Music of the World (Musik der Welt)

Subject: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:06 AM

The radio station HR2 (Hessischer Rundfunk == Hessian Radio, 2nd program) has a weekly "world music" (for lack of a better term) program called "Musik der Welt" ("Music of the World"):
HR2 Musik der Welt

It's broadcast on Thursdays and lasts an hour and a half. Usually, the first half hour is a mixture of different performers, often new CDs or people who will be performing in Germany. The last hour is usually about one specific country or region. It's an excellent program and might be of interest to some people here. I've been meaning to mention it, but have only just now got around to it. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a podcast.

There give a lot of background information, which is interesting, but which won't be very much fun to listen to if one doesn't speak German. However, I think there's enough music to make it interesting for someone who doesn't.

Yesterday, the hour-long segment was about music in Burundi and last week's was about Konkani music of the Indian state of Goa. Both were _very_ interesting. Goa was a Portugese colony and the music was kind of a mixture of Fado, Indian music and other musical styles. I would definitely like to here more.

Subject: RE: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:09 AM

I've just had a look at the site. Is there a Listen Again facility?

Subject: RE: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:28 AM

I looked, but I couldn't find one. Sorry. There's a "live stream", so one could listen to the next one next Thursday at 9:30 PM CET.

Subject: RE: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:32 AM

"I would definitely like to here more."

No, I would definitely like to _hear_ more.

Subject: RE: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:34 AM

Thanks. I'm usually out Thursdays, but not next week, so I'll listen in.

Subject: RE: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:44 AM

My pleasure. There's quite a bit of good "world music" broadcasting here, on HR2 and two other stations (that I can receive). NDR Info (NDR == Norddeutscher Rundfunk == North German Radio) and Deutschlandfunk (Radio Germany) also broadcast some "world music", but I can't think of a regular time-slot. There are a couple of other stations that I can't receive that have interesting programs, too.

NDR Info has a different jazz program every evening. My favorite is "Jazz Classics" on Saturdays (at 8:00 PM), which is mostly historical recordings of early jazz and swing, but sometimes later jazz.

By and large, I find the radio to be very good here. Of course, most of the stations play current pop music that I absolutely hate, but I think a choice of 3 radio stations with programs I like is amazing --- and no commercials!

Subject: RE: Music of the World (Musik der Welt)
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:49 AM

Oh, and I really wish I could find a better term than "world music". What I really like is traditional music from other cultures. What I don't like is the sort of "ethno-pop" and "ethno-kitsch" mix-'n-match klezmer-rembetika-tango-folk-pop-blues with Cuban and African percussion, which seems to be driving traditional music to extinction. However, I shall have to rant on this subject another time (or perhaps not).