Tale Ognenovski’s unique talent and musical genius.

Tale Ognenovski inherited his great talent and musical genius from his great-grandfather Ognen and grandfather Riste, both of whom were excellent players on the pipe ("kavalche"), and from his father Jovan who was an excellent player on the bagpipe ("gajda"). At every celebration in his village of Brusnik, his father Jovan invited to his home the clarinetist Sterjo, accompanied by two other musicians who played the violin and drum, or the clarinetist Lambo, together with two other musicians who played the violin and drum (Lambo’s son Tode played the drum). On these occasions Tale’s father Jovan played the bagpipe. When little Tale was six years old he began to accompany them playing the "daire" (some kind of little drum).

It was during these moments that Tale began to love playing musical instruments. He began to play on the pipe ("kavalche") at the age of 7 (1929) when he also made his first musical composition. These particularly happy times in Tale’s life were broken suddenly, in 1933, when his father Jovan died. By the time Tale was 15 (1937) he was an excellent player on the pipe. During one celebration in Brusnik he asked the clarinetist Vasil Talevski to lend him his clarinet. Tale began to play the clarinet for the first time, and all the villagers who were present, including Vasil Talevski, Mile Karangelevski and the priest Spase were amazed at how well he played.

It was then that one of the most successful careers in the world of music began. 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. His youngest brother Cane was also very talented musically. He was a great singer of Macedonian folk songs and also an excellent drummer.

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