THE KABUL ENSEMBLE IN EXILE

Documentary film by Franck Schneider

Production: Stratis, 2002
Ethnova Collection in collaboration with les Ateliers d’ethnomusicologie
DVD or video cassette VHS DVD 54'

The Kabul Ensemble, which was founded in Geneva in 1995 within the framework of the Ateliers d’ethnomusicologie, is dedicated to traditional Afghan music.  As a multi-ethnic country, Afghanistan had a diverse musical palette until recently, a diversity that the Kabul Ensemble reflects.  Its repertoire includes love songs, marriage and party songs, as well as brilliant instrumental performances.

From the region of Mazar-i-Sharif, in the north of the country, the ensemble borrows floating melodies and songs inspired from Tajik bards; from Herat, close to the Iranian border, they take the subtle compositions for the rubab (lute); from Jalalabad and Logar they borrow euphoric party tunes, where the flights of the tula (flute) are backed by virtuosic percussion; and from Kabul they take the classic ragas that are reminiscent of the Indian tradition.