Music Reviews : Bulgarian Choir at Occidental

Since the sudden, shocking success of the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir in 1987, other Bulgarian choirs have come out of the woodwork, some also receiving high-profile exposure on recordings. Yet the Radio and Television Choir still dominates the field, now on its third U.S. tour and sounding as fresh and fascinating as ever in Thorne Hall at Occidental College, Wednesday night.

As before, the choir offered a selection of folk music arrangements from all over Bulgaria, some of them now amazingly familiar from their recordings.

Conductor Dora Hristova continues to keep her 23-voice choir in sharp, disciplined form, with tight attacks and releases, mind-boggling glides in pitch and little or no vibrato altering its direct, penetrating sound.

The most consistently astounding arrangements seemed to come from Krasimir Kyurkchiyski, who served up thrillingly clashing, closely knit harmonies and effects. The complex rhythms are similar to those of the nearby Balkan states, and these marvelous singers trip through them with breathtaking ease.

The choir was spelled on two occasions by an expert quartet that knocked out some irresistible odd-meter dances on the gadulka (upright fiddle), tambura (lute), kaval (recorder) and gaida (bagpipe).