Petar Lyondev’s choral masterpiece "Kaval sviri"

The kaval, one of the oldest instruments in existence, still echoes the music of centuries past. It is one of Bulgaria’s most treasured instruments, a symbol of folk music and an integral part of the nation’s folklore, particularly in the regions of Thrace, Ludogorie, and Dobrudzha. For Bulgarians, it carries the voice of the homeland and embodies the collective spirit of the nation, reflecting its enduring connection with nature and tradition. Dozens of folk texts celebrate this remarkable instrument, prized for its distinctive timbre and expressive power.

Hristo Todorov’s arrangement of the melancholic song Kaval li Sviri is one of the most popular pieces in the repertoire of the legendary opera and folk singer Gyurga Pindzhurova.

The chorovodna (round-dance) version, Kaval sviri, performed by Kosta Kolev and interpreted by the great Nadka Karadzhova, has been cherished by generations of Bulgarians.

The choral arrangement of Kaval sviri by Petar Lyondev, however, has enjoyed international recognition for several decades. It has been interpreted and sampled by numerous pop and rap artists, including the provocative, eccentric, and versatile superstar Lady Gaga, who in 2017 used a video clip of the song in her autobiographical documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two.

The song’s simple, laconic lyrics are about a young girl who hears the haunting sound of a kaval drifting through the countryside. She tells her mother that if the musician were from her own village, she would never fall in love with him, but if he came from another village, her heart would belong to him forever.

Petar Lyondev’s choral arrangement of “Kaval Sviri” was created in 1979 and included on the second album of the acclaimed series “The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices,” released by Swiss producer Marcel Cellier in 1988. 

Lyondev (1936–2018) was a Bulgarian composer, pedagogue, ethnomusicologist, and public figure. After graduating from the National Music Academy with specialisations in folklore and composition, he worked for over three decades as a research fellow at the Institute of Musicology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, recording more than 40,000 folk songs and instrumental melodies in the field. He also published numerous articles and scholarly works, many focusing on the Thracian folklore region.

Professor Lyondev also taught at universities in Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen, and Blagoevgrad, and gave guest lectures at the Belarusian State Pedagogical University and Lviv National University in Ukraine. He composed over 700 children’s songs which are much loved, frequently performed and have won numerous awards at competitions and festivals. His choral folk arrangements are recognised as classics of the genre and have enjoyed successful performances by Bulgarian and international ensembles around the world.

Lyondev's numerous miniatures for women's folk choirs have also been performed triumphantly by the outstanding singers of the Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices choir. However, his most popular works remain Ergen Deda and Kaval Sviri, both of which are included in eponymous albums produced by Marcel Cellier. Today, 'Kaval Sviri' is part of the repertoire of over 80 choral ensembles worldwide. It is sung in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Slovenia, Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia, Japan, China and Russia.

In a 2016 interview with Radio Bulgaria, marking his 80th birthday, Petar Lyondev said: ‘I am happy to learn every day about new countries where my songs are performed. Now I want to devote myself entirely to my compositions. That is what I do best”.

We fondly remember his magnificent arrangement of Kaval Sviri, performed by the Choir of the Folklore Ensemble Trakia and included on the second disc of the 1988 series The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices, which won the world's most renowned recording award — a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album.

Editor: Elena Karkalanova

Posted in English by E. Radkova