1. The Tibetan Singing Bowl Orchestra
2. Ani Choying Drolma
Reviewed together by Chris Dooks
UK only. I am sure it's a familiar story: being
energetically challenged means you have to miss out on some great
cultural events, breaking our exhausted hearts from time to time.
However, limited relief for me was found recently regarding an
audiovisual "happening" that was staged in the Scottish Highlands
during May-June 2000. Relief comes in the form of two belatedly
released CDs. …This cultural event, entitled "The Path” won awards and
rave reviews. It was not very ME-friendly, basically being a two-mile
"art-hike" up a hill in the middle of nowhere - in the dead of night.
The project shuttled a "pack of townies" to the wild country on special
buses in order for them to walk mindfully into the enhanced glen of
light and sound.
A review from The Times put it like this: "As one crosses a wooden
bridge to accept a Buddhist blessing... you are heading towards a
summit that from a distance looks like a maypole, but is actually a
makeshift temple, from which tentacles of worship flags hang. The
descent is awash with candles, amplified chants and Tibetan singing
bowls... with (visions of) stones that 'grow' - and pacts with local
monsters.” It seemed to span Gaelic, Celtic, European and Tibetan
influences and culture. What has been released from the show is
Himalayan: two CDs of both Buddhist chanting and Tibetan singing bowl
music. Together, they make a great double souvenir of the event; the
works are also strong enough musical pieces in their own right. They
both make for gently penetrating listening.
The Tibetan Singing Bowl Orchestra
A live (amplified) recording, all chimes and decaying tones. Two
percussion masters, based in Kathmandu but performing in the Scottish
glen, gently gong, pulse and tinkle low resonating bowl tones for the
best part of an hour. This is on the CD as one long continuous track.
Listening to this recording, it's clear that it's no precise studio
session... Heard on headphones, it reveals the distant buzz of an
amplifier and it comes across as a well-preserved document of this
event. But that's to its advantage… The knowledge that you are
listening to a performance gives it extra charge and pregnant
expectation of the next gentle ripple of notes between the gaps - or
gaps between the notes. It works really well as a gentle "night chimes"
release - quiet metal bubbles and trickles of sound drifting off into
the dark air - an ideal piece to listen to first thing on a morning or
last thing at night. Beautiful.
Ani Choying Drolma
This CD is also entitled "Live Recordings From The Path" and is a
more direct, but equally meditative release. The Tibetan nun sings
alone on this piece, which is also one continuous track. This seemed at
first to be slightly annoying as there are many different chants on
this recording. But the intention seems to be to listen to it all in
one sitting, for a dedicated period of time. The production is similar
to the Tibetan Singing Bowl Orchestra's CD - a warm location-based
recording, simply recorded. It seems to differ from the above release
in that Ani's voice is washed slightly with what sounds like an
artificial reverb or delay which I found made me feel cheated a little
bit, although it does allow your brain to sink into the piece. The
sleeve notes claim this reverb is natural and environmental and if it
is, it is stunning - can it be true? it sounds like a cathedral! ..
There's a pivotal moment half way through on this gorgeous record,
when you know what you are listening to simply occurred in one
particular moment in time - a jet flies overhead and it gently soaks
into the composition for almost a minute. It made me think of the view
from the aircraft of the spectacle below and then from the point of
view of below, to above. When I thought about this, I realised this was
a kind of ‘sound of the sky’ on the recording which I felt was
pertinent.
A great addition to this release would have been an English
translation of the chants. Although the music is wonderful, relaxing
and inspiring, and repetitive, we British folks sit soaking up music
like this, often labelling it ‘spiritual’, without enquiry. But I
believe that Ani is not singing a Sainsbury's shopping list here, and
that it's highly likely it comes from a very authentic tradition. I
just want to know what the words are...
In all, a fine couple of CDs, which are available as a special offer
from the organisation that staged the event [see below]: £12 each or
£20 for the pair of CDs. >> Available with a cheque (UK only) from nva organisation, 3rd floor, 128 Elderslie Street, Glasgow, G3 7AW tel: 0141 204 3304, email: [email protected].
