Kaval Sviri Explained

Kaval Sviri (Bulgarian: Кавал свири|lit=A [[Kaval]] Plays) is a Bulgarian folk song.

Popular versions

A popular version was arranged by Petar Lyondev and performed by Ensemble Trakia on the Grammy Award-winning album Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, Vol. II (album), released in 1987 by Disques Cellier in Switzerland.^{[2] [3]}

"Kaval Sviri" was recorded by Australian world music ensemble Balkan Ethno Orchestra, and features on their 2020 EP Zora.

"Kaval Sviri" by Katya Barulova & Bulgar Halk Korosu, the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir, has been sampled on at least one electronic music album. This version has also achieved notable popularity on YouTube. ^[4]

Use as a sample and in popular culture

The song is a somewhat commonly used sample in modern pop and rap music as the following examples illustrate:

• Union Jack (1994) - Two Full Moons and a Trout
• Jinx (1996) - After the Fallout - Fresh Records (UK) (FRSHT32) ^[5]
• Stahlhammer (1997) - Stahlingrad
• S. Castro (2013) - Krieger II (German)
• Kollegah (2014) - Königsaura
• Stan Kolev & Aaron Suiss (2020) - Anomalous (Original Mix)
• M.I.A. (2020) - OHMNI W202091
• SL (rapper) & M1llionz - Versus (2021)

The song was used by composer Joseph LoDuca as the basis for Xena's fight theme in ,^[6] although the vocals that appear in the show's opening sequence sing different lyrics.^[7]

The song was used to promote Lady Gaga's 2017 documentary "Five Foot Two".^[8]

A modified version of the song was used by Bulgarian influencer Misho Amoli as his entrance theme for «La Velada del Año III»,^[9] a boxing event hosted by Ibai Llanos in 2023.

Singer Heli Andrea covered the song as a part of metal band Humanity's Last Breath's song "Instill".

The Seattle Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps included an arrangement of the song as part of their production "Sky Above" for the Drum Corps International 2024 competitive season.^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Storm. Lily. Folk Song Lyrics Archive - Kaval Sviri. songbat.com. 10 December 2017. en.
2. Web site: Marcel Cellier Présente Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares (Volume 2) . 10 December 2017 . Discogs . en . image.
3. Web site: Past Winners . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924121344/http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=&field_nominee_work_value=&year=1989&genre=All . 24 September 2015 . Grammy.com . National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
4. Web site: Bulgarian folklor- Kaval Sviri. 1 July 2024 . YouTube . en . video.
5. Web site: Jinx - After the Fallout . 1 July 2024 . Discogs.com . en.
6. Book: McAvan . Emily . The Postmodern Sacred : Popular Culture Spirituality in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Urban Fantasy Genres . 2012 . McFarland & Company . 9780786463886 . Jefferson, NC . 81–82.
7. Book: Balkan popular culture and the Ottoman ecumene music, image, and regional political discourse . 2007 . Scarecrow Press . 9780810866775 . Buchanan . Donna A. . Lanham, Md. . 256 . limited.
8. News: 24 August 2017 . Lady Gaga Posts a Video with a Bulgarian Folk Song on Instagram . en . .
9. News: 2 July 2023 . Velada del Año 3 de Ibai: resumen, resultados y ganadores de los combates de boxeo . es . .
10. Web site: Shelton . Natalie . 2023-12-28 . Seattle Cascades Announce 'Sky Above' as 2024 DCI Production Title . 2024-07-22 . FloMarching . en.