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Around the World in 575 Songs : Traditional music from all the world's countries Volume 1
Nick Wall, author
It began with a vision : Nick Wall committed himself to collecting songs from every country in the world,
creating a website where people could listen to them, and writing a book based around the songs chosen.
He spent over four years gathering traditional music from countries large and small, from Kazakhstan to
Kiribati, listening to what the artists had to say and researching their cultures, then weaving the music in with information, stories, and reflections about each country. Around the World in 575 Songs: Traditional Music from all the World’s Countries is a festival of cultures in four volumes; a demonstration that for many people in this globalised world our roots are still a vital part of who we are; and an affirmation that every country and every people are special.
Reviews
Musicologist Wall delivers the fourth volume in his exhaustive guide to the musical and cultural histories of countries in the world. This volume covers 200 songs from various countries, which he describes as being “rooted in a country’s past heritage and culture, music that employs traditional instruments.” In Bolivia, for example, Wall highlights the work of Luzmila Carpio, who wrote songs in Quechuan, studied the indigenous cultures of the Andes, and “wasn’t just interested in past tradition but in the present: through her songs she spoke up for the environment and the rights of women, and against injustice and hate.” In St. Lucia, West Indies, Wall explores how African and European cultural influences produced “the kwedril dance,” its name derived from the French quadrille but whose “heavy use of the chakchak (shaker, or rattle)” makes it unique to Lucian culture. And a section on Argentina moves beyond the “leviathan-sized” big business of the “tango tourism” of Buenos Aires to explore the musical culture of the less well-known folk music clubs where local communities gather to enjoy good food, wine, and live bands. Wall’s collection provides fascinating examples of historical and musical insight. (Self-published)
