Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares has been known by many names since its inception in 1952. Founded by Philip Koutev as the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir, the group began as a way to showcase the folk music of Bulgaria as well as commission new pieces by top Bulgarian composers. Its second of three Nonesuch recordings won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Recording.
Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares (Mystery of Bulgarian Voices) has been known by many names since its inception in 1952. Founded by Philip Koutev as the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir, the group began as a way to showcase the folk music of Bulgaria as well as commission new pieces by top Bulgarian composers. The group received much wider recognition with the Nonesuch release of two anthologies of the group in the late 1980s, with some tracks dating back to the group's earliest years.
The group's second Nonesuch release, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, Vol. II, earned a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Recording and led to an extensive world tour, taking the singers across Europe, North and South America, and Asia. In 1994, Nonesuch released a third recording, Ritual, followed a year later by a box set with all three albums.
