Dear BFEers

In fact I should have titled this message ‘recordings’ of the month because this time I’m bringing to your attention an entire collection rather than a single recording. The reason for this is that I’m writing this message from within a conference session (of the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives – IASA) in Cape Town, South Africa. I wanted to let you know that we have the field recordings of South African composer, Kevin Volans, available for streaming on our BL Sounds website.

A collection of field recordings made by composer Kevin Volans in the late 1970s in Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The recordings include rare recordings of the late Princess Constance Magogo on the ugubhu musical bow, as well as a large number of guitar and concertina pieces. The collection also includes natural sounds such as the sounds of storms and a range of insects. Prompted by his research trips, in the early 1980s Volans wrote a series of pieces based on African compositional techniques, which made a significant contribution to post-modern compositional repertoire. Most well-known is his work with the Kronos Quartet.

Please go to http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Kevin-Volans-South-Africa to explore this collection. As usual your notes, comments and sharing are welcome.

All the very best to all

Janet

Dr Janet Topp Fargion

Lead Curator, World and Traditional Music

British Library

96 Euston Road

London NW1 2DB

United Kingdom

Tel: +44(0)20 7412 7427

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Web: http://www.bl.uk/wtm

Blog: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/music/