Tale Ognenovski

Tale Ognenovski (Тале Огненовски) (April 27, 1922 - June 19, 2012) was a Macedonian multi-instrumentalist: clarinet, reed pipe (instrument) (recorder), tin whistle, small bagpipe, zourla (zurla) and drum, composer and bandleader. On January 27, 1956, he performed at Carnegie Hall, New York City as clarinet and reed pipe (recorder) soloist of Macedonian State Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs "Tanec". The performance of Tale Ognenovski as reed pipe (recorder) player is described by dance critic John Martin, The New York Times's reviewer as "raucous and unforgettable pipe". Allmusic's reviewer, Craig Harris, noted: "The only professional folklore ensemble in Macedonia, the Tanec Ensemble are dedicated to the preservation of traditional Macedonian music, dance, and costuming. Founded by the government of the People's Republic of Macedonia in 1949, the group has shared their musical heritage with audiences around the world for more than half a century, performing an estimated 3,500 concerts in 31 countries'... The ensemble reached their peak during the late '50s, when influential clarinet and pipes player Tale Ognenovski was a member." All About Jazz celebrated April 27, 2009, the birthday of Tale Ognenovski with All About Jazz recognition: Jazz Musician of the Day: Tale Ognenovski, with announcement published at his website. Tale Ognenovski won top honors on October 11, 2003 at Macedonian Parliament as the Winner of "11 October" Award, the highest and the most prestigious national award in Republic of Macedonia.

Childhood and early years
Ognenovski was born in Brusnik, Bitola, Republic of Macedonia. Tale Ognenovski inherited his talent from his great-grandfather Ognen and grandfather Riste, both of whom were players on the reed pipe (recorder), and from his father Jovan who was a player on the bagpipe. When Tale was 7 he began to play on the reed pipe (recorder). In 1933, his father Jovan died. By the time Tale was 15 (1937), Tale's grandmother Mara and mother Vanka provided some money to buy Tale his first clarinet, and the priest Spase helped them to order it from Celje, Slovenia. Tale began to play the clarinet at many celebrations and concerts in villages and the town of Bitola with many other musicians.

First Award: 1947 in Bitola
He received: the First Award at the first regional Bitola Festival of Folk Dances and Songs, held on October 9–11, 1947. Olga Skovran from Belgrade, Manager for folklore in the Ministry of Culture in the Republic of Serbia (Former Yugoslavia) spoke: "Macedonia is the country most rich in folk dances, so rich that there is no other country in Europe equal to Macedonia", in an interview with Lazo Karovski and appearing in the newspaper "Nova Makedonija", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia on October 11, 1947.

First Award: 1948 in Skopje
He received the First Award Clarinet as the best clarinetist at the first Macedonia Festival of Folk Dances and Songs, held in Skopje on October 11, 1948. 453 Folk dances and songs groups competed in this festival.

First Award in Opatija, Croatia, 1951
He received the First Award at the Yugoslav (Former Yugoslavia) Folk Music Festival in Opatija, Croatia, September 9–12, 1951, together with another 11 members of the Folk Dance Ensemble from the Bitola village of Nizhopole, Republic of Macedonia. This was out of 85 folk dance groups from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Macedonia and Croatia. The Yugoslav (Former Yugoslavian) Folk Music Festival in Opatija had been specially arranged for the members of the Conference of the International Folk Music Council. IFMC - The International Folk Music Council was established in 1947 in London, UK. Marie Slocombe, recorded music archivist at the BBC wrote: "It was natural that on this occasion expositions of Yugoslav folklore and music should form the backbone of the Conference, and these received the most wonderful illustrations in the nightly Festival which took place in the magnificent ballroom of a nearby hotel. Every evening, for three hours or more, we witnessed an astonishing pageant of costume and custom, ritual and social dance, song and instrumental playing by 700 performers brought together from every part of the country." The performance of Tale Ognenovski as clarinet player caught the attention of the editors of International Folk Music Journal, also noted that "Teshkoto from Nizopole (Bitolj) means "heavy", and indicates the heavy rhythm which is typical of very ancient dances." Croatian ethnomusicologist Vinko Žganec wrote "The clarinet was as effective an accompaniment to the large drum in the folk dance from Kozjak as it was to the small drum in the folk dance 'Teshkoto' from Nizhopole. They provided a very effective combinations."

Member of the "Police Wind Orchestra
From 1951 till 1954, Tale Ognenovski worked as a member of the "Police Wind Orchestra" and from 1954 till 1956, he worked with the "Public Town Skopje Orchestra". The repertoire for both of these Orchestras consisted classical works. These included Bizet's "Carmen", "The Troubadour", "Aida", "Rigoletto", Verdi's "Nabucco" and "La traviata", "Oberon" by Carl Maria von Weber, Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture", Puccini's "Tosca" and Rossini's "The Barber of Seville". In December 1952, Tale Ognenovski as clarinet soloist, together with the pianist Nino Cipushev as accompaniment, performed the classical concert "Concert Polka for Clarinet" by Miler Bela in the "Police House" in Skopje. On May 24, 1953, he played clarinet soloist in the same concert with accompanient of "Police Wind Orchestra". The concert was performed in the Radio Skopje building, and broadcast directly to the nation via Radio Skopje. In Vardar Film's 1955 production of "Ritam i zvuk" ("Rhythm and Sound"), Tale Ognenovski as a clarinet soloist performed the Macedonian folk dances "Zhensko Chamche" and "Beranche" with Ensemble "Tanec". From 1956 till 1960 he worked with the Macedonian State Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs "Tanec".

Member of the Macedonian Radio-Television
From 1960 to 1967, Tale Ognenovski worked with "Radio Television Skopje" (now Macedonian Radio-Television). During 1967, he recorded as accompaniment on the clarinet many records on magnetic tapes with the "Tancov" Orchestra of Radio Television Skopje. In 1966, Tale Ognenovski became Head of the "Folk Music Orchestra" of "Radio Television Skopje". In 1967 Tale Ognenovski retired, but he continued to play on an honorary basis in the "Chalgii" Orchestra on "Radio Television Skopje" until 1979. He recorded as clarinet and reed pipe (recorder) soloist many records on magnetic tapes with the "Folk Music Orchestra", the "Chalgii" Orchestra and the Authentic Folk Instruments Orchestra including 150 Macedonian folk dances all composed by him. During the 1960s Tale Ognenovski played as clarinet soloist in many Macedonian folk dances and songs in numerous theatrical performances at the Macedonian National Theatre.

Guest soloist at anniversaries
He performed at: the concert marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of "Radio Television Skopje" (now Macedonian Radio-Television), performed in the Universal Hall in Skopje on December 19, 1969, the concert marking the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Cultural Artistical Society "Ilinden" in Bitola, held in the "House of Culture", Bitola in December, 1985  and at the concert marking the 60th  anniversary of the founding of "Radio Television Belgrade" (now Radio Television Serbia) held in the "House of the Syndicate" in Belgrade, Serbia in 1989. Tale Ognenovski performed his own compositions of Macedonian folk dances on the television programme "Yugoslavia, Good Day" broadcast on "Radio Television Zagreb" (now Croatian Radiotelevision) in Croatia, February 27, 1975.

Member of many orchestras and ensembles
He has played on the clarinet in many concerts performing with the following orchestras and ensembles: the cultural-educational societies in Bitola of "Svetlost", "Stiv Naumov", "Ilinden"; folk dance groups from the villages of Brusnik, Dihovo, Nizhopole, Rotino and Lavci; the Radio Bitola orchestras; cultural art societies: "Vlado Tasevski" and "Kocho Racin"; the academic culture and art society "Mirche Acev; other Ensembles of folk dances and songs including "Orce Nikolov", "Goce Delchev", "Dom na gradezhnici Skopje", "Hor na invalidi Skopje" and "Dom na borci i invalidi Skopje"; the Macedonia Radio and Television folk music orchestras: the Folk Music Orchestra, the "Chalgii" Orchestra and the Authentic Folk Instruments Orchestra; the Orchestra of Angel Nacevski, Stevo Teodosievski, Pece Atanasovski and the Ljupcho Pandilov Orchestra.

International Folklore Committee in Istanbul, Turkey, 1977
At the International Folklore Conference organized by the International Folklore Committee in Istanbul, Turkey, 1977, on the subject of "Folklore on the Radio" representative from Yugoslavian Radio Television (Former Yugoslavia) was Dushko Dimitrovski, Editor of the Folk Music Department for "Radio Television Skopje" (now Macedonian Radio-Television) from the Republic of Macedonia. He used records produced from magnetic tapes to present folklore material in his presentation entitled " Chalgija music in Macedonia". This folklore material was prepared in Skopje by ethnomusicologists Dushko Dimitrovski, Kiril Todevski and Metodija Simonovski. From the magnetic tape material were presented the recordings including the Macedonian folk dances: "Kasapsko oro", arranged by Tale Ognenovski, and "Kumovo oro chochek", composed by Tale Ognenovski and performed by him as clarinet soloist accompanied by the "Chalgii" orchestra of Radio Television Skopje (now Macedonian Radio-Television). This created great interest not only amongst the delegates of the Conference but also around the world.

Tour of North America
Tale Ognenovski played as clarinet and reed pipe (recorder) soloist for most parts of the programme, including the Macedonian folk dances "Bride's Dance" ("Nevestinsko Oro"), "Chupurlika", "Sopska Poskocica" ("Shopska Podripnuvachka"), "Kopachka", "Shepherd's Dance" ("Ovcharsko Oro"), "Soborski Igri", Macedonian songs, Serbian folk dances and songs and "Shote", an Albanian folk dance. Concerts of North America tour include Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - The Forum (capacity 1,763 seats) January 23, 1956; New York City - Carnegie Hall (capacity 2,760 seats); Symphony Hall, Boston (capacity 2,625 seats), January 1, 1956; Civic Opera House (Chicago) (capacity 3,563 seats), February 4 and 5, 1956; Academy of Music (Philadelphia) (capacity 2,897seats), February 7, 1956; DAR Constitution Hall Washington, D.C.  (capacity 3,702 seats), February 9, 1956; Lyric Opera House Baltimore, February 10, 1956; Syria Mosque Theater Pittsburgh, February 12, 1956;  Massey Hall Toronto, Canada (capacity 2,752 seats), February 13, 1956; Detroit Masonic Temple (capacity 4,404 seats), February 18, 1956; Murat Centre Indianapolis, February 20, 1956; Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis (Municipal Auditorium with the capacity 9,300), February 26, 1956; Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City) (Music Hall), February 29, 1956; Colorado Springs City Auditorium, March 3, 1956; Denver Arena Auditorium  (capacity 6,841 seats), March 4, 1956; War Memorial Opera House San Francisco (capacity 3,146 seats), March 7 and 9, 1956; Hazard's Pavilion Los Angeles (Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium with capacity 2,700 seats), March 12, 13 and 14, 1956; Pasadena Conference CenterCivic Auditorium Pasadena (capacity 3,029 seats), March 15, 1956; Russ Auditorium San Diego (capacity 2500 seats), March 19–20, 1956; City Auditorium Houston, March 28 and 29, 1956; Civic Theatre New Orleans, April 1, 2 and 3, 1956; Tower Theatre Atlanta, April 5, 6 and 7, 1956 and  Brooklyn Academy of Music New York City (capacity 2,109 seats), April 11 and 12, 1956. Ensemble "Tanec" caught the attention of some of the North America's top music critics including: John Martin (The New York Times),  Robert Coleman (New York Daily Mirror),  William Hawkins (New York World-Telegram), Walter Terry (New York Herald Tribune), Claudia Cassidy  (Chicago Daily Tribune), Samuel Singer (Philadelphia Inquirer),  Paul Hume (The Washington Post and Times), John Kraglund (The Globe and Mail),   R. H. Hagan (San Francisco Chronicle)  and Albert Goldberg (Los Angeles Times).

Arriving in New York City
The popularity of the Ensemble Tanec's music in Europe brought with it increasing press attention in North America before and during the tour of North America. The newspaper The New York Times published a series of articles in which offered detailed analyses of the Ensemble "Tanec"'s music, lending it respectability. In the first article published on November 15, 1955 is written: "The Yugoslav National Folk Ballet will begin a fifteen-week tour of the United States in January, under the auspices of Consolidated Concerts Corporation and the International Music Institute. This will be the first large-scale dance company from a former Iron Curtain country." The Ensemble arrived in New York City on January 20, 1956. The following day, on January 21, The New York Times commented, "Members of the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet dancing on board the liner Israel yesterday, after they arrived here... The forty-member group, which has attracted much attention in Europe, will give a recital in Carnegie Hall on Friday evening...The company will perform folk dances from Macedonia, Croatia, Herzegovina, Albania and Serbia in native costume." . The North America tour began on January 22, 1956, and finished on April 12, 1956. Ensemble "Tanec" performed 65 concerts in 50 cities.

TV debut of ˜Tanec" on CBS
Tanec's North American tour began with their debut on the Ford Foundation TV Programme Omnibus (U.S. TV series) on January 22, 1956. Producer Robert Saudek, directed by Elliot Silverstein with the Tanec dance troupe from Macedonia (20 min.). Live performances of members of Ensemble "Tanec" on CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) Television Network, were seen by millions viewers and created interest in all 66 concerts in many towns throughout the United States and in Toronto, Canada. A copy of this programme may be viewed free of charge on a videocassette at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Omnibus was educational TV series, broadcast live on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 pm Eastern time, from November 9, 1952 until 1961. The program includes featured performances by many artists including Orson Welles and Leonard Bernstein.

Carnegie Hall concert, New York City
Carnegie Hall, built in 1891, it is one of the most famous venues in the United States for classical music and popular music, renowned for its beauty, history and acoustics. Known as the most prestigious concert stage in the U.S., almost all of the leading classical music, and more recently, popular music, performers since 1891 have performed there. Today Carnegie Hall's main auditorium seats 2,804 on five levels. It was named for the violinist Isaac Stern in 1997. The hall was extensively renovated in 1986. On January 27, 1956 when Ensemble "Tanec" performed, Carnegie Hall had capacity of 2,760 seats.

The New York Times
Ensemble "Tanec" first live US television performance on CBS caught the attention of the New York Times music critic John Martin for Tanec's performance at Carnegie Hall on January 27, 1956. He wrote: "The Yugoslav National Folk Ballet ‘Tanec’, which has been touring Europe with great success, made the reason quite clear last night in a performance at Carnegie Hall that was a joy and delight...This particular group, part of a national movement toward the revival of the folk arts, comes from Macedonia … The house was completely sold out, and others no doubt would follow the same pattern",

New York Daily Mirror, New York World Telegram, New York Herald Tribune
The newspapers published articles for Tanec's performances at Carnegie Hall with detailed analyses of his music: "Venerable Carnegie Hall fairly vibrated as the audience blistered its palms in appreciation..." - Robert Coleman, New York Daily Mirror; "Last night this Yugoslav National Folk Ballet preluded a transcontinental tour at Carnegie Hall. This is the freshest, gayest, most expert dance affair that has come over the horizon in years… We have been afforded many novelties from the Orient and the Occident but none of them won a more enthusiastic reception than the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet." - William Hawkins, New York World Telegram; " And these antique measures, accompanied sometimes by a shepherd's pipe … Tanec, a Macedonian group of some forty dancers and musicians, gave generously of their rich folk heritage... An audience which jammed Carnegie to capacity (the house had been sold out by last Monday) cheered and applauded the folk dancing with as much enthusiasm as if it had been witnessing classical, theatrical ballet at its most glittering." - Walter Terry, New York Herald Tribune.

"Nova Makedonija", Republic of Macedonia
Stjepan Pucak, former Tanjug correspondent and Croatian journalist note: "Until half-past eight, Carnegie Hall was full to capacity, without any of its near enough 3000 seats available... To choose which were the most successful of the program's seventeen folk dances, when all were greeted with stormy applause, is really very difficult and risky... 'Sopska Poskocica' (‘Shopska podripnuvachka’) was even repeated, and to repeat a performance on the American stage is a really rare and exclusive event." Naum Nachevski, former correspondent of "Nova Makedonija" from US and Macedonian journalist, noted: "On many occasions the audience interrupted some of the folk dance performances with applause; these dances in particular left great impressions of the folklore, the richness of folk costumes and the unusual rhythm of Macedonian folk music. ‘Tanec’ not only received a warm welcome from the New York public, but also from the New York press who the following day were full of the most beautiful compliments."

Performances in cities from San Francisco to New York
The strong reception of Ensemble "Tanec" performance at Carnegie Hall by public and by music critic, generating intense interest for, the three months-long tour to each two-hour performance in cities from San Francisco to New York. A further sixty four successful concerts followed in other US cities and one concert in Toronto, Canada. Performances of Ensemble "Tanec" everywhere, on tour across the North America, were greeted with enthusiasm by spectators. Makedonija reviewer Naum Nachevski comments: "All the concerts have had record audiences. In many towns, including Pittsburgh, they are sold out at least one week before... For America, this art form is quite new - totally original - never before viewed on the mainland... The American public has expressed this through their frenetic applause." Three concerts in Chicago were performed in Civic Opera House on February 4 at 8:30 pm and on February 5, 1956 at 2:30 pm. and at 8:30 pm. Its opera house has 3,563-seats, making it the second-largest opera auditorium in North America after the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. The Chicago Daily Tribune's reviewer, Claudia Cassidy, noted: "Called Tanec, which is the Macedonian word for dance, this group of 37 dancers, singers and musicians is a kaleidoscope of the Balkans...When five of them dance the "Sopska Poskocica", which apparently just means they are showing off to the girls. I would keep them any day as an unfair trade for the four little swans in "Swan Lake"... " "The arrival of Tanec in Chicago had been awaited by more than 10,000 people who had bought their tickets a few weeks earlier. …Several million people got to know about our folk dances from reports and photographs, from a very successful debut on American television and from reviews in the newspapers about the concert in New York ... Chupurlika was greeted with stormy applause and received several encores." wrote Gjorgi Iliev from Chicago in an article entitled "Letter from America", appearing in the newspaper "Nova Makedonija", Republic of Macedonia on February 19, 1956. " The concert in Philadelphia was performed in the 2,897-seats Academy of Music on February 7, 1956. Opened in 1857, the Academy of Music is the oldest grand opera house in the United States to still be used for its original purpose. Philadelphia Inquirer music critic Samuel Singer commented:  ""Tanec" means "dance", but "dance" in a larger form than customary. Besides dance alone, it conveys drama, ritual, tradition, songs, even military maneuvers...there was a remarkable precision in both dancing and playing...Clarinet, bass fiddle, violin, drums, guitar and flute provided most of the accompaniments in various combinations..."  DAR Constitution Hall (3,702 seats) is a concert hall in Washington, D.C.  It was built in 1929. Paul Hume, The Washington Post and Times music critic observes", A Sopska Poskocica is devised to show the girls how handsome and wonderful and brilliant and exciting and sensational their man friends are. The rate at which it is danced, and the tremendous energy and precision of six men who dance it, is unique and demanded a repetition ... If you see "Tanec" which simply means "Dance" advertised again, you won’t want to miss it." Massey Hall (2,752-seats) is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. John Kraglund, a Music critic for The Globe and Mail wrote: "The first impression, however, must be one of rhythmic precision... Nor was the performance without spectacle... in the case of one dance, Sopska Poskocica   it was no more than a show-off dance. As such it was highly effective ... " Ensemble "Tanec" played in larger auditoriums including: Kiel Auditorium - St. Louis, Missouri on February 26, 1956 and Denver Arena Auditorium, Colorado on March 4, 1956. Kiel Auditorium (Originally named the Municipal Auditorium) with seating capacity of 9,300 played host to a variety of rock concerts including concerts of Elvis Presley on March 29, 1957. and September 10, 1970.  From the 1950s until the 1970s, the Kiel Auditorium was behind only Madison Square Garden as North America's most famous wrestling arena. Denver Arena Auditorium  is a pure sporting venue with seating capacity of 6,841. On December 26, 1968, the rock group Led Zeppelin played their first concert in the United States. ""The concert created stormy applause from 2000 spectators..." wrote the Saint Louis Globe Democrat." "The Auditorium Arena concert of Ensemble "Tanec" is the most extraordinary event of the year...the most excellent are "Soborskite igri"" wrote the Denver Rocky Mountain News." The above all appeared in an article in the newspaper "Nova Makedonija", published on April 24, 1956 and entitled "Success of Macedonian Folk Ensemble "Tanec."" The War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California has 3,146 seats. It has been the home of the San Francisco Opera since opening night in 1932. San Francisco Chronicle music critic R. H. Hagan says of the Macedonian Music, "The music itself - including several indigenous instruments - is worth the price of the show, and never more so than in a number titled simply "Macedonian Tune", which in its intricate rhythms and plaintive melody should at least make Dave Brubeck send out an emergency call for Darius Milhaud" The three concerts in Los Angeles were performed in Philharmonic Auditorium (2,700 seats) on March 12, 13 and 14, 1956. Los Angeles Times music critic Albert Goldberg commented: "For authentic folk dancing, wild and free and yet subject to its own intricate disciplines, this group would be hard to beat. It numbers over 30 dancers, singers and musicians and they do the dances of Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Herzegovina and Albania in native costumes with superb vitality and style … They are accompanied by a group of musicians consisting of a violinist, guitar and accordion players, a flutist, a clarinetist and double bass, though drums of different types are frequently involved, as well as a shepherd's reed pipe" After the concerts, the audience surrounded the members of Ensemble "Tanec" and asked for theirs autographs. Members of Ensemble ‘Tanec’ visited the Metro Goldwyn Mayer studio in Hollywood. In the main MGM studio, Tale Ognenovski and other members of the Ensemble were photographed together with June Allyson. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Company prepared a special banquet for the members of Ensemble "Tanec".

Impressions of Ensemble "Tanec" Performances
Music critic John Martin of the New York Times said: " Everybody knows, of course, that folk dancing is entirely for participation, and has no value at all as spectacle; everybody knows it, that is, until something like the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet, "Tanec", comes…" After the end of the tour the Life (magazine) commented: "A hundred years ago on the rugged roads of Macedonia, bands of brigands used to plunder the caravans of rich merchants and, like Robin Hood, pass on some of their spoils to the poor... this spring, the Yugoslav National Folk Ballet is making a first, and highly successful tour of the U.S...Together they make as vigorous a display of dancing as the U.S. has ever seen." "...I can’t remember ever seeing anything better of this style" wrote the Baltimore Sun; "...Applause from the public says more than these 500 words. Yesterday Time Wasn't Money", ran The Milwaukee Journal. "Here is a question of great art, and we must say that we are lucky to see this art", ran The Christian Science Monitor on March 30, 1956. The above appeared in an article entitled "The Newspapers in United States on Tanec" and was published in the newspaper "Nova Makedonija" on May 11, 1956. On May 20, 1956, summing up the performances of soloists and dance groups including Ensemble "Tanec", The New York Times's music critic John Martin identifies last season as unpredictable, strong, international and creative innovation. He writes, "Looking over one's shoulder at the season just closed, as is conventional practice at this time of year, one is impressed most of all by its general obstreperousness. It was fecund, unpredictable, energetie, international, creative,"

Tour of Germany
Tale Ognenovski as clarinet and reed pipe (recorder) soloist with Ensemble 'Tanec', toured Germany from August 15 until October 27, 1956. The Ensemble performed 72 concerts in many towns, including Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Bonn, Göttingen, Munich and Wiesbaden, and every performance was a sell-out. As part of their tour of France in 1959, they performed two concerts in Dortmund, Germany on September 18 and 19, 1959, playing to an audience of 7000 on each occasion.On October 1, 1956 Ensemble "Tanec" performed a successful concert in Bonn Town Theatre and every seat was full. "Present in the audience were the Mayor of Bonn, many prominent politicians, diplomats and domestic and foreign journalists. Bonn's newspapers are full of numerous compliments as to the artistic quality of the concert."During this tour the Ensemble has visited almost all the larger towns in West Germany and also many tourist towns. Ensemble Tanec has had the warmest welcome everywhere. Compliments, and also some photographs from the performances, have appeared in the newspapers of every town." The "Hildesheim pres" published an article entitled "Tanec, the magic word from the Balkans". This contained amongst other comments, "This National Ballet, the top Ensemble in the country, have shown us only excellence, politeness and complete perfection. I'll never forget the difficult Macedonian dance from Macedonian shepherds... and the man with the reed pipe... Every dance and song has great impact and is rewarded with extraordinary amounts of applause. "Tanec" in Yugoslavia means dance, and at the same time it is a magical word from Yugoslavia."

Tour of Switzerland
Tale Ognenovski performed as clarinet and reed pipe (recorder) soloist with Ensemble "Tanec" during their tour of Switzerland during the period July 7–10, 1959. The concerts were performed in Bern on July 7 and 8, 1959. In the illuminated gardens of Port Gitana, in Geneva on July 9 and 10, 1959 at 8.00 pm, Ensemble "Tanec" performed with success. Tale Ognenovski made his debut on a special programme broadcast on Swiss Television. Playing as clarinet soloist, he performed his personally composed Macedonian folk dances "Bitolsko Oro" and "Brusnichko Oro".

Switzerland press
"Tribune de Geneve" commented: "We were presented with remarkable spectacles performed by the Yugoslavian National Folk Ballet 'Tanec' from Macedonia... Nothing here that resembled classical dances of our Western World... They have the rhythm of the dances of their country in their blood."

Tour of France
Tale Ognenovski was clarinet and reed pipe (recorder) soloist with Ensemble "Tanec" during their tour of France from September 20 until November 25, 1959. They performed 83 concerts in 58 towns and cities in France including Paris, Le Havre, Nantes, Poitiers, Clermont-Ferrand, Lille, Cherbourg, Toulon, Toulouse, Rennes, Bourges (September 23, 1959), Chaumont, Solon de Provence, Laval, Brest, Lorient, St. Nazaire, Angers, Tours, Limoges, Pont a Mouson, Bourgen Brest, Belfor, St Entienne, St Brieuc, St Malo, Vendome, Gien, Orléans, Niort, La Rochelle, Marmonde, Mont de Marson, Dax, Tarbes, Agen, Albi, Pau, Carcassonne, St Gaudens, Béziers, Perpignan, Arcachon, Nîmes, Grenoble, Lyon, Villeurbone, Shamonini and Guéret. The Ensemble twice had performances broadcast on television, on September 21 and 22, 1959. 20 million people would have seen them on the most popular programme on Television in France. Radio Paris recorded a 45-minute programme of Macedonian folk dances and songs.The first concert in France was performed on the stage of the Grand Palais in Bourges on September 23, 1959. ." On every concert including at 'Hall of the sports' in Shamoni audience consisted mostly of young people greeted the performers warmly. Every evening after the concerts, hundreds of boys and girls came under the stage to get autographs from the members of Ensemble "Tanec". At every concert audiences asked for encores of some of the acts. The Manager of Ensemble 'Tanec's tour of France was Mr Raymond Guillier, also Director of his own company "Les grands spectacles internationaux Les productions Raymond Guillier", Paris. He specialized in managing international shows in Paris.

France press
"Le Berry Republicain" commented: "Everyone in the audience applauded as if they were four people, and the Macedonian National Ballet left a great impression in Bourges.... The quality and talent of this group is admirable... At the end of their concert, the members of Ensemble "Tanec" remained on stage and were applauded by the Bourges audiences for more than quarter of an hour." "La nouvelle republique du Centre" commented: "The first performance of the National Ballet of Macedonia was a tremendous success. Everyone in the hall applauded with enthusiasm, here in the "Grand Palais" in Bourges at the first performance in France of the National Ballet of Macedonia... The first performance in Bourges was a spectacle."

"Tanec" is playing in the spirit of Macedonia
In an interview with newspaper "Vecher", Republic of Macedonia published on September 14, 1964 Raymond Guillier, Manager of Ensemble "Tanec" tour in France, 1959 said:  "Everyone who went to the concerts by Ensemble "Tanec" in Paris and other towns and cities in France during the tour in 1959 of a little over two months was fascinated … What "Tanec" is playing in the spirit of Macedonia, believe me no other Ensemble in the world can perform ... I know that the clarinetist Tale after every concert played clarinet solos and amused us well into the early hours. This hasn't been the case with any other member from any other Ensembles."

Other tours
Bulgaria (November and December, 1955), Albania (9 concerts, October, 1957), Romania (9 concerts, December, 1957 and January 1958), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia.

Macedonian folk dances
He has composed and arranged 150 Macedonian folk dances including: Nevenino Oro, Brusnichko Oro, Bukovsko Svadbarsko Oro, Talevo Kasapsko Oro, Stevchevo Oro, Sharsko Oro, Pelistersko Oro, Talevo Svadbarsko Oro, Piperkovo Oro, Zhensko Kichevsko Oro, Caparsko Oro, Staroto Oro, Starsko za Ramo, Skopski Chochek, Kumovo Oro Chochek, Prilepsko Svadbarsko Oro, Resensko Oro, Poljansko Oro, Kasapsko Oro, Patruno Svadbeno Oro, Mominsko Oro, Egejsko Oro and Chamiko Oro. Some of his compositions have been recorded on 11 LPs, 11 cassettes and 10 gramophone records. Labels: PGP RTB (Radio Television Belgrade), Serbia; Jugoton, Zagreb, Croatia; Macedonian Radio-Television Republic of Macedonia and Independent Records, US. He made his recording debut as a composer with the Galevski-Nanchevski Orchestra in 1963, with the first record EP 14700 produced by PGP RTB - "Radio Televizija Beograd" (Radio Television Belgrade (now Radio Television Serbia), Belgrade, Serbia). In 1965, Tale Ognenovski established his own "Tale Ognenovski Orchestra", and PGP RTB produces the record EP 14711, He made his recording debut for Jugoton Zagreb, Croatia with the record EPY-3851 (1967).

Debut LP recordings for Jugoton and PGP-RTB
In 1975, Ognenovski made his debut LP recording "Tale Ognenovski Klarinet Svira Ora" (LPY-61143) for Jugoton in Zagreb, Croatia. The sessions yielded twelve folk dances, including "Resensko Oro" and "Mominsko Oro". In 1979 PGP-RTB in Belgrade, Serbia released Ognenovski's LP album "Makedonski Igraorni Ora Sviri Tale Ognenovski (LP 1439). All 12 tracks were Macedonian folk dances including "Talevo Svadbarsko Oro" and "Caparsko Oro". On the back cover of this LP record Gjoko Georgiev, editor of music for Macedonian Radio-Television Skopje, wrote: "This record allows you to hear the unique, famous, music personality, the solo clarinetist Tale Ognenovski. When hearing the music, you will feel exhilarating folklore all around you, of the sunny, sad and bright legend of the south being transferred into music… During the last couple of decades he has continuously demonstrated his skill at original and superb interpretation, displaying the passion of one that is in love, and the style of a virtuoso." The magazine "Ilustrovana politika" observes,"Radio Television Belgrade released a LP of Macedonian folk music, on which is performances by the extraordinary clarinetist Tale Ognenovski. His music repertoire is folk dances, jazz (besides others he includes works by Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw), concerts from Carl Maria von Weber Mozart and Ernesto Cavallini...This is Tale Ognenovski who began to play the clarinet in the village of Brusnik near Bitola, who with this wooden instrument toured the world and received well-deserved applause wherever he performed." Macedonian Radio-Television produced the cassette MP 2137 (1989).

Tale Ognenovski Quartet - Album: Jazz, Macedonian Folk Dances and Classical Music
In 2001 Tale Ognenovski formed Quartet with his son, Stevan on drum and reed pipe (recorder) and grandsons Nikola on reed pipe and Kliment on reed pipe. Tale Ognenovski is soloist on clarinet, reed pipe (recorder), tin whistle, small bagpipe and zourla (zurla). In September, 2001 was released CD album: Jazz, Macedonian Folk Dances and Classical Music (IR04542, Independent Records, US). Ten tracks were recorded for this album: 3 Jazz compositions, 6 Macedonian Folk dances and Tale Ognenovski Concert for Clarinet No. 1, all composed by Tale Ognenovski. Reviewer Neil Horner of the MusicWeb International comments, "He is undoubtedly an exceptional artist and the predominant image created in my mind is of Benny Goodman playing the superb Contrasts he commissioned Bartók to write for him, but with a folk rather than a classical emphasis… Also, despite the CD promising jazz, folk and classical, it really all comes under the umbrella of his conception of how the elements interlink, with some but not major differences of emphasis…This disc is likely to appeal to world music aficionados who enjoy the Balkan/Levantine soundworld and perhaps also those who care to hear the source musics of their classical favourites, the aforementioned Bartók but also, here, perhaps people like Skalkottas." The Amazon.com's reviewer, Erika Borsos, noted that "The traditional Macedonian folk tunes and melodies, "Brusnichko Oro", "Nevenino Oro", "Bukovsko svadbarsko oro", and "Talevo kasapsko oro" are my favorites because the minor scale and unusual rhythms allow for highly fluid and lyrical melodic interpretation. Tale Ognenovski is a master of interpretative clarinet sounds and inventor of exotic musical phrases… He can play fast, exciting, speeding clarinet music or music that is spiritual meditative and soulful."

Classical music
Ognenovski's first classical recording dates from 1970, when he recorded Ernesto Cavallini: Fiori rossiniani with pianist Professor Ladislav Palfi for Macedonian Radio-Television. In 1987 he recorded Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major K.622 (Clarinet Concerto (Mozart) and Wagner's "Adagio for Clarinet" with pianist Tanja Shopova. Macedonian national television "Macedonian Radio-Television" produced two television programmes: "One clarinet - one life" was shown on May 19, 1970 and "One clarinet - one life - Tale Ognenovski", broadcast on July 18, 1987. Both programmes include his biography and performances of classical music and Macedonian folk dances.

"MOZART and OGNENOVSKI Clarinet Concertos"
In 2005 with accompaniment of his son Stevan Ognenovski on drum Tale Ognenovski recorded Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622 (Clarinet Concerto (Mozart)) This album "MOZART and OGNENOVSKI Clarinet Concertos" (IR37223, Independent Records, US) released in January 2006 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (January 27, 1956 – 2006) includes "Tale Ognenovski Concert for Clarinet No. 1" (clarinet, tin whistle, small bagpipe and zourla (zurla)) already released on "Jazz, Macedonian Folk Dances and Classical Music". He incorporated clarinet as second classical instrument into his arrangements, notably on the Mozart Clarinet Concerto Composed by Mozart. Tale Ognenovski arranged parts of the Mozart's clarinet concerto for two clarinets. In this recording the clarinet is accompanied by drum performed by his son Stevan Ognenovski or by drum and second clarinet (performed by Tale Ognenovski). Tale Ognenovski performed the Concerto on a standard-range A clarinet (Buffet Crampon) according to Breitkopf & Hartel edition (Publisher's no.: Nr. 2300). Perhaps this is unique recording where every notes of measure numbers III/311-313 from the Third movement: Rondo: Allegro are played by Tale Ognenovski exactly as they are written in Breitkopf & Härtel edition. NME.com feature on Breitkopf & Hartel including YouTube music video: "Tale Ognenovski Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A K.622 III. Rondo Allegro (final movt) as selection from Breitkopf & Härtel, the world's oldest music publishing company. NME.COM is Web site of music magazine NME The Amazon.com's reviewer Erika Borsos wrote: "This reviewer is familiar with the three B's of classical music: Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms and can distinguish their styles, one can *now* add a fourth "B" which stands for "Balkan" as played by Tale Ognenovski ... Mr. Ognenovski plays Mozart with his own inimitable personal style making the classical music take on mysterious and exotic characteristics and overtones... Ognenovski explodes with passion as he performs his own "Tale Ognenovski Concerto for Clarinet No. 1""

Macedonian Jazz
In September 2008, Tale Ognenovski Quartet released his second CD album: Macedonian Clarinet Jazz Composed by Tale Ognenovski (IR38824, Independent Records, US) with twelve   tracks: Tale Ognenovski Jazz Composition No 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,  7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, all composed by Tale Ognenovski. The Amazon.com's reviewer Erika Borsos wrote: "Jazz music has a freedom of expression like few other musical styles. Tale Ognenovski uses the most intricate Western playing techniques and combines them with exotic Balkan stylizations creating a pure and genuine new dimensional sound. The listener's spirit soars, dances and flies with pleasure and anticipation gliding on every note and musical phrase."

Digital music
Three CD albums of Tale Ognenovski are available through The Orchard (music label), global company headquartered in New York and London to online music services such as iTunes and My Space. Physical compact discs are available through CD Baby, online music store.

Famous clarinet player
Clarinet-Now.com Website listed Tale Ognenovski as one of World Famous Clarinet Players. Clarinet-Now.com observes, "The famous clarinet player from Republic of Macedonia, Tale Ognenovski played the clarinet as a Macedonian folk instrument and became famous worldwide with his work. Hear more from Tale on iTunes"

Composer and integrator of musical styles
Tale Ognenovski's compositions integrated musical styles "under the umbrella of his conception of how the elements interlink". "Tale Ognenovski uses the most intricate Western playing techniques and combines them with exotic Balkan stylizations creating a pure and genuine new dimensional sound." In his book, For Our Music (За Наша Музика) Dushko Dimitrovski writes: " The prodigy, however, is called Tale Ognenovski ... The impossible becomes possible: two, "usually non-complimentary" parallel-existing worlds of sounds - Europe - The Orient - are in Tale Ognenovski's music naturally brought closer together, understand each other and merge. Has Ognenovski's ingenuity in advance not done something that with the power of empirical palpability and outright proof, will convince us that Macedonia - with the power of both worlds of melodies being borne and present in her galaxy of sounds - is the one predetermined to play the role of a tonal catalyst for the future universal connection and natural mixing and circulation of the creative idea of East - West - East? "

Music of the Republic of Macedonia
Author Kim Burton has described in his book Music of the Republic of Macedonia: "Perhaps the most influential of recent years was Tale Ognenovski, who plays a wide variety of traditional and modern sounds." Jazzclub Unterfahrt observes, ""The music playing of the clarinetist Tale Ognenovski is something other than Michael Brecker's style."

Influences
Music composed by Tale Ognenovski is performing by instrumentalists and bands, including: Vlatko Stefanovski, Damir Imeri, Ensemble "Tanec" (Pelistersko Oro); Ljubisa Pavkovic (Pelistersko Oro); Aritmija (Piperkovo Oro); AKUD "Sonja Marinković" (Pelistersko Oro); Dragianni, Damjan Pejcinoski, Muris Varajic (Pelistersko Oro); Muris Varajic & Dragianni (Piperkovo Oro)   and Andrej Zupan (Pelistersko Oro and Piperkovo Oro). Ognenovski is an influence on musicians including Zoran Madzirov, Pachora and New York bands interpreting Balkan music. Bill Shoemaker, JazzTimes music critic has written: "Recalling the spree sparked a lively discussion about clarinetist Tale Ognenovski, which segued to the proliferation of New York bands interpreting Balkan music (interestingly, Shepik is the linchpin of the movement, leading his own group, The Commuters, and playing with both Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio and with Black and Speed, in Pachora)."

Personal life
Tale and Nevena (1922–1971) married in 1947. They had two children, the son Stevan and the daughter Mica. Nevena was the main source of his strength and motivation and she supported his music career. Now his son Stevan Ognenovski and his daughter in law Margarita Ognenovska support all of his musical activity. Rumena Ravanovska-Tulbevska, editor of magazine "Tea Modena" noted that "Tale Ognenovski is always environed with love of his son Stevan Ognenovski and daughter in law Margarita Ognenovska." Tale Ognenovski died in Skopje on June 19, 2012.

All About Jazz recognition: Jazz Musician of the Day: Tale Ognenovski, April 27, 2009
All About Jazz celebrated April 27, 2009, the birthday of Tale Ognenovski with All About Jazz recognition: Jazz Musician of the Day: Tale Ognenovski. The importance of All About Jazz recognition: Jazz Musician of the Day: merited to Tale Ognenovski caught the attention of the media in Republic of Macedonia including: newspaper Vreme, A1 TV and magazine Tea Moderna.

Interview with A1 TV
Aleksandra Bubevska of the A1 TV channel (Macedonia) said, "World famous site for jazz music, All About Jazz, nowadays published article with which he praised the Macedonian instrumentalist and composer Tale Ognenovski. The text refers to the recognition that this site was assigned on April 27, the day of his birthday, declaring him the jazz musician of the day… 87-year-old uncle Tale, also in 1956 played in Carnegie Hall in New York, worked in Ensemble "Tanec" and in many other ensembles." Ognenovski spoke about his work as a clarinet instructor to teach clarinetists in many ensembles in Republic of Macedonia and according to his wish didn't received any money for his engagements. "Now I have only one task, to record all my music" said Tale Ognenovski in this interview broadcast on July 9, 2009.

Newspaper Vreme
Valentina Gorgievska of the newspaper Vreme wrote: "This world famous and most relevant website for jazz music www.allaboutjazz.com these days published article that honor Macedonian instrumentalist and musician Tale Ognenovski. The text refers to the recognition that the team of this site is handed on April 27, the day of his 87th birthday, when he declared jazz musician of the day. This is great recognition and for such recognition in the days when you were born, whether at that moment they were alive or deceased, received the other the most famous jazzers of all time - Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Artie Shaw, Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and others.

Magazine Tea Modena
Ognenovski gave interview to Rumena Ravanovska-Tulbevska, editor of magazine Tea Modena in July 2009. Tale Ognenovski noted that "In my jazz compositions Macedonia can be recognized as music performed by Tale Ognenovski."

Biography book
Tale Ognenovski's biographer is his son Stevan Ognenovski, M.Sc. who wrote the book entitled: Tale Ognenovski Virtuoso of the Clarinet and Composer / Тале Огненовски виртуоз на кларинет и композитор (2000). Publishing house is Matica Makedonska, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. The book is published in both Macedonian and English. The content of the book are: the biography of Tale Ognenovski and music notation of compositions of 67 Macedonian Folk Dances, "Tale Ognenovski Clarinet Concerto No.1" and "Tale Ognenovski Jazz composition No. 1" (all composed by Tale Ognenovski).

Other awards

 * "Yugoslavian Stage Award" ("Estradna nagrada Jugoslavije"), the greatest award in former Yugoslavia for musical stage artists, from the Association of Stage Artists of Yugoslavia, Zagreb, Croatia, October 31, 1978.
 * "Macedonian Stage Award with Honours" ("Почесна естрадна награда на Македонија"), the greatest award in the Republic of Macedonia for musical stage artists, from the Association of Stage Artists of Macedonia, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, May 27, 1996.
 * "Lifetime Achievement Award - "The Ten Folk Pearls" ("10 Фолк бисери"), sponsored by Macedonian Radio Television, February 19, 2002.
 * "Radio Ros Award" ("Радио Рос Благодарница"), December 7, 2000.

Discography

 * Makedonska Ora (1963, EP 14700, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Makedonska Ora (1964, EP 14702, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Makedonska Ora (1964, EP 14703, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Makedonska Ora (1964, EP 14704, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Tale Ognenovski Klarinet sa Svojim Ansamblom (1965, EP 14711, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Narodni Ora Tale Ognenovski so Chalgiite (1965, EP 14716, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Makedonska Ora Svira na Klarineti Tale Ognenovski uz Svoj Ansambl (1967, EPY-3851, Jugoton, Croatia) * Bitola, Babam Bitola, Makedonske Narodne Pjesme i Kola (1969, LPY-V 780, Jugoton, Croatia) * Plesovi Naroda Jugoslavije (1971, LPYV-S-806, Jugoton, Croatia) * Makedonska Ora Tale Ognenovski Klarinet sa Svojim Ansamblom (1972, EPY-34461, Jugoton, Croatia) * Makedonska Narodna Ora (1972, LPY-50985, Jugoton, Croatia) * Makedonska Ora Svira Ansambl Chalgija pod Vodstvom Tale Ognenovskim (1972, EPY-34489, Jugoton, Croatia) * Tale Ognenovski Klarinet Svira Ora (1975, LPY-61143, Jugoton, Croatia) * Tale Ognenovski Kavadarsko Svadbarsko Oro (1977, EP 14758, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Makedonski Narodni Ora so Chalgiite na Tale Ognenovski, Staro Kukushko Oro (1979, LP 1495 Stereo, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * Makedonski Igraorni Ora Sviri Tale Ognenovski (1979, LP 1439 STEREO, PGP-RTB, Serbia) * 35 Godini na RTV Skopje, Narodna Muzika (1979, ULS-578, Macedonian Radio-Television, Republic of Macedonia) * Tale Ognenovski so Orkestarot Chalgii na RTS (1989, MP 21037 Stereo, Macedonian Radio-Television, Republic of Macedonia) * 50 Godini na Makedonskata Radio Televizija, Antologija na Makedonskata Narodna Muzika, Svirachi Majstori (1994, MP 21176 Stereo, Macedonian Radio-Television, Republic of Macedonia) * Muzichki Spomenar (1994, Video Tape MP31087 VHS PAL Colour, Macedonian Radio-Television, Republic of Macedonia) * Jazz, Macedonian Folk Dances and Classical Music (2001, IR04542, Independent Records, US) * Mozart and Ognenovski Clarinet Concertos (2006, IR37223, Independent Records, US) * Macedonian Clarinet Jazz Composed By Tale Ognenovski (2008, IR38824, Independent Records, US)