Gail Archer
Dobrich, A Bulgarian Odyssey
(Meyer Media)
You don’t have to be a fan of classical organ music or have a fluency in contemporary Bulgarian music to appreciate Vassar College organist Gail Archer’s latest album, Dobrich, A Bulgarian Odyssey. While the music is striking and unusual, it is always accessible, and I, for one, enjoy listening to it from a place of appreciation for organ and keyboard music by the likes of Garth Hudson of the Band, Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and John Medeski of Medeski Martin and Wood. Archer’s interpretations of these seven works by modern Bulgarian composers emphasize their dynamism and drama. As with most Eastern European music, these Bulgarian compositions incorporate a wider variety of scales and modes than aficionados of Western classical music are used to hearing. Likewise, rhythms and meters are not always stable, adding elements of tension and surprise.
This article appears in December 2025.
