In praise of Postie: Creativity through monotony.
Joyful Posties at work stamping stamps, all the live long day.
Elise Moab Q&A: "Where and where was it created?
This particular piece is a field recording that was recorded by ethnomusicologist James Koetting in 1975. The music was created by the postal workers canceling stamps in the University of Ghana post office in Ghana.
The whistled part is from the hymn "Bompata," by the Ghanaian composer W.J. Akyeampong (b. 1900). This type of music is created daily as a normal part of life for the Africans in Ghana."
Vimeo version:
Cancelling Stamps in Ghana from Tim Foil on Vimeo.
MP3 version at WFMU.
Read a detailed account of the recording, featured in the book/CD Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World's Peoples
Multitasking man in action...