Elisabeth Waldo and Her Concert Orchestra - Rites Of The Pagan: Mystic Realm of the Ancient Americas
Notes

“Rites of the Pagan quietly exploded in LP form around 1960, the vision of Elisabeth Waldo, an acclaimed concert violinist who was drawn to music of the ancient Americas with all the energy of an obsessed archaeologist. She formed a musical ensemble incorporating authentic pre-Columbian instruments, and composed tunes based on impressions of primitive cultures and mystical rituals. These pieces were, I believe, not so much intended to reproduce authentic tribal music as to paint a sort of naive picture (ala Rousseau) of these peoples through her own composer’s lens. The effect is, even after so many years, extraodinary, transporting the listener to an alien world populated by early humans…Ms. Waldo performs these works like a gypsy virtuoso, both possessed and playfully, without ever overpowering her ensemble, and the result is a surreal sense of being let in on an unhinged pagan ceremony far from familiar civilization. To me, this stuff foreshadowed much of the work of The Residents.” (Solo Godspeed — Amazon customer review)

Much like Flashstrap, Yma Sumac was a natural & immediate reference point for my first encounter with Waldo’s cinematic “Pre-Colombian” constructions. Rites of The Pagan is a beautiful and deeply fascinating slice of classic exotica, though I must say that these claims to authenticity; i.e. Waldo as a “musical archeologist”, come off like high-minded silliness. Don’t get me wrong–This is astonishing music, made in large part from painstakingly reconstructed Native American instruments, but as for the ritual pretensions and Waldo’s compositional approach; Well…..By the way, Rites of the Pagan was featured in Re/Search Publications’ 1994 book, Incredibly Strange Music, Vol. II.

320 vinyl rip by yours truly. Enjoy.

Release Information
Year: 1960.
Country: USA .
Label: GNP.
Tracklist
A1 The Serpent And The Eagle
A2 Within The Temple Of Macuillzochiti
A3 Chant To The Sun
A4 Papaganga Lament
A5 Ritual Of The Human Sacrifice

B1 Quechuan Love Song
B2 Festival Of Texcatlipoca
B3 Mountain Spirit Dance
B4 Wa-Sho-Sho Lullaby
B5 Pentitente Procession
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Comments (7)

7 Responses

  1. K. R. Seward says:

    FWIW–Trying to find a Wikipedia entry on EW, I found her sister Janet Waldo who did the voices for Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Waldo

  2. Flash Strap says:

    So excited to hear this- I’ve been hunting for it for a while to no avail. Her Incan record is one of my very favorite albums of the genre, so this too ought to be a real treat and treasure.

    Thanks be to you, good Ghost.

  3. Anonymous says:

    This sounds great. Thank you.

  4. gypsykat says:

    Fascinating and very enjoyable. Thanks!

  5. lovely lovely
    downloading!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Thanks for this…my homie refused to digitize this, he’s so stingy! Big ups for your work here

  7. Anonymous says:

    Thank you so much for making this available. IF you are from the NYC Area then you might know that a DJ on WNEW FM used Chant to The Sun when she opened her show reciting poetry over the music. Her name was Alison Steele “the Nightbird” she used to do the Midnight slot. In any case, Thank you again!!!!!
    Peace
    FT

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