Kalinka Zgurova started singing on stage when she was only 11 years old. She gained distinction when she was 15 at the First National Singing Competition in the village of Gramatikovo, Bulgaria, in 1960. Since then she has been soloist in some of the most renowned Bulgarian folk formations: the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Dances Ensemble, Pirin Ensemble – Blagoevgrad, Zagore Ensemble – Stara Zagora. She is founder of the Zornitsa vocal Trio and has performed with it songs from different parts of Bulgaria specially arranged for the chamber trio. Kalinka Zgurova’s greatest success, however, is connected with The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices Choir.
She has recorded hundreds of songs for the Bulgarian National Radio, the Bulgarian National TV, etc. Aiming to enlarge her repertoire, she has always tried to discover authentic songs from her native Strandja region. Being very well acquainted with the original folklore, she is also very successful as a composer. The songs composed by her continue the tradition of her nameless predecessors and are easily integrated into every folk programme. A part of them have been included in this release and they can be inferred only by the information in the booklet.
Many performers of folk songs today look for ways of making folklore sound more up-to-date, but a few of them are successful. Kalinka Zgurova is very careful with regard to the “electronic” arrangements. In spite of their “modern apparel”, her songs are true to the original source.
STRANDJA FOLK SONGS · KALINKA ZGUROVA
Track Listing
[1] Dali’i Velika sgodena 2’28’’
[2] Boyu le, pravna pravnino 3’14’’
[3] Zapravi Georgi kaldaram 2’41’’
[4] Slantseto treperi 2’26’’
[5] Gore mi horo stanalo 2’27’’
[6] Niz loze hodi Dragana 4’32’’
[7] Naberi mi, Yano, bialo grozde 2’01’’
[8] Haide, momi, da tropnem 2’13’’
[9] Pogledni, male le 1’56’’
[10] Stoyan na Zlata dumashe 3’26’’
[11] Karshi Todora lyulyaka 2’23’’
[12] Mene me, Stanko, pisaha 4’50’’
[13] Na Ugrash, na polyanata 2’24’’
[14] Ne barzai, Vido 2’10’’
[15] Lazar kon sedlae 2’02’’
[16] Niamalo momtsi za Doina 2’43’’
[17] Ochi, shalavi, palavi 2’53’’
[18] Stoyan ot niva ideshe 4’43’’
[19] Otkak Milkana zalyubih 3’20’’
[20] Kade, Nikola, otivash 2’37’’
[21] Ya stani, sino, da kajesh 3’59’’
DDD 61’38’’
Participating
Kalinka Valcheva, Petko Dachev (accordion), Nedyalko Nedyalkov (kaval) Loznitsa Instrumental Group, Eva Quartet
Bulgarian National Radio Folk Songs Ensemble,
Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra, orchestra
Conductors: Lyuben Botusharov, Hristofor Radanov, Dimitar Lavchev, Boyan Nankov, Dobrin Panayotov, Emil Kolev, Dimitar Hristov, Stefan Mutafchiev