Macedonian and Balkan Folk Music

Macedonian Postcards

Berovo brass band

Berovo brass band

David Bilides and Dragi Spasovski are your hosts for discussions and samples of all 54 Macedonian folk songs in Dragi's 3-CD project, as well as stories about the recordings, musicians, Dragi's life, and Macedonian culture in general. You can download each episode individually under the links section for that episode, listen to an audio stream of each episode, or you can subscribe to the entire series through one of the links on the right sidebar.



Episode 55: Stani, bre sine Stojane

Dragi talks about some of the traditions found in line dancing, and some ways romancing was carried out. He then spends the majority of the podcast talking about the extraordinary legendary vocalist Vaska Ilieva.

Audio and Links for Episode 55

Episode 55: Stani, bre sine Stojane (51:36)

Stani, bre sine Stojane (Dragi Spasovski, Track 19)

Kinisa Sante na voda (Duška Isjanovska, 2:01)

Oj korune, mlad korune (Vaska Ilieva, 4:10)

Koj što me čue da pejam (Vaska Ilieva, 4:22)

Storil niet zajko (Todor Boškov, 3:10)

Telal liči kape Ǵorǵi (Bonda Dimiškova, 2:56)

Niko, Niko meandžiko (Vaska Ilieva, 3:49)

Katerina bolna leži (Mirvet Belovska, 2:33)

Ni jadema, ni pieme (Nada Makelarska, 3:12)

Marie, dilber, bela Marie (Blaga Videc, 2:39)

Tri godini stana (Blagoj Petrov-Karaǵule, 4:30)

Parahodot mi pristigna (Nikola Badev, 5:05)

Most mi dzidaja devet majstora (Vaska Ilieva, 4:10)

7 June 2023

Episode 54: Urva Fanka

Dragi talks about the four major women's vocal groups from Aegean Macedonia, how they came to be formed, and the importance of cultural context and hidden meanings in songs.

Audio and Links for Episode 54

Episode 54 Urva Fanka (29:40)

Urva Fanka (Dragi Spasovski, Track 18)

Urva Fanka (Bapčorki, 3:04)

Aspana me klade (Vodenki, 2:39)

Sarakino (Meglenki, 1:51)

Zadremala, džanam, mlada nevesta (Ovčepolki, 2:16)

Mori čupi Kosturčanki (Kosturčanki, 2:28)

Filka moma mole Boga (Kostadinka Palazova, 2:55)

Majka ḱe si ja dade doca (Mice Dimitrov, 3:41)

Ajde, mori, Mare (Fana Vasileva, 2:12)

17 April 2023

Episode 53: Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko

This love song from the Debar region features the wonderful singer, Kiril Mančevski. Dragi also talks about ornamentation, and wedding traditions.

Audio and Links for Episode 53

Episode 53: Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko (37:06)

Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko (Dragi Spasovski, Track 17)

Neli si se naspalo (Vebija Smailovski, 2:36)

Aber dojde Donke (Kiril Mančevski, 4:44)

Kade se čulo, mamo, videlo (Ohridski Trubaduri, 3:06)

Oj ti kume (Vaska Ilieva and Vanja Lazarova, 2:25)

Devojče belo crveno (Vanja Lazarova, 4:15)

Elenčice, visoka planino (Svezda Dimovska, Stojanka Ristevska, Trajanka Stojkovska — “Kučkovki”, 4:36)

Ajde, sonce zajde (Kiril Mančevski, 3:42)

Jano mori, Jano, sevdalino (Kiril Mančevski, 4:40)

Ne mi sedi kokono (Aleksandar Sariesvski, 2:13)

Ne sedi Rasim raspašan (Kiril Mančevski, 4:24)

Rešiv da si se oženam (Kiril Mančevski, 2:19)

Trgna mi Lenka (Violeta Krnčeva-Tomovska and Kiril Mancevski, 3:30)

Tinka idi od Bitola (Violeta Krnčeva-Tomovska and Kiril Mancevski, 3:25)

Makedonsko devojče (Violeta Tomovska and Kiril Mancevski, 3:17)

Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko (Vidanka Ǵeorǵievska, 2:45)

Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko (Anastasia and Naum Petreski, 2:47)

Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko (Kiril Mančevski, 2:41)

12 January 2023

Episode 52: Mome ore zeleni livadi

Dragi discusses another of his mother's songs, from the Kumanovo area. He talks about the differences between čalgija, urban, and izvoren melodies, and how musical arrangement decisions were made for recordings.

Audio and Links for Episode 52

Episode 52: Mome ore zeleni livadi (19:14)

More mome zeleni livadi (Dragi Spasovski, Track 16)

Pojde Venka u Palanka (Rajna Spasovska, 2:41)

Tropav mi tropav orasi Anonymous, 1:22)

Berovka (Ivan Terziev, 3:26)

Angelino, maloj mome (Dragi Spasovski, 2:34)

6 December 2022

Episode 51: Ori mome, lastar mome

Another song from the Tetovo area, originally sung by Olga Sičan, about a girl who cannot marry due to a death in the family. Dragi talks about these customs.

Audio and Links for Episode 51

Episode 51: Ori mome, lastar mome (24:28)

Ori mome, lastar mome (Dragi Spasovski, Track 15)

Ajde dali znaeš pametiš Milice (Olga Sičan, 4:23)

Šekerino, maloj mome (Olga Sičan, 1:47)

Zaplakala mlada plešenica (Trio Mokri Braḱa, 4:45)

Kači se gore na čardak (Jagoda Filipovska, 3:25)

Ǵorǵija, kara Ǵorǵija (Jagoda Filipovska, 2:58)

10 June 2022