CD/Sound Clips
Born to Drone's CD, "A Star is Shining", was released in April, 2009

Number of CDs 1 CD $15.00 2 CDs $30.00 3 CDs $45.00 4 CDs $60.00 5 CDs $75.00

Enlarge

Please enjoy some sound clips from our CD

Track 2: Shen khar venakhi (You are the vine)
12th century hymn from Kartl-Kakheti in Eastern Georgia. Perhaps the best known of Georgian chorales. The poetry compares the Virgin with the grapevine.

Track 3: Izvor Voda dzhanam (Water sprang from a well)
Water sprang from a well and spoke to a girl. “I am water; I know how to cook; I will cook in Bitola, near the fountain. The bachelors come there and tie up their horses.” This traditional Macedonian song again features Ian Saxton on doumbek and David Saxton on tamboura. Water sprang from a well and spoke to a girl. “I am water; I know how to cook; I will cook in Bitola, near the fountain. The bachelors come there and tie up their horses.”
This traditional Macedonian song again features Ian Saxton on doumbek and David Saxton on tamboura.

Track 4: Dodi Li (My beloved is mine)
The text is from the Song of Songs. Arranged by Jeanne Benioff from the popular melody composed by Nira Chen (b. 1924). [To be published by Earthsongs in 2009] My beloved is mine and I am his that feeds among the lilies. Who is coming up from the wilderness? Who is this, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense. You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride, you have ravished my heart. Awake, northwind and come southwind.

Track 5: Snoshti sam minal (Last night I passed dear Elenka)
From the Dobrudzha region of Northeastern Bulgaria. Arranged by Petar Krumov. Thanks to Anne Egger and Jessica Ruvinsky for sharing this with us. “Last night I passed your courtyard, my dear Elenka, and there I lost my bronze kavals. Have you found them, dear Elenka?” “No, you did not find them. Mother found them and put them in a many-colored box, as my gift.” “When will you see that I am broken-hearted, my dear Elenka?”

Track 6: Oj Jovane (Master Jovan)
A traditional song from the Pirin region of Bulgaria. Jovan the master is building a structure in which there’s a fragrant willow. On the willow is a grey dove (a harbinger of doom in Bulgarian folklore). “Mother give me a rifle so I can kill the dove.” The dove says to Jovan, “I didn’t come here for you to kill me; I came here to be your true love.”
Jeanne Benioff and Barbara Saxton, duet; Ian Saxton, dumbek; David Saxton,

Track 7: Lepe Juro/Dobri Denek
Lepi Juro (Handsome George)
This traditional song is from Turopolje in Northern Croatia. Text by F. Luchic, arranged by Emil Cossetto In honor of St. George’s Day, a spring feast, carolers sing about handsome George while making bonfires and weaving wreaths, symbols of the power and richness of nature.

Dobri Denek (Happy Days) A spring ritual song from Croatia wishing a good harvest, health, and good fortune

Track 8: Los Bilbilicos   (The little birds are singing)
A song of the Sephardic Jews sung in Ladino, a Medieval Spanish. The little birds sing and sigh, about love. And passion’s killing me, multiplies my pain. The little birds sing on the flower’s tree; underneath it sit those who suffer from love.
Barbara and David Saxton, duet; David Saxton, guitar; Ian Saxton, bongos

Track 9: Benia’s Mravalzhamier/Aslanuri Mravalzhamier
Aslanuri Mravalzhamier
Georgia Mary Tusa and Barbara Saxton – solos
This song and the next one are samples of traditional toasting songs from the Republic of Georgia. Vocalmusic of Georgia is polyphonic (vocal lines move independently of one another) while the music of its neighbors is largely homophonic (melody on one line). Mravalzhamier means “long life.” These toasts are sung on many important occasions such as weddings or funerals. Thanks to Carl Linich and the members of Northern Harmony for this version.
Mary Tusa, solo

Aslanuri Mravalzhamier Thanks to Jodi Hewat for sharing this version, which was transcribed and arranged by Glenn Knickerbocker. Barbara Saxton, solo

Track 10: Dimitro, sino Dimitro Rodop (Dimitur, my son)
A traditional unison song from the Rodop area of Bulgaria. Here we sing it antiphonally (call and response). Transcription by Bon Singer. “Dimitur, my dear son, come out and see something. Do you see the ring dance over there? There is a boy with every girl, and by your girl there are two, both of them young and wild.” “Let them dance, mother, let them dance. Rushka is mine and will be mine. Her ring is here with me.”
David Saxton, tapan

Track 11: Aamulla varhain (Early in the morning)
This lovely Finnish song is from Aila Tilja, formerly of Zadovoljan in Sacramento. Early in the morning when the sun rises and I wake up from my dreams, my heart is so heavy from sorrow. Why my darling, did you forsake me? Late in the evening when the sun goes down, sadness brings tears to my eyes. The day’s work was medicine for my heart. The still of the evening makes it sad again. When at last I close my eyes to sleep, my tears of sadness cease to flow. I bless you, my darling, for the moments when you were a friend to me.
Mary Tusa, solo; Mary Tusa, Nettie Wijsman, Barbara Saxton, trio; David Saxton, guitar; Owen Saxton and Leslie Keenan, recorders

Track 12: Shope Shope - Shop (Bulgaria) Ian Saxton on doumbek
From the repertoire of Tzvetanka Varimezova, translation by Elena Kotanova. Some young Shopi are coming down the street. They have sheepskin hats on their heads. They carry long crooked canes. They wear pigskin shoes. They are walking and talking: “There is no taller mountain than Vitosha! There is no deeper river than Iskar!” Somehow the young Boyana heard them. She called to them and said, “O stubborn Shopi, how can there not be, when there is? There is Pirin Mountain! And Dunav (Danube) is deeper than Iskar!” They don’t listen to her but they repeat. They tisk and nod in disagreement. They nod and they say to Boyana, “Pirin is tall but it is far away. Dunav is wide, but not deep.” “O Shopi, you are clever; you’re so smart!”
Mary Tusa & Barbara Saxton, speakers; Ian Saxton, dumbek

Track 13: Stujan no oran otiva (Stuyan was working away)
A slow, unmetered song from Pazardzhik, Bulgaria from the repertoire of Tzvetanka Varimezova. Stuyan sadly plows his field and looks longingly back to the village because he awaits the birth of his child. The news arrives that he has a son, and Stuyan invites his guerilla band and Bogdan, its leader, to christen the boy, to give him a name.
Jeanne Benioff, solo

Track 14: Po polju (Over the field)
From the Sverdlovsk region of Russia. A young grey dove was flying over a field, calling to his lovey-dove. “I love the way you walk, like a swan swimming. I love the things you say—your voice is music to my ears.”
Leslie Keenan and Mary Tusa, cries

Track 15: Rozhnovske hodine (The clock of Rozhnov)
A song from the Czech Republic in triple meter with the bells in duple. Thanks to Jara Dusatko for this version of the song and for help with the translation. The bells in the clock of Rozhnov strike beautifully. They are taking my love away from me. They take her away, but I am not afraid. The hour will come when I marry, too. Marry, my boy, with God. Take a maid worthy of you.
Heather Meeker and Barbara Saxton, bells

Track 16: Mene me izgore (I’m burning up)
This song is from the Pirin region and is sung in the traditional style, with a drone. Mama, go ask for the hand of slender Zore. Will she marry me, mama, or won’t she? Oh, mama, I’m burning up for Zore! If she’ll marry me, sit for awhile, spin a little, brag about me a bit. If she won’t marry me, come home as fast as you can and bring me the news. I shall tear the house down and build a monastery and become a monk.
Jeanne Benioff and Barbara Saxton, duet; Ian Saxton, dumbek; David Saxton, tambura

Track 17: Kak po moriu (By the seashore)
A haunting 4 part song from Russia from the repertoire of the Fyodorov Sisters. A swan was swimming with her cygnets on the blue sea. A falcon appeared (symbolizing a brave young man), but the young woman said she would not bow down to him. He became angry and said she would be in his arms before long.
Mary Tusa, solo

Track 18: Perkhuli - Georgia
A dance song from the Svaneti region of the Republic of Georgia. Thanks to Jodi Hewat for the music.

Track 19: Tek saulite tecedama (The sun moves quickly)
Latvian folk song arranged by Jekabs Graubins (1886-1961). From the repertoire of the Dzintars. This song is based on the popular folk theme of the sun as guardian to all orphans. As the sun sets, the orphan child remains in the shadow, for he has no mother to lift him into the sunlight. He sends his dead mother greetings with the departing sun.

Track 20: Izgrejala jasna zvezda (A shining star is rising)
A traditional song with drone from Pazardzhik in the Thracian (central) region of Bulgaria from the repertoire of Tzvetanka Varimezova. Variant hamonization of refrain by Mary Tusa. A star is shining, but it’s not really a star. It’s actually young Angelina.

For more information Please: Contact Us