Der Heyser Bulgar
David Krakauer
"Der Heyser Bulgar" — The Hot Bulgar — is Krakauer doing exactly what the title promises: a ferociously energetic dance piece that takes the traditional bulgar form to extreme temperatures. The clarinet blazes at the top of its range, the rhythm section drives with near-violent momentum, the whole ensemble creating something that sounds like it could not possibly be sustained for its full duration. Yet Krakauer controls the temperature precisely, allowing momentary drops that make the returns to intensity even more devastating. The production captures the live energy of the performance without losing musical clarity. Culturally this references the competitive virtuosity of traditional klezmer musicians, who would drive each other to greater and greater extremes at weddings and celebrations. Krakauer honors that tradition by taking it as far as contemporary technique allows. Do not put this on while trying to concentrate.
very fast
2000s
dense, explosive, kinetic
Eastern European Jewish / New York
Klezmer, Jazz. Virtuosic Dance Klezmer. ferocious, exhilarating. Explodes at maximum intensity, briefly recedes to make the returns more devastating, sustaining controlled extremity throughout.. energy 10. very fast. danceability 8. valence 7. vocals: instrumental, virtuosic, blazing clarinet, competitive energy. production: live-feel, high-energy, crystal clear despite intensity. texture: dense, explosive, kinetic. acousticness 3. era: 2000s. Eastern European Jewish / New York. Do not put this on while trying to concentrate — save it for when you need to be jolted fully awake.