Virginia Notes
Virginia Notes
VIRGINIA NOTES creates soul awakening objects. VIRGINIA NOTES is a brand, created by Virginia Zaharieva, 2017. NOTES meanings: important message, musical tone, voice intonation, fragrance, to note (v.) – to notice or pay attention to something important; to reflect; to record, to show, to point out, to stress, etc. All those meanings reflect VIRGINIA NOTES motions.

208 S

April 22, 2017
BULGARIAN NATURAL SOUNDS

NATURE SOUNDS FROM THE RHODOPE MOUNTAIN, STRANDZHA AND PLANA

Ambient project by Virginia Zaharieva
“Man produces more and more noise to drown out the nature – I refuse to get used to that” Virginia Zaharieva

The audio CD “Bulgarian natural sounds” 2001 is the first ambient project of Virginia Zaharieva, with the kind cooperation of Johny Penkov. It is composed of natural sounds recorded around the most powerful places in Bulgarian nature: the mountains Rhodope, Strandzha, Vitosha and Plana. Its distinguished feature is that the sounds are not mixed with music and they are long enough to allow the listener to immerse in the ambience. With piece №8 starts a thirty minute series of water sounds – rain, rivers and sea, very suitable for breathing practices and relaxation. The disc has great success in Bulgaria and abroad. It is a true ambassador of the charm of Bulgarian nature.

Total55.61
1Songbirds, a woodpecker, bees, flies and a beetle Leshten – the Rhodopes6.39
2A nightingale and a distant brook – Kovatchevitsa4.59
3Kovatchevitsa waking up6.21
4A cuckoo and a forest – Nanovitsa, Strandga mountain1.58
5Song of a cowshit0.45
6Sheep with a shepherd – Leshten0.59
7Birds, frogs – Nanovitsa2.06
8Rain – Kovatchevitsa, Izgrev8.39
9Night crickets and the pussycat Petrova – Izgrev8.58
10Vedena river – Zheleznitsa (Plana)5.23
11Black Sea8.50

This CD contains also a brief  live recording  from the Easter  service at the “Saint George” church.

  • Recorded by: Virginia Zaharieva and Johnny Penkov
  • Suono plastica: Johnny Penkov
  • Mastering: Georgi Hlebarov
  • Produced by: Virginia Zaharieva © Virga Editing House 2007. All rights reserved.
THE HOUSE OF MEDUSA – SOUNDS FOR CREATION
“It is time & space to meet the monsters”
  1. The heart of this ambient project is an ancient Roman water cistern. The sounds expressing it, give us the feeling of a huge space, sheltering us to create other alternative worlds. You feel as though you find yourself on a windy interplanetary station, or in catacombs where people and monsters wander. Strange place to be creative, but only those who are brave enough to meet their fears or the underground shadows that rule them can clear some space for creativity and joy.
  2. Welcome to the House of Medusa. Gorgon Medusa is one of the three ancient Greek sisters – female deities from the underworld. They turn to stone anyone who looks at them. Medusa is the symbol of spirituality and of evolution turned into vain stagnation. This monster from the underworld reminds us to keep some distance between us and our overexposed ego, lest we should turn into stone and become what we think we are, and not what we actually are.
  3. The Ambient Project The House of Medusa – Sounds for Creation, was recorded at The Basilica in Istanbul. With 140 m length, 70 m width and 52 m height, it is supported by 336 columns. Built in 4thC by the Emperor Constantine I, it shelters two stone heads of Medusa. To keep them from doing bad magic, they are kept under two heavy marble columns.

This project was implemented during the Modern Art Biennale in 2001 in Istanbul, when the Cistern was used to present several conceptual art works of vision and sound – of wind, of birds and singing – they echo in the incredible space of the ancient water cistern and mix with voices of people, speaking different languages, water dripping from the ceiling, fish splashing, even you could hear the splash of cleaner’s rag and the bracelets of the recording author. The sound picture you hear is the result of my movement in the cistern between the sources of the sounds, the visitors and the silence. The sound on the CD is not changed or digitally remodeled in any way. Nothing is added or taken.

  • Author of the concept: Virginia Zaharieva
  • Total time: One hour
  • Sound recording and producer: Virginia Zaharieva
  • Mastering – Pavel Boliarski
  • Produced by ©Virga Editing House 2007. All rights reserved

I wish to thank Arabel von Karayan for her support in the realization of this project.