BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

World Routes

Music: World

Programme exploring music from around the world

Programme exploring music from around the world, featuring interviews with performers, live concerts, monthly CD reviews and special location reports

World Routes: World Routes in Albania

World Routes: World Routes in Albania: Episode 3: Northern Albanian and Kosovan Music

Episode 3

Episode 3: Northern Albanian and Kosovan Music

World Routes in Albania

Northern Albanian and Kosovan Music

BBC Radio 3 - World Routes, World Routes in Albania, Northern Albanian and Kosovan Music

Lucy Duran travels to the north of Albania for a folk festival in Bajram Curri.

Lucy Duran travels to the mountainous north of Albania to visit a folk festival in the remote town of Bajram Curri, with musicians from across the region and neighbouring Kosovo.

Lucy Duran heads to the mountainous north of Albania to a folk festival in the remote town of Bajram Curri to hear musicians from across northern Albania and neighbouring Kosovo.

Surrounded by mountains, and only really accessible by ferry across Lake Koman, or by road via Kosovo, Bajram Curri is a town on the Valbona River, where every year a festival celebrating Albania folk traditions is held in a run down outdoor sports arena. Families and local dignitaries crowd the stadium to hear bands singing songs in praise of Albanian honour and hospitality, as well as epic ballads about the country's past heroes. Having spent its history fighting occupations from the Ottoman Empire, and its Slavic neighbours, in the North of the country where the borders of Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia meet, the musical identity is a key part in proclaiming Albania national pride. 

Lucy meets bands of Albanian musicians from around the Tropoje region, as well as neighbouring Kosovo, and heads up in to the mountains to an isolated village to record some of the old domestic songs of the region, and hear about arranged marriages. She also meets a Maje Krahu singer, a man who has walked 3 hours from his village to meet her and sing in the old style used to communicate the threat of invasion to the remote villages. 

Produced by Peter Meanwell.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Lucy Duran visits Albania to record the country's little-known urban music

Tracing the footsteps of folklorist AL Lloyd, Lucy Duran visits Albania to record the little-known urban music of a country that was closed to the outside world for almost 50 years

Accessibility links

Programme Index

World Routes

World Routes in Albania

Episode 3: Northern Albanian and Kosovan Music

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3