pipers and flautists.  Pieces showcasing trumpet and clarinet resound with klezmer's free-metered reel.  Remarkably, it's as if Balkan folk music channels the crosscultural gitano flame of the  entire European continent.--Sam Prestianni