Songs of the Earth: Astonishing and Rare Voices

The human voice is not only the world's oldest musical instrument, but also the most portable, and it can be used in countless ways. This compilation of songs provides nineteen diverse examples.Selected from across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Africa, these recordings represent unique vocal arts traditions, including Mongolian overtone singing, Swiss yodeling, an Inuit repetition-based singing game, and Sudanese call-and-response. With songs about love and war, music for religious ceremony and entertainment, and performances that range from quiet soloists to a raucous 250-person vocal percussion ensemble, the album shows the versatility of the human voice as an instrument. This album is part of the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music.

Track Listing

101	India: Khyal (excerpt)	Mohin ud din Dagar, Amin ud din Dagar	05:10
102	Bali: Tjak (excerpt)	Singers of Peliatan	02:07
103	Japan: Upopo	Kiyo Kurokawa, Teru Nishizama	02:10
104	Mongolia: The 4-Year-Old Light Tan Horse	Sundui	01:49
105	Uzbekistan: Yar-yar (excerpt)	Nazira Baïjanova	02:20
106	Syria: Islamic Ritual Zikr (excerpt)	Rifa'iyya Brotherhood of Aleppo	03:28
107	Syria: Takhshefto (Like the Merchants)	Evelyne Daoud	04:50
108	Ukraine: The Red Mountain Ash	Rosa Jouk, Lioudmilla Tchijouk, Maria Dorodko	02:00
109	Byelorussia: Round: Spring Dance	Tatiana Orlenin, Nadeshda Shogol	02:07
110	Bulgaria: Slow Melody	Ianka Rupkina, Stoian Vielichkov	03:57
111	Switzerland: Zäuerli Sung in the Inn	Ernst Pfändler	02:21
112	Canada: Three Katajjait from Baffin Land	Elijah Pudloo Mageeta, Qaunak Martha Meekeega, Napache Samaejuk Pootoogook, Napache Etidloie Toonoo	02:02
113	Solomon Islands: Roiroa (Women's Song)	Group of eight women and girls singing	02:37
114	Malawi: Buyeni: Kamwana kamwini (Somebody's Little Child) - Kaya wiyo (Who Cares)	Girls from Ntcheu district	04:13
115	Sudan: Nagara	Gumuz singers accompanied by sangwa and gourds	02:33
116	Central African Republic: Dikoboda sombe (Hut Song)	Young Aka woman	03:54
117	Central African Republic: Ulepa	Mvrele ensemble	04:24
118	Central African Republic: Ye zame andero (War Song)	Group of Banda-Linda elders	02:51
119	Benin: Song for Grinding Millet (excerpt)	Two Somba girls singing while pounding millet	03:00