Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Polish folk music is in a pretty bad state after 2 world wars and a communist dictatorship, and most stuff is kind of reduced to a novelty value (ie played for tourists). They had a similar folk revival period as we did in Ireland, but it was on a much smaller scale and more underground.
As far as radio is concerned, your best bet is the national radio station Trojka (it's available online). It's an excellent radio station that plays good music across all genres, some folk but you need to be lucky.
They have their own tunes, and actually funnily enough a lot of them are Polkas.. but i've only heard people playing these busking around Poland and Ireland.. It's pretty much very similar to Ukranian trad cuz there's all sorts of overlap in culture between that area in Poland (mountains) and Ukraine.
There's a very good band called "Orkiestra Sw Mikolaj" (translates roughly as 'The Orchestra of Santa Clause".. they're a bit mad the Poles...)
There's a guy called Jacek Kleyff who plays excellent folk flavoured music, but in recent times his music hasnt been up to scratch.. try his stuff from the mid to late 70s if you can find it.
Also Goran Bregovic did a good album with a Polish singer called Kayah and a choir of Goral mountain singers.. its kinda poppy world musicy folk but its good in spots.
Hope this is a help.. If you want I'll send you one or two things by email when i get around to it.. let me know.
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Absolutely brilliant: the Warshaw Village Band. Very firmly rooted in Tradition. Young and innovative. Very nice music and very Cool.
Start there if you want to get into polish music: www.warshawvillageband.net !!
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Outside of Poland and the lovely Carpathians and their festivities ~ North America... There are 'factions' and like any body of land gathered within the clumsy boundaries of borders ~ there are different ethnic identities and accents, including with the music and dance. There is also a 'classical' form of both music and dance, something similar to the Coimisiun take on Irish dance or the RSCDS take on Scottish tradition. The 'classical' form is more ballroom in style, early ballroom, with some of that damned Russian performing ensemble shight usually predominating. However, I've had enjoyment from both sides of this greater divide, though my heart is in the Carpathians and the earthier forms... Throwing around large women can be risky, a kind of extreme sport of dance...
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Thanks guys. Lots of good leads there.
Jasiek, I especially like the music of the group ~ Dautenis.
That 14 string Fiddle they play too, looks fascinating.
However, I must confess, those huge 'Pedal Accordions' these guys play, worry me just a little.
In the video clip it looks like the guy is actually cycling his Accordion!
I was a little worried at first, cause all I could find were very corny sounding Polkas, but I can see now that I'm actually going to enjoy finding out a little more about this music.
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Being American of Polish descent (second generation as it were) I am not aware of a strong sense of cultural memory. Based on my family and the greater Polish community I am part of (at this point almost peripherally) the significant goall of immigrants was to assimilate asap.
I did grow up listenting to Li'l Wally's band and the Polish Program on AM radio, but the Polish Trad seems to be relegated to almost an academic existence. I have worked professionally with some native Poles and they have always seemed to have had little awareness other than the Polish show things like Masowie (Kind of a Polish Mountain version of 'Riverdance' only without the smoke machine and fireworks.)
It seems that the Poles, aside from the very valid points about partition, Holocauast and the other Nationalist debacles ranging form the Hapsburgs and the Communists, my parents were well versed in classical- Padarewski, who kept the piano repair guys in business, and Chopin...who not surprisingly also had a reputation for keeping piano builders very busy. They also knew that in Polish society, the Polkas and Mazurkas were the society dances of choice in the late 19th century.
My sense is the Poles wanted to disassociate from the Trad and mountain music as its called because it was peasant music. Poles have always viewed themselves as being more cosmopolitan.
On piano Accordion, I still know the polkas that my father drummed into me. But it's hard to call that Trad.
I would be very interested if anyon has better info than I have. Aside from marrying 'out of the faith' as it were to a McFadden, the vitality and support of Irish Trad and Celtic (whatever that means) attracted me because there is so little available from my culture here in the States.
"My sense is the Poles wanted to disassociate from the Trad and mountain music as its called because it was peasant music. Poles have always viewed themselves as being more cosmopolitan."
Yes, that city/country divide, and probably a sad result of there now being a growing interest from the urbanites ~ influences that might not be so healthy for that good ol' mountain music... You know, the usual shight repackaging and reinterpretation for the consumption of fat asses on seats ~ an audience, one who's base understanding can be the usual fantasies or the rural idyll...
Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
.... & before anyone says Poland, I already thought of that!
I'm just looking for a good website where I can listen to some really good Traditional Polish Music?
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Is Polish music like normal music, only shinier?
Sorry, I know that's a bad pun...
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by Mark Harmer
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Why are you looking for more Polkas? Well sorry, they're Bohemian in origin......
Sorry Ptarm, no-one is answering your query properly here.
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Are there any Polish music internet radio sites? Try googling "internet radio".
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by maxF
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Polish folk music is in a pretty bad state after 2 world wars and a communist dictatorship, and most stuff is kind of reduced to a novelty value (ie played for tourists). They had a similar folk revival period as we did in Ireland, but it was on a much smaller scale and more underground.
As far as radio is concerned, your best bet is the national radio station Trojka (it's available online). It's an excellent radio station that plays good music across all genres, some folk but you need to be lucky.
They have their own tunes, and actually funnily enough a lot of them are Polkas.. but i've only heard people playing these busking around Poland and Ireland.. It's pretty much very similar to Ukranian trad cuz there's all sorts of overlap in culture between that area in Poland (mountains) and Ukraine.
There's a very good band called "Orkiestra Sw Mikolaj" (translates roughly as 'The Orchestra of Santa Clause".. they're a bit mad the Poles...)
There's a guy called Jacek Kleyff who plays excellent folk flavoured music, but in recent times his music hasnt been up to scratch.. try his stuff from the mid to late 70s if you can find it.
Also Goran Bregovic did a good album with a Polish singer called Kayah and a choir of Goral mountain singers.. its kinda poppy world musicy folk but its good in spots.
Hope this is a help.. If you want I'll send you one or two things by email when i get around to it.. let me know.
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by faerierade
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Absolutely brilliant: the Warshaw Village Band. Very firmly rooted in Tradition. Young and innovative. Very nice music and very Cool.
Start there if you want to get into polish music: www.warshawvillageband.net !!
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by Mina the Fiddler
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
http://www.kzww.pl - warsaw village band
http://www.zywiolak.pl/ - zywiolak
http://www.myspace.com/kapelaziele - kapela ziele
http://www.dautenis.art.pl/ - dautenis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzbFDnYlaQc
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by jasiek
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
nowhere. it does not exist.
# Posted on April 30th 2008 by baby
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Outside of Poland and the lovely Carpathians and their festivities ~ North America... There are 'factions' and like any body of land gathered within the clumsy boundaries of borders ~ there are different ethnic identities and accents, including with the music and dance. There is also a 'classical' form of both music and dance, something similar to the Coimisiun take on Irish dance or the RSCDS take on Scottish tradition. The 'classical' form is more ballroom in style, early ballroom, with some of that damned Russian performing ensemble shight usually predominating. However, I've had enjoyment from both sides of this greater divide, though my heart is in the Carpathians and the earthier forms... Throwing around large women can be risky, a kind of extreme sport of dance...
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Lovely jasiek ~ the U-Tube: Kapela Józefa Bębenka, Radomskie 1986
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Oh yeah, almost forgot ~ the modern reinterpretation and revival, so a 'triad' on the major side of things, avoiding the sub-groups...
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Thanks guys. Lots of good leads there.
Jasiek, I especially like the music of the group ~ Dautenis.
That 14 string Fiddle they play too, looks fascinating.
However, I must confess, those huge 'Pedal Accordions' these guys play, worry me just a little.
In the video clip it looks like the guy is actually cycling his Accordion!
I was a little worried at first, cause all I could find were very corny sounding Polkas, but I can see now that I'm actually going to enjoy finding out a little more about this music.
Thanks
Dick
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Being American of Polish descent (second generation as it were) I am not aware of a strong sense of cultural memory. Based on my family and the greater Polish community I am part of (at this point almost peripherally) the significant goall of immigrants was to assimilate asap.
I did grow up listenting to Li'l Wally's band and the Polish Program on AM radio, but the Polish Trad seems to be relegated to almost an academic existence. I have worked professionally with some native Poles and they have always seemed to have had little awareness other than the Polish show things like Masowie (Kind of a Polish Mountain version of 'Riverdance' only without the smoke machine and fireworks.)
It seems that the Poles, aside from the very valid points about partition, Holocauast and the other Nationalist debacles ranging form the Hapsburgs and the Communists, my parents were well versed in classical- Padarewski, who kept the piano repair guys in business, and Chopin...who not surprisingly also had a reputation for keeping piano builders very busy. They also knew that in Polish society, the Polkas and Mazurkas were the society dances of choice in the late 19th century.
My sense is the Poles wanted to disassociate from the Trad and mountain music as its called because it was peasant music. Poles have always viewed themselves as being more cosmopolitan.
On piano Accordion, I still know the polkas that my father drummed into me. But it's hard to call that Trad.
I would be very interested if anyon has better info than I have. Aside from marrying 'out of the faith' as it were to a McFadden, the vitality and support of Irish Trad and Celtic (whatever that means) attracted me because there is so little available from my culture here in the States.
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by zippydw
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
Did a quick search.
Here is a site that seems to give some background
http://www.gadki.lublin.pl/pfm/index.html
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by zippydw
Re: Where can I listen to really good Polish Music?
An extension to this discussion ~
Discussion: Polish music
# Posted on May 3rd 2008 by Floh
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/17647
"My sense is the Poles wanted to disassociate from the Trad and mountain music as its called because it was peasant music. Poles have always viewed themselves as being more cosmopolitan."
Yes, that city/country divide, and probably a sad result of there now being a growing interest from the urbanites ~ influences that might not be so healthy for that good ol' mountain music... You know, the usual shight repackaging and reinterpretation for the consumption of fat asses on seats ~ an audience, one who's base understanding can be the usual fantasies or the rural idyll...
# Posted on May 3rd 2008 by ceolachan
~ usual fantasies 'of a' rural idyll... (or/of ~ one of my repeating slip-ups...)
# Posted on May 3rd 2008 by ceolachan