Berio, Black Is the Color

Luciano Berio (1925-2003) was an Italian composer and a major figure in the avant-garde music of the 20th century. His cycle of eleven arrangements of folk songs is one of his most popular and frequently performed works. Titled simply Folk Songs, it was written in 1964 for mezzo-soprano and seven instrumentalists. Numerous folk traditions are represented in the cycle, including Armenian, French, Italian, Sardinian, Sicilian, and Occitan folk music. 

Berio wrote the cycle for his wife Cathy Berberian, an American singer and prominent performer of avant-garde music. It was originally scored for voice, flute, clarinet, viola, cello, harp, percussion. Other arrangements have been made by various musicians, including an alternate arrangement by Berio himself. The work lends itself to various interpretations.

The cycle begins with “Black is the Color,” a familiar Appalachian ballad that was recorded by many artists in the 1960s folk revival. It is followed in the cycle by another Appalachian song, “I Wonder as I Wander.” Berio preserves the original melodies and texts of the songs. Although the instrumental settings are highly original, they retain the overall tenor of each song, in my opinion at least enhancing the folk qualities rather than detracting from them.

This particular arrangement comes from Trio SR9, a French percussion ensemble, founded in 2010, that works in a variety of genres. The singer Sandra Nkaké is originally from Cameroon and has carved a career in France as a singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for blending jazz, soul, and other popular musical forms.