Musique Malgache

 musique

 recordings by  Charles Duvelle  1963 

1.Merina music- recorded on 5 August 1963 near Tananarive.
Theatrical performances are frequent events in the region of the High Plateau of Madagascar and it is customary to have musical interludes (instrumental or choral,) before the play and during the intervals; in particular flute and drum ensembles similar to the one featured on this track.
The orchestra, led by Rakoto Francois, is composed of :1 sodina oblique flute with 6 holes;-2 sodina oblique flutes with 7 holes.·The flutes are of plastic or metal. The mouthpiece is not chamferred.
&1 laugorona double-headed snare-drum (similar to the Western military drum) played with 2 wooden sticks - 1 double-headed ampouga drum played with a stick which has a spherical buffer at one end.
This music, played by way of introduction to a theatrical performance, is entitled Ndehs ho aiza ianao Radada .

2 Sakalava music recorded on 12 July 1963 at Nossi-be.
Tsy valiauay is a song in praise of various personalities. It is performed on special occasions and
interpreted by a choir of some fifteen women, who accompany themselves by clapping their hands.

3.Betsileo music recorded on 27 July 1963 at Fianarantsoa.
 The two Betsileo singers Rakoto Alphonse Nicolas and Edouard Razafilahy accompany themselves on the lokanga voatuvo, a zither composed of a stick with an open calabash resonator. The body of the lokanga voatavo is a piece of carved wood, distinguished by two symmetrical rows of notched fretwork ending in a fish-tail (near the calabash resonator).

4 Merina music recorded on 3 August 1963 at Avaradrano (near Tananarive).
The performances given by the Mpilalso troupes call for dancing, music, theater and mime. They contain the famous kabary declamations, during which the narrator demonstrates his oratorical talents by commenting on current events or telling stories studded with proverbs.The Mpilalao give their performances during public ceremonies,. festivities and all the major manifestations of public rejoicing.
Perhaps the most frequent occasions are the festivities which accompany the famadihana ezhumation ceremonies.  This recording consists of two successive items, extracts from an entire performance led by Ravolana Fenomanana : Reuy Him (Introduction and presentation), followed by Dihy Malsgasy (Dance of the men). The first part, Reuy Him is performed by a mixed choir which is introduced by the master of ceremonies and accompanied by two lokangs, western style violins and two double-headed drums,
laugoronu and ampouga  The second part, Dihy Malgasy  performed by a women's choir with clapping, a bandoneon, a langorona   and an ampouga drum, accompanies a series of dance figures performed by a number of men
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