Donal Dineen’s Sunken Treasure: Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares

Some types of music strongly suggest a particular type of landscape. The lofty polyphonic singing on the compilation Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares is definitively one such piece of music. There is something so otherworldy about it that it would almost be unreasonable not to at least have a go at transporting yourself to the high lonely peaks of the Rila range or the upper Thracian plane.

The splendour of the voices and notes are pitched so uncommonly high there’s a feeling of being airborne, floating across unfathomed seas and spaces. The unique drone accompaniment beneath the melody gives the music an almost electronic quality.

The subtleties in the variation of the character of the singing make it particularly beautiful and distinctive. It’s a heavenly sound. The fact that it’s all female choirs adds to the mesmerising effect.

Ensemble singing has always been a tradition for both men and women in Bulgaria but since the formation of the Bulgarian Television Female Vocal Choir by Georgi Boyadzhiev in 1952, a number of notable of other smaller choirs have come to prominence and a strong female presence permeates the great music of the past few decades, most notably the recordings of contemporary arrangements by composer Phillip Koutev.

A recording by Swiss ethnomusicologist Marcel Cellier of Koutev's arrangements is considered amongst the most beautiful, and has done a lot to bring a wider audience to these divine sounds. He was responsible for helping Ivo Watts Russell compile the album that became Le Mystere Des Bulgares which was such a critical hit for the 4AD label in the 1990s.

Only the most special things have that innate grace which is pointless trying to break down for clues as to the origins of its beauty. It just belongs in its own fragrant sacred scape hopefully to be preserved for all eterenity. How about forever? Is forever good for you?