Music and Dance in the Pamir Mountains

For more information on The Badakhshan Ensemble and to purchase "Music of Central Asia vol. 5: The Badakhshan Ensemble: Song and Dance from the Pamir Mountains", please visit...

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The Badakhshan Ensemble takes its name from the mountainous region — poetically known in Persian as Bam-i Dunya, the "Roof of theWorld" — that comprises the sparsely populated eastern half of Tajikistan and northeast Afghanistan. There, nestled in a series of riverine valleys that descend from the Pamir Mountains to the Panj River, the boundary line between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, are scores of small settlements whose inhabitants have cultivated a vibrant tradition of devotional song, dance, and contemplative instrumental music.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, is producing a 10-CD set documenting the musics of Central Asia.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will release ten volumes of its new Music of Central Asia series from 2006-2009. This ground-breaking, newly recorded series presents authentic musical traditions of Central Asia as they are performed today, featuring some of the region's most outstanding artists. From the nomadic and bardic cultures of the steppes to the classical court traditions of the cities, this series celebrates musicians who display a mastery of older traditions and also embody a contemporary spirit of innovation. Produced in conjunction with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, each release includes an extensive color booklet and comes with a vivid bonus DVD containing a series introduction, 24-minute film, interactive glossary and map.

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