Lukovitski momi by Dobri Hristov ( "Music of a reborn nation" in Witney, UK May 2026 )

Diyana Divchev-Curr - Piano Yuliya Rothman - Soprano A flamboyant Bulgarian folk song – “Lukovitski momi”, arranged by one of the most prominent Bulgarian composers, Dobri Hristov (1875–1941), a key figure in shaping the country’s choral and classical traditions. Educated at the Prague Conservatory under Antonín Dvořák, he developed a style rooted in folk melodies and characteristic Balkan rhythms. Written in the early 20th century, the piece is a refined folk arrangement presenting a light, humorous scene. Through playful exaggeration, the song contrasts local and distant girls, echoing a familiar folkloric theme of gentle teasing rooted in village life. A young man from Lukovit jokingly declares he will seek a better match elsewhere. Translation of the song: " Beyond Etropole, mother, White Pomak girls, mother, Grey Bosniak girls. Ah, they bleach white cloths, mother, They wash fair faces, and wipe them with headscarves. The girls of Lukovit, mother, Have gone mad with longing, wild beyond reason! I will go, dear mother, beyond Etropole, For I will take, dear mother, a fair Pomak girl. "