Bill Lanphier - Songbook a.k.a. WBGO

Purchase through Vox Bulgaria

New Online Edition with Five Additional Tunes!

21 BULGARIAN & MACEDONIAN INSTRUMENTALS & VOCALS

Transcriptions by Bill Lanphier

This new online edition, which includes five additional titles, features highly-detailed, high-resolution, print-ready sheet music for 21 Bulgarian & Macedonian instrumentals and vocals. Included are reference MP3s (128 kbps) with normal-speed and slow-speed, original-pitch versions. Complete package: $24.95.
For more info contact info@lanphier.net.

Titles, plus audio and sheet music excerpts are on the Samples page.

Included in the sheet music are ornaments (including upper and lower mordents), harmony parts, chord symbols, microtones, tempo markings, dynamics, rhythm-section cues, and instrument assignments. Skill level ranges from beginner to highly advanced. Prior experience with Balkan music isn't necessary, but several of the tunes are challenging even to players deeply rooted in that music. The 21 transcriptions comprise 47 pages of sheet music and over 1000 measures, while the MP3s from original recordings total over two hours. Also included is a guide to 12 common Bulgarian meters, from 2/4 to 18/16, plus notes on performance and interpretation. Total download is 142 MB. Sorry, individual titles aren't available in this online version, which replaces the original hard-copy version.

Musical styles represented in these transcriptions include (acoustic) bitov ensembles, electric and acoustic wedding bands, a cappella choir, vocal with ensemble, military brass band, duo, and cutting-edge progressive folk. Artists represented include Nikolay Kolev, Ivan Milev, Najden Kirov, Ork. Titanik, Pejo Peev, Georgi Petrov, Theodosii Spassov, and Atanas Vulchev.

These immaculate transcriptions were prepared in Finale by highly-respected Balkan music instrumentalist Bill Lanphier, who has performed with many premier Balkan artists, including Jasko Argirov, Christos Govetas, Nikolay Kolev, Ivan Milev, Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Georgi Petrov, and Trio Mopmu, plus artists outside Eastern European music including The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Madonna, and the Rippingtons.

"Lanphier has done an excellent job with this book."

Kalin Kirilov, multi-instrumentalist; guitar with Ivo Papasov, Yuri Yunakov; University of Massachusetts Department of Music faculty; East European Folklife Center teaching staff, principles of Balkan ornament & melody.

"This is killer material! Lanphier should come to Berklee and do a clinic."

Mark Walker, Grammy award-winning Associate Professor of Percussion, Berklee College of Music (Boston); drums and hand percussion with Oregon, Paquito D'Rivera, Michel Camilo, and David Leibman.

"A lot of people have been waiting for a book like this; I'm going to tell all my friends!"

Stian Carstensen, virtuoso accordionist and multi-instrumentalist, Farmers Market, Norway.

"The nice selection of music, plus the professional transcriptions and arrangements are impressive. I found some of my favorite tunes in there."

Valeri Georgiev, kaval; Musical Director 11 years, Najden Kirov Orchestra, Rousse, Bulgaria; East European Folklife Center teaching staff.

"I'm going to love the challenge of trying this stuff. Darakchijska is truly amazing. Thanks for a treasure trove of sheet music!"

Howard Levy, Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist with Bela Fleck, Miroslav Tadic, Kenny Loggins, and Paul Simon.

"This is a great songbook."

Angel Dimitrov, Sofia, Bulgaria; guitar and tambura for Ivo Papasov, Ivan Milev, Petar Ralchev, and Theodosii Spassov.

"Amazing. I can't wait to try these out. Very clean charts which seem to take the scariness out of some of this music. Lanphier has done a ton of work here."

Mike Marshall, virtuoso mandolinist.

"This book is great; I think musicians will go wild over it."

Entcho Todorov, violin with Ivan Milev Band.

"This book is a Balkan music lover's dream - fabulous tunes with detailed sheet music and source recordings right at your fingertips!"

Juliana Graffagna, vocalist and 11-year Music Director of Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble.

"Bill Lanphier has amazing ears. He's tackled some of the most challenging music in the world and put it down in a readable and reliable form."

Doug Morton, principal trumpet, Santa Rosa Symphony.