CONTENTS OF THE VIDEO (11 songs from this festival that we were able to find): 1. I SING – Avni Mula Music: Avni Mula Teskti: Ismail Kadare & Luigj Gurakuqi 2. I HAVE A THING – Rudolf Stamolla Music: Gaqo Avrazi Lyrics: Luan Qafzezi 3. DON'T REFUSE ME – Violeta Simoni Music: Vath Çangu Lyrics: Dionis Bubani 4. BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS IN SPRING – Florinda Gjergji & Ndrek Gjergji Music: Mark Kaftalli Lyrics: Česk Ndreca 5. VASHEZO – Meliha Doda Music and text: Koço Uçi 6. FIRST CHILD – Vace Zela Music: Abdulla Grimci Text: Dionis Bubani 7. UNFORGETTABLE CASTES – Rudolf Stamolla Music: Aleko Kareco Text: Haki Bejleri 8. SPRING WIND – Vace Zela Music: Tish Daija Text : Llazar Siliqi 9. LEMZA – Vace Zela Music: Agim Krajka Text: Haxhi Rama 10. FIRST CHILD – Qemal Kertusha Music: Abdullah Grimci Text: Dionis Bubani 11. LEMZA – Ylber Gimjani Music: Agim Krajka Text: Haxhi Rama. The first Radio Festival took place in 4 nights: 21-23 and 26.12.1962 and was presented by Margarita Xhepa and Luigj Gurakuqi. The initiators of this festival were the manager of the music editorial office at Radio, Abdulla Grimci, and the editor of the same editorial office, Vath Cangu, at the same time authors of songs. The festival took place on the stage of the Opera, which at that time was located in the building of the Tirana Conservatory. The first festivals were only called "Radio Song Festival" because there was no television broadcast yet. Organization and structure of the Festival The concerts started at 18:00 and were broadcast recorded on the radio after the news, at 20:30. 20 songs were said to have taken part, but from a poor recording, 19 songs were played on the radio and no repeats were heard. On the first night, 9 songs were sung, on the second night 10 songs and on the third night, the final, 10 songs. After three days, apparently to give the jury time to decide, a fourth night took place as a final concert (but not as a final) where the prizes for the songs and for the singers were announced by the chairman of the jury Llazar Siliqi, of who has been the chairman of the jury in several festivals in a row. The songs were accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra, directed by Kristo Kote and repeated by the Rhythmic Complex, directed by Agim Krajka. The festival developed under the example of the Sanremo Festival, only 11 years after the first Sanremo Festival (1951) and the songs, as in Sanremo, were performed in groups of 3-4 songs and then repeated in another interpretation. This pattern continued in all festivals (except the 11th festival), until the 24th Festival when the songs were no longer repeated. Evaluation of songs In the first festivals, during the nights of the festival, the authors of the songs were not mentioned. Only at the end, when the prizes were awarded, were the authors of the winning songs announced. The idea was not to influence the jury. After the festival, when they were broadcast on the radio, only the composer was mentioned. Therefore, sometimes the author of the text is missing (which can be filled in by others). Unlike Sanremo where, normally, one first, one second and one third prize were awarded, in our festivals, it is not known why, one first prize, two second and three third prizes were awarded, with the exception of rare (except the 11th festival). This continued until the 29th Festival. The two most beautiful songs of Vaçe Zela ("Spring wind" and "Lemza") were eliminated, being considered too modern for that time, and were no longer broadcast. Thus, the jury did not see fit to award any first prize. Therefore, Vaçe Zela deservedly received the first prize as a singer, but not her song "First child", the only one of hers that entered the final and received the third prize. Radio broadcast During the days of the festival and a few days after, the songs were not broadcast on the radio. The first broadcast of those songs began on New Year's Eve, in the concert of that holiday after the news. This has been going on for many years. Participating artists Some of the opera soloists took part. Among them, Avni Mula can be considered the first Albanian singer-songwriter. The interpretation of Vaçe Zela, who until that time had only sung foreign songs, especially Spanish, was eagerly awaited. And when he closed the first night with Spring Wind and began: "When the morning dawns, my face smiles/ love beats in my heart…" the whole hall burst into applause and cheers (as heard in the recording) and it was immediately understood that he was a new era began in Albanian light music. (The text is by Jozef Zamputi and the information found in Wikipedia) Video created by "Albanian Cinema" and published for the first time since 2018.
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VIDEOS FROM THE FIRST TWO FESTIVALS ON THE RADIO
The exclusivity on this page bears the date: February 13, 2021
_______________________ Albanian cinematography in activity since 2013
