The Tahitian Choir
French ethnomusicologist Pascal Nabet Meyer made recordings of the Tahitian Choir in the early '90s that became a surprising international success. More than 120 women and men make up this choir, which is based on the island of Rapa Iti, about a thousand miles south of Tahiti. The himene (songs) are a mix of missionary hymns and ancient traditional music, spiced with distinct embellishments that may initially sound flat to a Western ear, but are musically exciting once you get used to it. The singing can be frantic and rhythmic or overflowing with exuberance. One amazing fact: most untainted indigenous singing around the world is in unison, but some claim that Polynesian groups such as the Tahitian Choir were actually featuring harmony well before contact with Westerners.
Jessy Terry
Renseignements sur The Tahitian Choir
Artiste
The Tahitian Choir
Ville
Rapa Iti
