Barno Ishakova (1927-2001) - B. Iskhakova sings Tajik songs - LP released in Tajikistan in 1973

Here we present an LP we recently aquired, unfortunately with a generic cover. But anyway, it is the first LP by this great artist we ever got. She is considered to be the greatest female voice in classic Uzbek and Tajik Shashmaqom music. Born in Uzbekistan she spend most of her life in Tajikistan. At the end of her life she emigrated to Israel. 

The very helpful discography at Catalog of Soviet Records gives the following details:

Barno Isxakova

Side 1:

Sinaxuruş (muz. nar.— Kooni);

Xikojat mekunad (N. Şaulov — Dƶami);

Navruzi saʙo (muz. nar.—Xafiz);

Side 2:

Mugulcai dujux (muz. nar.— Furugi);

Capandozi uşşok (muz. nar,— Maxfi);

Nasri uşşok (muz. nar.—Xafiz)

Most of the pieces are from the Shashmaqam. Noteworthy is that the poets are Persian ones like Hafiz (Xafiz) and Jami (Dzami). Tajik is a language close to Persian while Uzbek is one of the Central Asian Turkic languages. The difference between the classical repertoire in Uzbekistan and in Tajikistan is only that in Uzbekistan the poems are most times in Chagatai, a late medieval form of Uzbek, and in Tajikistan they are in Persian.

On our recent post on Traditional Music Of The Tajik People there was one track by Barno Ishakova. In 2012 and 2016 we posted already three releases by her. We see here again how differently her name can be transcribed.

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mp3

Barno Ishakova (Iskhakova) (1927-2001) - MP3-CD from Uzbekistan

Here a MP3-CD by the great Shashmaqam singer Barno Ishakova (also transcribed as Iskhakova or Itzhakova), considered as the greatest female singer of the 20th century in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Outside of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan she is hardly known. Only very few tracks by her have been published in two anthologies, both produced by Jean During:

1. Asie centrale - Traditions classiques, a 2 CD set, Ocora - Radio France, C 560035-36, published in 1993, unfortunately for many years out of print.

2. Echoes of Paradise - Women Voices from Central Asia - Echos du Pardis – Voix de femmes d'Asie Centrale – Avaz-e Minu, Set of 2 CDs, published in 2015. This fantastic double CD can be obtained from info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

A couple of tracks we posted here in 2012. See, also for more information on the artist:

http://oriental-traditional-music.blogspot.de/2012/05/barno-ishakova-iskhakova-1927-2001.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barno_Itzhakova

Download part 1

Download part 2

Download part 3

Again many thanks to Danny, who brought this CD from Uzbekistan and shared it generously with us.

Barno Ishakova (Iskhakova) (1927-2001) - Considered the greatest female voice of Uzbekistan-Tajikistan

"Barno Ishakova is arguably the greatest classical singer of Central Asia. Born in 1927 in Tashkent, to a Jewish family originally from Samarkand, she grew up in musical surroundings that were ideal for the development of her innate talent. She began to study singing at the age of fifteen with A. Qasimov and Najmoddin Aka and in 1950, she moved to Dushambe, the capital of Tajikistan, and deepened her musical knowledge working with well known performers such as Yunus Rajabi, Fazloddin Shahabov, Babaqul Fayzollaev, and Shahnazar Sahibov. In their midst, she not only mastered the classical repertoire, but developed her own individual style. Her renown grew quickly, and through recordings, radio, and appearances at weddings (toy-s) she won over all connoisseurs of classical song in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, who never lost an opportunity to hear her. When the classical repertoire was collected and transribed, she contributed many songs she had learned through oral transmission. Until 1992, Barno Ishakova was an instructor at the Institute of Arts in Dushambe, giving her courses at home and turning out numerous talented artists, in particular, female vocalists, many of whom later flourished on their own, for example Ra'na Abdollaeva.

In 1992, with the deterioration of the political situation and of living conditions in Tajikistan, Barno Ishakova chose to emigrate to Israel. There she found accomplished musicians from Central Asia who had preceded her, but perhaps not the passionate public that had adored her during her long career...

Her repertoire extends beyond the domain of the Bukharan Maqam to include classical songs that belong to a lighter and more accessible, but still learned, urban tradition. In her carefully prepared and highly ornamented performances, the most simple melodies become artistic masterpieces. Hearing her an Uzbek music specialist was ecstatic: She is a true goldsmith; the others are blacksmiths by comparison. No instrument can follow her ornamentation..."

Jean During in the booklet to "Asie centrale - Traditions classiques", a 2 CD set, Ocora - Radio France, C 560035-36, 1993.

Barno Ishakova belongs to the Shashmaqam tradition of Bukhara. Her name is written sometimes also Barno Iskhakova or Itzhakova. The recordings presented here - originally probably from Melodiya LPs - we collected from diverse Uzbek, Tajik and Jewish websites. Surprisingly there seam to be no CDs by her at all.

Allayo (4:55)

Nasrulloi (11:05)

Navruzi Sabo (10:49)

Ufori Bayat (3:53)

Sokinomai Iraoq (5:12)

Girya (7:49)

Chi doni (4:37)

Ey Sabo (5:54)

Jononae (4:56

Jononai man (4:56)

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