Recordings
KIANGARDARUP - THE TORBAY SUITE (upcoming release, 2024)
KIANGARDARUP - THE TORBAY SUITE is an hour long original piece composed by Robert Zielinski, for violin, wooden flute, cello and bouzouki. Kiangardarup (meaning Kangaroo place) is the original Minang name for the country around the Torbay inlet in Western Australia’s Great Southern region.
Robert lived in Torbay for several years, making violins, including his own. As soon as he had finished making his violin, the piece came to light. The music came from deeply listening to this place. Being a traditional Irish musician and having learnt by ear in the oral tradition, Robert composed the Suite without a score, only sound. He worked for more than five years on this project.
KIANGARDARUP - THE TORBAY SUITE takes the listener on a journey, from the awakening dawn through the heat of the day, to dusk and a still night spent under the Karri forest and stars. This journey finishes by the coals and flames of a campfire.
Dawn to Dusk
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Dawn
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Season of Youth
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Great Southern Raining
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Rain
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The White Bird
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Sandbank
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The Dragonfly
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Donegal
Dusk to Dawn
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Twilight
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The Invite
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Blue Flower
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High Ridge Track
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Silky Water
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Sitting
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Minang Moon Lullaby
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Holes in the Blanket
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Dreaming
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In Sight of Home
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Campfire
Robert recorded his violin parts outside at the upper and lower Torbay inlet and West Cape Howe National Park. This was an extremely long process that took over a year, recording in low wind in between rain, frogs, crows, ... These recordings were then brought to Lee Buddle's Crank studio in Perth, where the other instrumental parts were meticulously added: Melinda Forsythe on cello, Manuela Centanni on wooden flute, Jim Green on bouzouki.
Robert is currently working with the Minang elders to find the most appropriate Minang names for each track.
KIANGARDARUP - THE TORBAY SUITE will be premiered in the Perth Concert Hall on Sunday May 12th, 2024. For more details, see Perth Concert Hall.
THE DAY DAWN (2024)
THE DAY DAWN has been the culmination of over 25 years of work and it is true to say that so much of Robert's life until today is contained in this little tiny disc. So many friends, stories and memories are associated with this music.
The first recordings were made in Ireland when he was 23 years old, and the last ones in 2023 between Italy and Australia with a Mix Pre 6 and a ribbon mic. Six different fiddles, two of which he made, and a viola were used on this album.
The original THE DAY DAWN was released in 2018, but Robert felt he didn’t
do justice to it. He became unhappy with that release, so he took the concept of using old recordings and expanded the idea. He has tried to pick performances that have brought the tunes to life in the best way he could. This is something that he is constantly striving to do in his playing.
Only five of the original 2018 tracks now remain, with 11 new tracks added. Notably, one with Sliabh Luachra fiddle player Paddy Jones (RIP) and Tim O’Shea, and four tracks with Mick Doherty (RIP).
The album comes with a sixteen page booklet with a foreword by Kevin Bradley.
The last track is a very special home recording Robert made of Mick playing solo at the National Folk Festival session bar in 2009.
Listen here on Bandcamp!
OUT WEST (2012)
In 2012 Mick Doherty and Robert Zielinski released their album OUT WEST to help preserve the musical legacy of Mick's family, in particular, some previously unheard versions of tunes handed down by Mick's father Hughie and grandfather Mickey Mor. This album was produced by The National Library of Australia and launched at Fairbridge Festival when Mick was 88 years old.
Listen here on Bandcamp!
OTHER PAST RELEASES:
Robert's playing also features on four other releases: AIDEN CRUISE AND ROB STAFFORD (Zielinski) (1990), TIM O'SHEA AND FRIENDS (1996), Tim O'Shea - 15 TIMES AROUND (2001), and Sam Blight - THE BOYA HOUSE (2010).
