Le Mystere des voix Bulgares - Bulgarian choir 3 songs 

It's amazing to me that the most mainstream and popular of television programs was airing 7 mins of this exceptional quality and yet foreign and unusual music to its viewers. It seems that big media then understood and respected quality a bit more than it does now. Imagine 7 minutes of uninterrupted anything on television these days.

I'm a proud Bulgarian, reading the comments touches my heart.

Fun fact: People actually did search for this video.

I'm African, we have Sunbirds, they're small nectar drinking creatures, with jewel , shiny peacock colors, they would come from the wild, when they heard the second song in this video. Beautiful knows Beautiful!

2023 and I'm just discovering these magical Bulgarian voices. Astonishing!

Le mystere des voix Bulgares is an album every person should hear at least once. Astounding.

Bulgarian music has some of the complicated and unusual timing in the music world.

3:43 is probably the most beautiful thing I’ve heard in my entire life

Those polyrhythms are just unbelievable

Still perfect. Sitting here in tears❤

The Bulgarian voices? One of the most beautiful things on earth.

I have never cried listening to music that was a first lol.

This remains the most astonishing music I've ever heard. I’m a record producer, musician and singer best known for my work with Dream Theater. This music has had a profound affect on my ability to make meaningful musical contributions throughout my body of work ever since I was made aware of its existence 27 years ago.

Reminder: this is impossible and unbelievably beautiful.

Nothing beats bulgarian folklore songs

I randomly stumbled across this album while looking for types of world music when I was at the main branch public library in Chicago as a 20 something year old back in the mid 90s. It blew me away. I hadn’t heard anything like it. The power of their voices in unison is enough to make the hairs on your back of your head stand up.

Utterly beautiful. Touches my soul.

Still worth a listen in 2023. Bulgaria, the land of Spartacus.

I think the angels stand in awe of these beautiful daughters of the Most High making music that only the children of God could produce. It always makes me cry the happiest of tears.

This video was uploaded 16 years after this performance. It's been 17 years since it was uploaded. Just kinda... surreal, I guess.

I had the chance to visit Bulgaria for business reasons. Man, Bulgaria is beautiful! The food has hundreds of years of perfection behind it and tastes amazing. The sites are enchanting, but most of all, the people are extremely friendly and most of them speak English with fluency. Bulgaria is a treasure.

From the musicological analysis I read 30 years ago, the author described how the Bulgarian choirs are formed. I recall him emphasizing that there was a very stringent selection process for determining which female vocalists are assigned their duties. Continuing, and I'm paraphrasing from memory, he stated that the women were chosen for timber, tonal quality and range. From there, they would receive their individual assignments accordingly. The compositions featured on the album that Johnny Carson alluded to require that the singers be divided into as many as three or four groups with each group having very limited yet simple responsibilities. For example, each section might only need to sing as few as four or five notes throughout any given composition. That's it. Sooo, mathematically, if you extrapolate the chordal variations such an arrangement can produce, the possibilities are absolutely astonishing (as you can hear). Most importantly, the soloists featured on each composition are considered no more important than any of the supporting cast. If any one singer loses their place or falls short in their delivery, the performance is compromised. To put it mildly, each vocalist must know their part backwards and forwards. In many instances, some of the dense harmonic clusters you hear require that certain groups sing within a semi-tone of each other. In contemporary Western pop music? Such a challenge would be completely out of the question...

Е това е истинската мистерия на българските мистерии,плюс трио,,БЪЛГАРКА”щастлива певица съм че бях една от солистките на прекасния хор и оркестър , Пускайте още песни на този прекрасен хор да се наслаждаваме на хубава музика, ,,С МНОГО ОБИЧ ЯНКА РУПКИНА,,,ЗАСЛУЖИЛ АРТИСТ НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ””

A Bulgarian Choir singing O Susanna was such a hard turn that it threw me into another dimension

Incredible. They sing as if they had one voice. With linked arms. Such precision and beauty.

No-one on the planet can beat Bulgaria when it comes to choir work. No-one.

Браво,национална гордост на България❤

Amazing, ancient, complex, delightful. This sounds like the first music humans sang shortly after learning to talk.

It was amazing. My wife and I were in the front, center pew of this church, and the choir was arrayed around us. They were all within 15 feet. We had tears in our eyes during particular songs. One of the most astounding concert experiences of my life, right up there with Dead Can Dance.

These women have amazingly powerful voices, don't they?

Every song they sing makes me think of the most intense part of a serious drama or action film. Beautiful music.

This vocal tradition is super cool. It makes my ears happy.

I heard these Bulgarian ladies in a concert in Thessaloniki. They are amazing! Greetings from Greece.

We need more influence from the Balkans worldwide I think, and from Bulgaria especially.

Cant believe this video was put on youtube 16 years ago WOW

"Keep your ears open to unusual sounds. Things you may find a little uncomfortable now but with a little bit of listening, some of those might become your favorites" - Dr. Wanda Bryant, Ethnomusicologist

I saw them live in Montreal at around the same time and it was an unforgettable experience. I don't know how many times I was brought to tears by the sheer power and beauty of these voices.

Очень красивое исполнение ! Браво ! А какие народные костюмы красивые ❤

I am a singer of mainly jazz and musical theater, and I wish I could have the challenge of being part of this type of choir with this type of composition. You just don’t get this complexity in western music, and it would be so much fun and so difficult it would be awesome.

I've been listening to this album for 40 years and it's just as moving today as it was then. I was lucky enough to see them perform live in Canada a few years ago and it was the closest thing to a religious experience I'm ever likely to find.

mesmerizing, out of this world.

Неповторимое звучание. Следишь за партитурой и гармонией и понимаешь какое это наслаждение. Целый лабиринт. Браво 🖐️

The final song was a incredible tribute that gives insight into the Bulgarian harmonic sensibility; I'm no expert by any means but some of the passing chords had a distinct magic to them.

My gosh, how I love Bulgarian choirs. Their typical dresses are beautiful as well.

If you ever get a chance, you should see them live. Words simply can't express the power of their voices.

Absolutely chilling perfection.

Intoxicating harmony. Bulgarian choir has its own magic.

Incredible. Arhythms, compound harmonies. Some American choirs are trying to learn to sing at this level of complexity. PS you won't see this on TV anymore.

It is time that the world recognizes Bulgaria.

Großartig ❤

Прямо в сердце! Космически красиво!

Bulgarian choral music has always captivated me ever since my music teacher played it for us in like 5th grade. Just their absolute mastery over harmony - hardly any composers in north America could ever even think to come up with some of the things they do. I hope one day I can study this kind of music and incorporate what I learn into my own songs

the sheer power in their voices is insane, i love this kind of stuff, its mesmerising

I am proud of my father country super voix magnifiques greetings from belgium 👍 💕 👏 💕

Saw 'em live in London at the end of the 80s. It was simply transcendental, extraordinary.

Просто уникално, просто българско! Магическо! Велико! 🇧🇬💖🇧🇬☺️ Боже, пази България, нашата култара и нашите семейства! Амин! ☦️🇧🇬💖☺️💖🇧🇬☦️

These ladies give me goose bumps. The harmonies are other-worldly...

i lost count on how many times this has been sampled

Ohhhh.. this video really moved me...

Да живее България и всичко българко което е стойностно.

Целые истории в их песнях, будто слушаешь глас всего народа. И грустное и веселое уникальное пение.

Iedereen is hier naar toe gekomen door lijpe accepteren

One of the many reasons for me to feel proud of who and what I am!Our folklore is gift from God!

This is pretty much my favorite type of choir ever. Their harmonies are just so perfect.

The first song is pure perfection in the harmony. And of course the rhythm and the speach of the lyrics are like a metronome. Thank you so much that I have the chance to hear that!

Magnificent ! Thank You Bulgaria.

Sounds like they invented some new chords out of thin air. Astonishing control and synchrony. Pretty sure we'll never hear Oh Suzannah like that anywhere else. Jeff Beck credits these ladies with inspiring his own favorite composition, Where Were You, the one he said he would pick to put into a time capsule if he had to pick just one.

That second song is one of my all-time favorites. Other called them angelic and that is the best way to describe them.

This is freaking awesome.

I find it amazing how similar their singing is to many traditional forms of African singing - the harmonies, phrasing, rhythms...its awesome! I can imagine this traditional music surviving millennia as humanity migrated from Africa all over the planet, the styles changing with the newly developing cultures, many being lost to time, but others surviving the ages to today.

One of the most beautiful musical phenomena our world will ever know.

12 tone is artificially pure and clean, but every now and then, one needs to be reminded that what we perceive as "off" can be astoundingly beautiful.

So much respect for all these ladys. This is so deep and intense, I can not describe. Thanks!

Болгария, красивая и плодотворная страна, с не лёгкой историей, и тем не менее, не смотря на некоторые политические моменты, аз съм горда, че съм българка.... Времето е в нас, и ни сме във времето! В.И.К. (Левски).

Your comments makes me so happy, bless you all!!!

Здравейте на всички българи, които са попаднали на тази малка часть отъ мрежата. Въ дни като тѣзи, музиката за душата е нѣщо важно.

That first song always bangs no matter how many times I listen to it.

Strange and beautiful..... A natural fluidity in itself ....❤🎼🎵🎶👨‍🎤

Wow, the precision and richness of those harmonies are stunning!

HOLY SHIT, THIS IS AMAZING!!!! I don't think words can put into feeling how I I feel about how AMAZING THIS IS. the harmony, melody, rhythms, and the many diversions the music makes from the main motifs is so interesting.

Maravillosas... Estuvieron en Buenos Aires y fui a escucharlas. Fue una de las más hermosas experiencias de mi vida musical.

Perfect ( respect from Albania 🇦🇱 )

If we colonize other planets and become a space civilization, and we have to select the traditions to preserve for eternity, this is one I ABSOLUTELY want preserved and cherished. In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen.

Поклон за България. Onore alla Bulgaria! :*

I am from india.. love this song ☺️

LIJPE - ACCEPTEREN

I remember when I first heard this stunning music, about 35 years ago. Really broadened the sonic world for me.

Amazing...

I LOVE Bulgarian music!!!! 😍

it gives me goosebump

wie kwam hier omdat dit een intro is van lijpe accepteren

The song at 3.32 is from the Banshees of Inisherin starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. I thought it was from the Maoiri's when I first heard it, but it is this beautiful Bulgarian love song.

I’m obsessed. 🇲🇽🇺🇸

Lijpe

We need more of this on talk shows today

This harmony is absolutely fascinating....

Няма да успея да им се наслушам. Благодаря, че ги има!

This is exactly what I miss about late night television.

Missing you, Kremena. Thank you for teaching me songs and for your beautiful, generous spirit. I am so grateful for your kindness and hospitality. We all honour your memory and legacy. A rare and wonderful talent, a spirit of strong and steadfast beauty. Your strength and your voice has radiated outwards across many lands - and it will live on.

Фантастика !!! Не могу подобрать слов, чтобы выразить свое восхищение! Спасибо огромное! Благополучия , новых уснехов и мира всем вам. Киев.