Murmures d’Himalaya

This is an excellent release by a trio consisting of Lobsang Chonzor, a Tibetan singer born in exile and dranyen lute and gyumang hammered dulcimer player, Margaux Liénard on Norwegian Hardanger d’amore fiddle and bouzouki and Julien Lahaye a percussionist who mainly plays the Persian/Iranian tombak goblet drum. ‘Gangkar’, the opener, is a Tibetan traditional song that praises the prosperity of the Land of Snows. A jaunty lively rhythm realised on the Tibetan lute and bright singing set the tone. The fiddle and drum arrangement flows naturally in harmony with the sentiment of the piece. The trio have worked hard in matching the sonic worlds of the different instruments and styles without compromising the individual strengths and characters of the traditions they come from. ‘Elvegard’ has a ‘European’ contemporary folk fiddle instrumental feel with alternating time signatures. ‘Mantra’ starts with Lobsang Chonzor’s lone voice chanting the sacred words, a Hardanger drone and drum groove slip in which gradually morph into a dance-like fiddle tune moving onto loud keening vocals and more complex rhythms to a climatic end. Lobsang Chonzor also trained in Tibetan Opera and ‘Khapshay’, ‘a Tibetan opera ritual song… to cleanse the stage’ is a fine example of his powerful voice. The performers on Murmures d’Himalaya are at the height of their game.