Macedonian and Balkan Folk Music

Macedonian Postcards

Hay bales in Berovo photo

Hay bales in Berovo

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 40: Karanfilke, filke mome

Dragi learned this love song, from Radoviš, from Vančo Arsov. He talks about Vančo and the eastern Macedonian dialect.

Audio and Links for Episode 40

Episode 40: Karanfilke, filke mome (22:12)

Karanfilke, filke mome (Dragi Spasovski, Track 4)

Jas ḱe ti kupam svileno fustanče (Sirma, 3:06)

Vleglo mome vo gradinče (Kostandinka Jančevska, 3:50)

Mori Dimano, džanam Dimano (Ljupčo Duševski, 3:11)

Ajde, Sofke, na našeto lozje (Vančo Arsov, 3:10)

Ergen si odeh naodih (Vančo Arsov, 3:38)

22 July 2019



Episode 39: Dva mi brata verno živuvale

Dragi learned this song, from Ovčepole about family animosities, from Carka Tasevska, who also recorded with his mother.

Audio and Links for Episode 39

Episode 39: Dva mi brata verno živuvale (14:35)

Dva mi brata verno živuvale (Dragi Spasovski, Track 3)

Oj nevesto crno oko (Rajna Spasovska, Carka Tasevska, 1:46)

Oblaga se bela Mara (Rajna Spasovska, Carka Tasevska, 1:40)

Stanete kokoski (Dragi Spasovski, Carka Tasevska, 2:49)

Ajde, petil poev (Dragi Spasovski, Carka Tasevska, 3:10)

Dvama bratya (Ivanka Angelova Pronečeva, 3:40) Special thanks to Martha Forsyth

01 March 2019



Episode 38: Ajde, nasred selo češma šarena

Dragi learned this southern Macedonian song from a recording by Kostadinka Palazova. He talks about the hospitality Macedonians show visitors to their home.

Audio and Links for Episode 38

Episode 38: Ajde, nasred selo češma šarena (13:22)

Ajde, nasred selo češma šarena (Dragi Spasovski, Track 2)

Vo naše selo (Sintezis, 7:23)

04 February 2019



Episode 37: Ne plači, Stano mori

Dragi learned this central Macedonian song from a gajda player in his village. The song, with the sad theme of a young woman engaged by her mother to an older man, features a "sajče", an elaborate woman's upper garment. We also discuss this third and last cd of Dragi's series, which contains track with Dragi's mother.

Audio and Links for Episode 37

Episode 37: Ne plači, Stano mori (25:02)

Ne plači, Stano mori (Dragi Spasovski, Track 1)

Sevdalino maloj mome (Divna Lazareva, 1:42)

Ne plači, Stano mori (Vaska Ilieva, 2:29)

Ne plači, Leno mori (Petranka Kostadinova, 2:56)

Ne plači, Leno mori (Meri Minas, 3:04)

Ne plači, Stanče, ne žali (Jordanka Smilevska, 4:06)

Snošti se riza (Meri Minas, 3:56)

19 January 2019



Episode 36: Na Stolče Sedam, Pismo Pišuvam

This love song from Prilep again features Zaharinka Milosaljeviḱ. Dragi talks about the problems inherent in productions of čalgija songs featuring singers who were not of that tradition.

Audio and Links for Episode 36

Episode 36: Na Stolče Sedam, Pismo Pišuvam (23:02)

Na Stolče Sedam, Pismo Pišuvam (Dragi Spasovski, Track 17)

Na Stolče Sedam, Pismo Pišuvam (Zaharinka Milosaljeviḱ (Vrtanoska, 2:22)

Otidov v Selo (uncredited, 2:19)

Fati se boe, mori (Ilinka Angelova and Dragi Spasovski, 4:23)

Mome sedi na visoki (Blaga Petreska, 2:20)

Stanvaj, Donke, stanvaj ḱerko (Pepe Baftirovski, 4:36)

Promenila mi se mamo (Petranka Kostadinova, 2:19)

Devojčence milo moe (Violeta Tomovska, 3:30)

Turi, majko, turi (Kosturčanki 3:20)

27 July 2018