Panglossolalia by Masonic Kitchen and Doctor Robert Smith

Panglossolalia is the result of a musical conversation between electronic producer Masonic Kitchen - and musician and composer Doctor Robert Smith, recorded together and remotely during and between lockdowns in the great Pandemic of the early 2020's

Pan: The god of wild groves, shepherds and flocks
Glossolalia: The phenomenon of speaking in an unknown language, especially in religious worship
Pangloss: A person who is optimistic regardless of the circumstances

About the instruments

"My first foray into the world of Eastern European music was during a 2016 trip to Transylvania to perform a street-theatre version of Dracula. Within the walled citadel of Sighisoara I experienced my first taste of Romanian music, which blossomed into a love of gypsy and klezmer music and all Things Balkan.
Back in Cardiff I began the relentless quizzing of my East European students about their national music and instruments. I travelled again and again to northern Romania and Hungary. I discovered the music of Subcarpați, Călin Han and Hańba and became ever more fascinated.
From modern instrument makers I have sourced traditional flutes that shepherds and goat herds would make and play to themselves during their summer periods of high altitude isolation, which you can hear in PANGLOSSOLALIA. The flutes are based on overtones and are designed to play in one or two keys only – hence the interesting intonation that crops up on these recordings.

I’ve met great players of the Kaval (or Caval) and the Fujara and know they have played for a lifetime to get as good as they are. Here I am just experimenting with the instruments and using them as improvised sound-sources.
I am not trying to reproduce the music of Romania, Slovakia or anywhere else. The same goes with my kantele. I just want to immerse myself in the intoxicating sounds of these instruments, as I do with my clarinets and saxes.
The shepherds’ flute, ‘Caval’ is the Romanian language name but as an instrument that exists in many forms, and with many names, widely in the Balkans. Kavala is another form of its name. Thanks to Dan Ionița for finding me the Caval (or Kaval or Kavala) which was made by Ferenc Sègercz, an ethnic Hungarian who lives in Sfântu Gheorghe (Saint George), in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains - he also travels in rural areas around Transylvania collecting old traditional songs. He plays and makes many kinds of traditional flute.
The Fujara is a distinctly Slovakian iteration of the instrument. Thanks to Lucia and Valeria Borovská for helping me get hold of the Fujara made by Jaroslav Sloboda
The Kantele is a Finnish zither. Thanks to a fellow Yorkshireman, Ben Challis, who introduced me to and made my Kantel"

Doctor Robert Smith, January 2022