AMG Review of 55 Historical Recordings/Traditional Music from Greenland

François Couture
All Music Guide

In order to appeal to both researchers and armchair travelers, ethnological records must present two traits: extensive (enough) documentation of the material presented, and a certain kind of romantic evocativeness. The first trait is the result of years of research. The second is more difficult to pin down and has to do with the variety in the material and how the recordings convey the geographical and historical nature of the performances -- if you prefer, call it the "exotic factor." Inuit: Fifty-Five Historical Recordings scores high on both counts, making it one of the (if not the) very essential sources of Inuit folklore. Overseen by the Danish ethnomusicologist Michael A. Hauser, himself an active field recordist, this album culls 52 traditional songs from the four corners of Greenland, plus three from Northern Canada (Pond Inlet and Cape Dorset). Recorded on-site between 1905 and 1987, these tracks capture an evolving culture in its own environment. The oldest recordings, preserved on wax cylinders, are difficult to listen to, but the melodies they salvage help put the more recent recordings in perspective. Men, women and children of all ages are singing of love, joy, sorrow, and daily life, sometimes a cappella or to the beating of a drum, solo, in duets (called duel-songs) or occasionally in groups. One recognizes elements from the hypnotic repetition of Native American tribes and the concept of melody found in Scandinavian folklore. Certain pieces also bear the influence of European music. The booklet provides descriptions of each song, the name, age and location of each singer, and indicates who recorded the song and when. Most of all, the listener is transported to another world, the authenticity of the recordings evoking grainy black and white footage of faraway times and faraway people.