ALEMU AGA

Song and lyre from Ethiopia
Part 1

Alemu Aga : song, bagana lyre

The ten-string bagana lyre, which is probably derived from the instrument that produced the sound with which David soothed King Saul's wrath, has been the instrument of choice for Ethiopia's Amhara singers for a long time. Its penetrating sonority, amplified by the insertion of leather strips between the strings and the bridge, creates a soft and intimate atmosphere that is perfect for accompanying epic songs, biblically influenced tales and symbolic texts of multiple meanings.

Born into a modest family from the region of Addis Ababa, Alemu Aga was introduced to the art of the bagana by his neighbours as child. For more than forty years now, his instrument has never left his side and he is largely recognised throughout the country as one of the uncontested bagana masters. Meditative and private, this music goes far beyond its lyrics and invites us to share in an experience of melodic intimacy.