Dervishi brothers

Biographie

Dervishi brothers
Songs and shepherds' flutes
Albania
on Tour
4 artists on stage

Dervish Dervishi and Aziz Dervishi, voice
Sallah Shabani and Adnan Aliu, kavall

Between the cities of Gostivar and Kitchevo extends a plain called Polog, in the northwest of the Republic of Macedonia. Surrounded by high mountains and fed by numerous rivers, this region is mainly inhabited by Albanians. The music consists of epic and lyric songs often begin with an invocation to God (lutem zotit) in accordance with Muslim tradition. The epic songs tell stories of successive wars to protect the territory against the invaders to keep alive the collective memory. Lyrical songs mostly speak of love (sevda), or scenes of pastoral life (baritore). There are also songs of exile (Kurbet), work, etc...

 

The Dervishi brothers are the singers who have best preserved the tradition of "music source" (Muzike burimore) transmitted orally by their father. They are nicknamed the nightingales (bilbilat), by their knowledge of singing techniques, the extent of their voice and their ability to improvise. The song takes place in a house's room in which we also discussed between men, welcome friends who often sing to accompany the voice that holds the song (ja mBan). The main voice (marrësi) provides intonation, rhythm and trajectory of singing.

 

The Kavall, long oblique flute accompanying the song is traditionally played in Albanian shepherds in pairs, one for drone and the other playing the melody. The master Sallah Shabani make himself his own Kavall in ash wood with seven holes, covering about three octaves. Due to a manufacturing in several segments that can be detached and fitted into the two ends of the instrument, the musician can play in various modes and heights.
Enris Qinami

 

REFERENCES

Festival Les Orientales (FR), Cité de la Musique - Paris (FR)

 

Promotion Artiste

Demo Video

Audio

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