Iva Bittová (1958- )
Iva Bittová is a phenomenon in contemporary Czech music – the
avant-garde violinist, singer and composer has developed a music style
all her own, blending the music of many cultures into what she terms
her "personal folk music" and drawing deeply on her emotions and the
sounds of nature. Her vocal utterances range from traditional singing
to chirping, moaning, yelps and deep throat noises that keep audiences
mesmerized. Her style is not easily defined but perhaps one of the most
accurate comments made about her is that she brings the human voice
back to the natural world in a way that transcends barriers and touches
audiences the world over.DISCOGRAPHY Bittová Links
Solo
- Iva Bittová (1986, EP, Panton)
- Balada pro Banditu (A Ballad for a Bandit) (1986, EP, Panton)
- Iva Bittová (1991, LP, Pavian)
- River of Milk (1991, CD, EVA Records)
- Ne, Nehledej (No, Do Not Seek) (1994, CD, BMG)
- Kolednice (Carol singer) (1995, CD, BMG)
- Divná Slečinka (A Strange Young Lady) (1996, CD, BMG)
- Solo (1997, CD, Nonesuch Records)
- Superchameleon (2006, DVD, Indies)
Collaborations
With Pavel Fajt
- Bittová + Fajt (1985, LP, Panton)
- Svatba (The Wedding) (1987, LP, Review Records)
With Dunaj
- The Danube (1989, LP, Panton)
- Pustit Musíš (You Must Let Go) (1996, CD, Rachot Behemot)
With Fred Frith
- Step Across the Border (1990, RecRec Music) [music from documentary film about Fred Firth]
With Dorothea Kellerová
- Béla Bartók: 44 Dueta pro Dvoje Housle (44 Duets for Two Violins) (1997, CD, Rachot Behemot)
With Vladimír Václavek
- Bílé Inferno (White Inferno) (1997, 2xCD, Indies Records)
With Škampa Quartet
- Classic (1998, CD, Supraphon)
With Netherlands Wind Ensemble
- Ples Upírů (Dance of the Vampires) (2000, CD, N.W.E.)
With Andreas Kröper
- Echoes (2001, CD, Supraphon)
With Čikori
- Čikori (2001, CD, Indies Records)
Various
- Jako Host (J.H.) (Just Visiting) (2002, Indies) [a collection of Iva Bittova's work with other artist]
With Miloš Valent
- Leoš Janáček: Moravian folk poetry in songs (2004, CD, Supraphon)
With DJ Javas
- The Party (2004, CD, Indies Records)
With Miloš Valent, Marek Štryncl, Solamente Naturali, Bratislava Conservatory Choir
- Vladimír Godár: Mater (2006, CD, ECM)
With Bang on a Can
- Elida (2006, CD, Indies Records)
With Susumu Yokota
- Wonder Waltz (Skintone) (2006, CD, Japan)
With George Mraz, Emil Viklický and Lolo Tropp
- Moravian Gems (2007, CD, Cube Metier)
Dance
Out of Place, dance piece (2008) [Choreography by Wendy Osserman]
Film
Mikola a Mikolko, film score (1988)
Step Across the Border, film (1990) [musician]
The Poison Tasters, film score (1995)
Milenci bez siat (1996)
Séta (Roaming the Streets) (1999)
Krajinka (Landscape), film (2000) [singer]
The Man Who Cried, film (2000) [music used in film soundtrack] [CD, 2003, SONY Music]
Holocaust: A Music Memorial Film, TV film (2005) [song: "Gypsy Lament"]
BITTOVA LINKS ~ top of page ~
Iva Bittova, Czech Avant Music Goddess, Actress (Interview, popcorn youth:the arts blog of the ithaca times)
Iva Bittová: Czech Politicians Only Think About Becoming Famous (Cafebabal)
Joyful Noise (Alicia Zuckerman, The New York Times)
The Purest One: Iva Bittová with the Bang on a Can All-Stars (Sharon Mesmer, The Brooklyn Rail)
Books
Iva Bittová (by Lenka Jaklová, 2000)
Composer's/Performer's website
Iva Bittová website
Bittová @ Wikipedia
Bittová @ Answers.com
Bittová @ Art+Culture
Bittová @ Canberra International Music Festival
Bittová @ Cantaloupe Music
Bittová @ Czech Information Centre
Bittová @ The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music
Bittová @ Facebook
Bittová @ Hans Wendl Produktion
Bittová @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Bittová @ iyouwe
Bittová @ MySpaceMusic
Bittová @ The New York Times
Bittová @ Nonesuch Records
Bittová @ NPR
Bittová @ Le Poisson Rouge
Bittová @ Radio Prague
Bittová @ Supraphon
Streaming Audio
Bittová @ last.fm
Bittová @ MySpaceMusic
Bittová @ NPR
Bittová @ Radio Prague
Bittová @ Rhapsody
Bittová @ WNYC
Recordings
Bittová @ Discogs
Bittová @ The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music
Video
Bittová @ YouTube
Iva Bittova
Ne nehledej (Stop Searching) [translated by google - unfortunately we couldn't find an English translation]
No, no not seek
I do not know where
where hiding
I do not know where
and neither I nor a dream
light or dark
nor is your
neither white nor black
then either immediately
here, even now
or dark, and a day, and it
here nor there
I do not have
Neither I nor sen
water or dust
joy or fear
nor white nor black
fire or ice
then either immediately
or a dark and a day
little or too
day and night, and it
and neither I nor a dream
here nor there
himself or herself
No, no, do not wait
I do not know where
where hiding
I do not know where
Long ago I was there two
and I long back
then either immediately
I do not expect
Long ago we were both back
and I long ago there
I do not know where
know yourself
Even a dark and a day
little or too
day nor night
and neither I nor a dream
here nor there
himself or herself
nor white nor black
good nor bad
you nor I
Seek me ease of search
neklekej a country where soft
neklekej the earth awaits thee
While waiting for burns where the sink and I
The bottle is the level of rolling
the feather bed, her hands pressed
not breathing or does not move a feather
the mouth water nahýbá
Seek me where you expect every
neklekej a country where soft
neklekej remember when you clay awaits
While waiting for fire and sink when I
level in the bottle is rolling
the feather bed, her hands pressed
not breathing or does not move a feather
Now taking off and gaining altitude - flies!
As I now pohladíš
hands in stiff fins
how to kiss me now
the most wolf muzzle
as to me přitulíš
scaly body
so what your answer
Now what I want to say.
Iva Bittová
Divná Slečinka (A Strange Young Lady)
Blind groping your palms
deathly on my breasts
slow movement of your stone-like
Language
excited in my ears
all beauty has drowned
The apple of your eye deprived
and death in your lap who eats
my brain
It makes everything from me
funny lady
A strange young lady
Original text in Czech
Slepá tápání tvých dlaní
na mých rozechvěných ňadrech
pomalé pohyby tvého neohebného
jazyka
v mých vzrušených uších
celá má krása utopená
V tvých očích zbavených zřítelnic
a smrt v tvém klínu jenž požírá
můj mozek
to všechno dělá ze mne
divnou slečinku
Divná slečinka
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