Macedonian Postcards

This old love song, first recorded by Izvorno Trio, is from the Tetovo area. Dragi discusses the Gavrovski brothers group, the differences between singing to kavals and gajdas, and ornamenting melodies.

This love song, first recorded by Vaska Ilieva, is from the Aegean region. Dragi discusses the influx of out-of-region Macedonians to Macedonia in the 60's, their singers and groups, and Radio Skopje's efforts to record their songs.

This west-central Macedonian love song is from Mariovo. Dragi talks about the region and singers and songs from it, and its tradition of zurlas and how they express the hardship people from the area experienced.

Dragi talks about the similarities of this southwestern Macedonian song to Lele, Jano, his theory about how that happened, and about Zaharinka Milosaljeviḱ.

Dragi talks about the many different versions and story lines of this central Macedonian song, which serves as the theme music for our podcasts.

This song from northern Macedonia describes a mother's fears for her son marrying a woman from another village. Dragi also discusses the passing down of cultural traditions, and the population mix of villages in past generations.

This song praises the master of the house. Dragi talks about how popular this song is, sung by everyone at special occasions. He also talks about the song's first recording ist, Angelko Spirkovski.

This song from the Skopje region features the gajda (bagpipe). Dragi learned it from a recording by the famed Trio Kučkovki, and he talks about the trio, led by Zvezda Dimovska, and also about Stojka Stojkovska.

Dragi talks about this song from southeast Macedonia, and discusses Irina Bujuklieva, the little-known singer who introduced it.

Dragi talks about this song from the Kumanovo area and about sedenkas—working bees—and his personal experiences with them in his family.

Dragi talks about this Tetovo song and the group that recorded it, Braḱa Gavrovski. He also talks about ornamenting songs and the possible identity of Kara-Mustafa.

For this song from north-central Macedonia, Dragi talks about the origin of the lyrics and four different versions. He also discusses Dragica Mavrovska.

For this song from north-central Macedonia, Dragi talks about the category of songs having to do with young men or woman who are awakened from sleep. He also talks about how this song is connected with his younger daughter.

Dragi talks about the Tetovo dialect, how songs spread from one village to another, the meaning of "young bride", and the symbol of the moon in folk songs.

Dragi talks about the meaning of the archaic work "zdram," and how folk songs helpf preserve a culture's heritage.

For this first song of the Echo CD, Dragi talks about the differences between urban, čalgija, and traditional singing. He describes how he recorded two different versions of a song in two singing styles. And there's more about Kiril Mančevski.

Stefče tells the story of his family's long-time involvement in folk music, his path to professional work (including meeting Mile Kolarov), and his first recording with Dragi.

This podcast was recorded in January 2009, when all three musicians were visiting Seattle. Each gets to tell the story of how they found this folk music in their lives and what their professional work has been since.

Dragi talks about his relationship with Nikola Badev, who first recorded this song, discusses more about the emotional impact of young men going to foreign lands, and explains why certain singers are never forgotten in Macedonia.

For this song from Resen about unhappy love, Dragi reviews the original Raspejani Resenčani recording, talks about Goran's arrangement, and tells how he's incorporated another version of the song into his own performances.

Dragi talks about Vasilievski's original recording of this sad love song from Eastern Macedonia, Jordan Nikolić, Mara Gjorgjević, and the strange true tale of Lenka Pingova and Koljo Velkov.

For this Ohrid song about a young Christian girl who falls in love with a Turk, Dragi talks about the Ohridski Trubaduri, Ansambl Biljana, and ethnic Turks and Albanians who recorded for Radio Skopje.

Dragi speculates on why his repertoire contains so many songs from Lazaropole, the process by which some singers at festivals performed songs not from their home region, and more about his personal relationship with Sarievski.

Dragi talks about Anka Gieva, who first recorded this song about a likely arranged marriage, Olga Sičan from Tetovo, and the real life Vaske Evgova and Epsa Dimuševa.

Dragi talks about the Isniaovski sisters, one of whom first recorded this love song.