This third release is the follow up to his two previous: CD Albums entitled: Jazz, Macedonian Folk Dances and Classical Music and MOZART and OGNENOVSKI Clarinet Concertos (Tale Ognenovski arranged parts of the Mozart's clarinet concerto for two clarinets. Tale Ognenovski released this CD to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Release date: January 24, 2006).
Tale Ognenovski is known across the globe for his virtuosic performances.
New CD Album feature the Ognenovski performing with his current quartet: Tale Ognenovski on clarinet, reed pipe, zourla, small bagpipe and drum, his son Stevan Ognenovski on reed pipe and drum, his grandsons: Nikola Ognenovski on reed pipe and Kliment Ognenovski on reed pipe.
Ognenovski and his quartet offering a sensational clarinet jazz music. Macedonian Clarinet Jazz Composed By Tale Ognenovski will became something of a phenomenon. Variety of phrasing, spectacular clarinet solos are both interesting and fascinating for people to listen to and to admire. Each piece on this album is rhythmically complex. The exploration of Macedonian music traditions with a jazz sensibility is remarkable. The sound is quite simply phenomenal. Ognenovski's music is timeless. Tale Ognenovski was obviously way ahead of his time, and it is a classic that will be around forever. This CD Album is one of the Best Jazz Instrumental Albums of all time.
Tale Ognenovski has opened up new possibilities for the clarinet that no one could have predicted. He is the greatest clarinetist, reed piper, zourlist and small bagpiper of all time, demonstrating unique skill, a wealth of invention, amazing improvisational virtuosity and outstanding musical competence in all areas of music. He is one of the greatest composers in the world of music.
From 1951 till 1954, Tale Ognenovski worked as a member of the “Police Wind Orchestra”. In December 1952, Tale Ognenovski as clarinet soloist, together with the superb pianist Nino Cipushev as accompaniment, performed the classical concert “Concert Polka for Clarinet” by Miler Bela in the “Police House” in Skopje with outstanding success. On May 24, 1953, he played clarinet soloist in the classical concert “Concert Polka for Clarinet” by Miler Bela with “Public Police Wind Orchestra”, comprising about 30 musicians and conducted by Micho Kostovski. The concert was performed in the Macedonian Radio building, and broadcast directly to the nation via Macedonian Radio.
From 1954 till 1956, he worked with the “Public Town Skopje Orchestra”. The repertoire for both of these Orchestras consisted some parts of classical works. These included Bizet's 'Carmen', 'The Troubadour', 'Aida', 'Rigoletto', Verdi's 'Nabucco' and 'La Traviata', 'Oberon' by Carl Maria von Weber, Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture', Puccini's 'Tosca' and Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'. Periodically, from 1949 till 1960, he played solo clarinet with the Small Radio Skopje Orchestra conducted by Nikola Galevski on an honorary basis. These concerts were also broadcast nationally by Macedonian Radio.
Some of the crowning events of Tale Ognenovski’s professional career were his performances as soloist on concerts broadcast on television by Macedonian Television. These include Mozart’s ‘Clarinet Concerto in A Major K.622’ and Wagner’s ‘Adagio for Clarinet’, performed in 1987 and accompanied by the excellent pianist Tanja Shopova, and Cavallini’s concert ‘Fiori Rossiniani’ performed in 1970 and accompanied by the legendary pianist Professor Ladislav Palfi. He demonstrated brilliant technique and beautiful tone on each occasion.
In Vardar Film’s 1955 production of “Ritam I zyuk (Rythym and Sound), Tale Ognenovski as a virtuoso clarinet soloist performed the Macedonian folk dances “Zhensko Chamche” and “Beranche” with Ensemble ‘Tanec’. In the film, “Zhensko Chamche” begins with some technically very complicated, solo improvisations by Tale Ognenovski that do not appear in the original version of the folk dance.
From 1956 till 1960 he worked with the Macedonian State Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs ‘Tanec’. Their first tour was to Bulgaria (November and December, 1955), followed soon after by a tour throughout the United States of America and Canada (66 concerts, between January 22, 1956 and April 12, 1956). He toured Germany (74 concerts, from August 15, 1956 until October 27, 1956 and September 18 and 19, 1959 in Dortmund), Albania (9 concerts, October, 1957), Romania (9 concerts, December, 1957 and January 1958), Switzerland (Berne, July 7 and 8 and Geneva, July 9 and 10, 1959) and France (83 concerts, from September 20 until November 25, 1959). He also toured with the Ensemble throughout the former Yugoslavia, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia,
From 1960 to 1967, Tale Ognenovski worked as a member and head of the ‘Folk Music Orchestra’ of “Macedonian Radio Television”. He continued to play on an honorary basis in the “Chalgii” Orchestra on “Macedonian Radio Television” until 1979.
At the International Folklore Conference organized by the International Folklore Committee in Istanbul, Turkey, 1977, on the subject of “Folklore on the Radio” was Dushko Dimitrovski, Editor of the Folk Music Department for “Macedonian Radio Television” from the Republic of Macedonia. He was there as a representative of Yugoslav Radio Television (Former Yugoslavia). He used records produced from magnetic tapes to present folklore material in his presentation entitled “ Chalgija music in Macedonia”. This folklore material was prepared in Skopje by ethnomusicologists Dushko Dimitrovski, Kiril Todevski and Metodija Simonovski. From the magnetic tape material were presented the recordings of two Macedonian folk dances: “Kasapsko oro”, arranged by Tale Ognenovski, and “Kumovo oro chochek”, composed by Tale Ognenovski and performed by him as clarinet soloist accompanied by the “Chalgii” orchestra of Macedonian Radio Television. This created great interest not only amongst the delegates of the Conference but also around the world.
Tale Ognenovski performed as clarinet and reed pipe soloist with Macedonian Ensemble Tanec. Ensemble “Tanec” was the first dance company from Yugoslavia (the former Yugoslavia) to perform in America. The Ensemble arrived in New York City on January 20, 1956. Ensemble ˜Tanec’s North American tour was sponsored by International Artists in association with Charles E. Green and Lee V. Eastman. ˜Tanec’s American tour began with their debut on one of the most popular television programmes in the United States, the Ford Foundation TV Programme “OMNIBUS”, on January 22, 1956. (Producer, Robert Saudek). This programme was seen by millions of Americans. This TV debut of ˜Tanec” on CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) Television Network, created great interest in all 66 concerts in many towns throughout the United States.
The Carnegie Hall concert on January 27, 1956 was performed on the 200th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756. Two hundred years later, on January 27, 1956, another genius of music, Tale Ognenovski, performed as a clarinet and reed pipe soloist folk dances in the world-famous Carnegie Hall. Together, he and the other members of the Ensemble ‘Tanec’ appeared at Carnegie Hall in a display of tremendous skill, which was a sheer joy to watch. Tanec’s sixty-six performances in North America attracted much attention in the North American press.
Parts of the articles in the newspapers which are related for performances of Tale Ognenovski as virtuoso clarinet and reed pipe soloist with Ensemble Tanec:
“The forty-member group, which has attracted much attention in Europe, will give a recital in Carnegie Hall on Friday evening...The company will perform folk dances from Macedonia, Croatia, Herzegovina, Albania and Serbia in native costume.” From an article entitled “Choreographic Vigor from Macedonia”, The New York Times, January 22, 1956.
“There are some winning songs, too, and some remarkable music on both orthodox and unorthodox instruments - a raucous and unforgettable pipe… “ From an article entitled, “Ballet: Yugoslav Folk Art ‘Tanec’ Dancers Appear at Carnegie Hall in Display of Tremendous Skill", written by John Martin, The New York Times, January 28, 1956.
“These perfect artists performed many marvelous dances, and the astonished audience greeted them with long applause. The program was filled with folk dances and songs. In the past we have had some interesting concerts from the East and West but none of them had been as successful and been so well-received by the public as the Yugoslav Folk Ballet ‘Tanec’. Venerable Carnegie Hall fairly vibrated as the audience blistered its palms in appreciation..." From an article written by Robert Coleman, The New York Daily Mirror, January 28, 1956.
“Last night this Yugoslav National Folk Ballet preluded a transcontinental tour at Carnegie Hall... This is the freshest, gayest, most expert dance affair that has come over the horizon in years. We have been afforded many novelties from the Orient and the Occident but none of them won a more enthusiastic reception than the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet." From an article written by William Hawkins, New York World Telegram, January 28, 1956.
“Tanec, a Macedonian group of some forty dancers and musicians, gave generously of their rich folk heritage.... In “Sopska Poskocica," to make the point, five young men took over the stage and indulged in show-off tactics to attract the girl.... Every where in this program, however, there was something to be admired…the regional treasure of peoples with proud and ancient heritages, were revealed, to a remarkable degree, in dance and in music…An audience which jammed Carnegie to capacity (the house had been sold out by last Monday) cheered and applauded the folk dancing with as much enthusiasm as if it had been witnessing classical, theatrical ballet at its most glittering." From an article entitled ‘Yugoslav Folk Ballet,’ written by Walter Terry, The New York Herald Tribune, January 28, 1956.
“...The Yugoslav National Folk Ballet, which spent the week-end in the Civic Opera house, is a fair sample...Called Tanec, which is the Macedonian word for dance, this group of 37 dancers, singers and musicians is a kaleidoscope of the Balkans,..When five of them dance the “Sopska Poskocica," which apparently just means they are showing off to the girls. I would keep them any day as a unfair trade for the four little swans in “Swan Lake…" From an article written by Claudia Cassidy and entitled “On the Aisle - Yugoslav Ballet a Colorful Addition to International Dance.", Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, February 6, 1956.
“America has been called the “melting pot," but a European version of a dance melting pot visited the Academy of music last night, one of a virtual parade of exotic dance troupes to play here this season. This was “Tanec," the Yugoslavian National Folk Ballet. “Tanec" means “dance," but “dance" in a larger form than customery. Besides dance alone, it conveys drama, ritual, tradition, songs, even military maneuvers...there was a remarkable precision in both dancing and playing...Clarinet, bass fiddle, violin, drums, guitar and flute provided most of the accompaniments in various combinations...This is the first visit of Tanec to America, but undoubtedly not its last." From an article written by Samuel Singer entitled “Yugoslav Ballet Visits Academy", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 8, 1956.
“Anyone watching the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet last night in Constitution Hall could have guessed without any difficulty the major emotions and situations involved in the dancing… A Sopska Poskocica is devised to show the girls how handsome and wonderful and brilliant and exciting and sensational their man friends are. It does. The rate at which it is danced, and the tremendous energy and precision of six men who dance it, is unique and demanded a repetition... “ From an article written by Paul Hume and entitled “Yugoslav Dancers Shoot the Works", The Washington Post and Times Herald, February 10, 1956.
“This was often a fitting part of the interpretation in a larger dance scheme, but in the case of one dance, Sopska Poskocica it was no more than a show-off dance.... Tanec has had a warm welcome here, and it must assure considerable interest in other artistic exports that may come this way from Yugoslavia." From an article written by John Kraglund, entitled “Music in Toronto", The Globe and Mail, February 14, 1956.
“The music itself - including several indigenous instruments - is worth the price of the show, and never more so than in a number titled simply “Macedonian Tune," which in its intricate rhythms and plaintive melody should at least make Dave Brubeck send out an emergency call for Darius Milhaud..." From an article written by R. H. Hagan, entitled “Yugoslav Ballet Proves Folk Dancing ‘Tricky’", San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, March 8, 1956.
“ For authentic folk dancing, wild and free and yet subject to its own intricate disciplines, this group would be hard to beat. It numbers over 30 dancers, singers and musicians and they do the dances of Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Herzegovina and Albania in native costumes with superb vitality and style…” From an article written by Albert Goldberg, entitled “Yugoslav Folk Ballet Opens Engagement", Los Angeles Times, March 13, 1956.
“A hundred years ago on the rugged roads of Macedonia, bands of brigands used to plunder the caravans of rich merchants and, like Robin Hood, pass on some of their spoils to the poor... this spring, the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet is making a first, and highly successful tour of the U.S. The skilful troupe of 40 dancers and musicians was founded to perpetuate their country’s culture. All the dances are derived from the wedding rites, harem ceremonials...Together they make as vigorous a display of dancing as the U.S. has ever seen." From an article in Life magazine, USA, entitled"Dance, Bouncing Brigands, Yugoslavs come to U.S.", April 9, 1956.
Tale Ognenovski has composed and arranged 150 Macedonian folk dances, one classical concert “Tale Ognenovski Concert for Clarinet No. 1", and 12 jazz compositions. Some of his compositions have been recorded on 11 LPs, 11 cassettes, 10 gramophone records, 3 CD Albums and one videotape (Radio Television Belgrade, Serbia; Jugoton Zagreb, Croatia; Macedonian Radio Television and Independent Records, USA).
Tale Ognenovski’s contribution to connection between Oriental and Western Music is described in the book “For Our Music” (”Za Nasha Muzika”) published by BID “Misirkov”, 1994, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, and written by Dushko Dimitrovski.
The biography of Tale Ognenovski is written by Ognenovski Stevan, M.Sc. in the book entitled: “Tale Ognenovski Virtuoso of the Clarinet and Composer” (2000). Publishing house is Matica Makedonska, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia;. The book is published in both Macedonian and English.
Tale Ognenovski won top honors on October 11, 2003 at Macedonian Parliament as the Winner of 11 Oktomvri Award, the highest and the most prestigious national award in Republic of Macedonia.
From September 8th to 14th, 1951 at the Yugoslav (Former Yugoslaviia) Folk Music Festival in Opatija, the Folk Dance group from the Bitola village of Nizhopole from Cultural - Educational society “Jonche Georgievski" from the Bitola village of Dihovo in which Tale Ognenovski was playing as a clarinet soloist, created a sensation and received First Award as the best Folk Dance group at the festival. Tale Ognenovski, with his masterly playing solo clarinet, deserved the award together with other members of the group. This was a great success because in this Festival participated 85 different folk dance groups from Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The musical part of the group had only two members: Tale Ognenovski played solo clarinet with the accompaniment of drummer Lambe Petrovski. This is a musical sensation, to receive the First Award with an orchestra consisting of only two members. The Yugoslav (Former Yugoslavian) Folk Music Festival in Opatija had been specially arranged for the members of the Conference of the International Folk Music Council from London.
Tale Ognenovski has received awards including: “Estradna nagrada Jugoslavije” (”Yugoslavian Stage Award”), the greatest award in former Yugoslavia for musical stage artists, from the Association of Stage Artists of Yugoslavia, Zagreb, Croatia, October 31, 1978; .“Pochesna Estradna Nagrada na Makedonija” (”Macedonian Stage Award with Honours”), the greatest award in the Republic of Macedonia for musical stage artists, from the Association of Stage Artists of Macedonia, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, May 27, 1996 and “Lifetime Achievement Award - “10 Folk Biseri” (”The Ten Folk Pearls”), sponsored by Macedonian Radio Television, February 19, 2002.
On October 11, 2008 Tale Ognenovski will commemorate the 60th anniversary of receiving his First Award as the best clarinetist of 'First Republic of Macedonia Festival of Folk Dances and Songs' (11 October, 1948). 453 Folk dances and songs groups competed in the festival in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
You can listen audio samples of all 12 tracks entitled: “Tale Ognenovski Jazz Composition 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12” of the new CD on iTunes.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
