The Ethiopian Begena (Harp of David) is Awesome!

[_Seraphim_]

“The begena is an Ethiopian string instrument that resembles a large lyre. According to Ethiopian tradition, Menelik I brought the instrument to Ethiopia from Israel, where David had used the begena...”

read the full article here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begena




Begena videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxXMnIuiv38
this is the first begena video I ever saw, and it’s still my favorite… I really like how they show the tradition being passed from one generation to the next

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn_Lr3bK_o4
shows a lot of detailed carvings on the begena

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bdTus6Td4
includes English subtitles of song lyrics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EFJyGFi46s
an actual “film,” includes fairly high-tech animation, and a basic plotline… very different sounding than most other begena songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlQ3V02ujtI
begena song dedicated to Great Lent… here is the description:
“To the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Lent (Hudadi or Abbiy Tsom) means a period of fasting when the faithful undergo a rigorous schedule of prayers and penitence”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2aWwlerwZk
man plays, woman sings, various shots of inside churches

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Mrs2zpxLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyy-Hq1rGV8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-oNn0T6buU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL4uE6yUpd0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge4PwKqyZcw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM0h-fdzcPo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tO3ljDzpmM
a series all with the same man playing the begena in various places throughout Ethiopia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sWjMgANo5o
young woman plays and sings, various footage of Ethiopia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBJ-vzvkb2M
another short “film,” includes plotline that unfolds throughout the song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQGBoRS5eT0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=576rQEyf0JA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcUBfZh8Owg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P0AOV27Tqc
4-part series, various footage of Ethiopia set to begena music


Asnakech Worku
She was born in 1931, in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. Since the times of Emperor Haile Selassie I, she has become a legend in Ethiopian music.
http://www.myspace.com/asnakechworku
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA9L59zDKOw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=633AMGEjH3c

[Didymus]

Thanks for that article. Care to give us some lessons?

[Salpy]

Care to give us some lessons?

Now that would be cool!

[_Seraphim_]

I found another begena video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrZ5jpBKTxI

This is the same man (Temesgen) as in one of the videos from my first post:  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bdTus6Td4)


His official site is:  http://www.temesgen.com

[Rosehip]

This is very nice! I love Ethiopian music!

[Salpy]

Beautiful!

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