What You Need to Know About Yugoslavian Folk Music

In this blog post, we take a look at what you need to know about Yugoslavian folk music. We explore the history, the different genres, and the most popular artists.

The Various Types of Yugoslavian Folk Music

Yugoslavian folk music is incredibly varied, with each region of the country having its own unique musical traditions. Music is an important part of Yugoslavian culture, and there are many different types of folk music to be found throughout the country. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular types of Yugoslavian folk music.

Lira Songs

Lira songs are a type of Yugoslavian folk music that is sung using a lira, which is a traditional stringed instrument. This type of music is typically associated with the Bosnian region of Yugoslavia. Lira songs often tell stories or convey messages, and they are often used to celebrate special occasions.

Ganga

Ganga is a type of music that is commonly played at weddings and other special occasions. It is usually performed by a band consisting of brass instruments, accordions, and drums. This music is often very lively and fast-paced, and it is designed to get people up and dancing.

Kolo

Kolo is a popular type of folk music from Yugoslavia that is based on a circular dance of the same name. The kolo dance is usually performed by a group of people, holding hands and circling around in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The music accompanying the dance is usually fast-paced and upbeat, making it perfect for festive occasions.

The History of Yugoslavian Folk Music

Yugoslavian folk music has its roots in the music of the Slavic peoples who settled in the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries. Over the centuries, the music of the Slavic peoples was influenced by the music of the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. In the 19th century, Yugoslavian folk music began to develop its own distinctive sound.

Early History

Yugoslavian folk music has its roots in the music of the Slavic people who settled in the Balkan Peninsula during the 6th century. Over time, these folk traditions evolved into distinct regional styles that were further shaped by the influences of the Ottoman Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and other neighboring cultures.

One of the most important figures in early Yugoslavian folk music was Vuk Karadzic, a Serbian linguist and collector who did much to preserve and promote the music of his homeland. In the 19th century, Karadzic published several anthologies of Serbian folk songs, which helped spread awareness of this genre beyond its traditional strongholds in Serbia and Montenegro.

As Yugoslavia became increasingly industrialized in the early 20th century, folk music began to decline in popularity. This trend was temporarily reversed during World War II, when folk songs were used as a form of propaganda by both sides in the conflict. In the postwar years, traditional Yugoslavian folk music experienced something of a resurgence thanks to the work of ethnomusicologists like Miloslav Klessa and Dragoslav Dexler. However, this revival was short-lived, and by the 1980s interest in Yugoslavian folk music had once again begun to wane.

Today, there are still a handful of performers keeping Yugoslavian folk music alive. However, with the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, this once-unified genre has fragmented into a collection of distinct regional styles.

The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest empires in world history. It was an Islamic superpower that, at its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries, controlled a territory that included much of Southeast Europe, Southwest Asia, and North Africa. The empire was notable for its cosmopolitan character; for centuries, people from all over the world lived in Ottoman cities and contributed to the empire’s rich cultural tapestry.

One of the most significant aspects of Ottoman culture was music. The Ottomans were passionate about music and Patronized many different genres, including folk music. Indeed, many of the most popular folk songs in Yugoslavia today can be traced back to the Ottoman era.

During the Ottoman period, folk music was typically performed by professional musicians called “ashik.” These musicians were often vagabond-like figures who traveled from place to place, spreading their music wherever they went. Many of the ashik were ethnic Roma (Gypsies), which added an element of exoticism to their music.

The ashik usually performed solo, but sometimes they would be accompanied by a small orchestra consisting of a drum, a wind instrument (usually a reed pipe called a ney), and a stringed instrument (usually a lute-like instrument called a saz). The music they played was often improvised; ashik would often make up new verses on the spot based on current events or the personal lives of their audience members.

The subject matter of Ottoman folk songs was typically sentimental or romantic; themes like love, loss, yearning, and nostalgia were common. The songs were often accompanied by dance; ashik would sometimes sing while dancing frenetically or playing their instruments with great physical agility.

While Ottoman folk music was enjoyed by people from all walks of life, it held particular appeal for rural peasants and herders who echoed the themes of love and loss in their own lives. Over time, these rural musicians began to adapt ashik songs to their own traditions and sensibility, creating a unique form of Yugoslavian folk music that would eventually evolve into what we know today.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire

The Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the dual monarchy, was a constitutional monarchy in Central and Eastern Europe from 1867 to 1918. It was created by the Compromise of 1867, under which the House of Habsburg agreed to share political power with the Hungarian nobility. The empire lasted until its dissolution at the end of World War I.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a multinational state with several language groups and cultures. The majority of the population were Germans, Hungarians, Slavs, and Italians. Folk music in the empire was diverse, with each group creating its own unique style.

Germans in Austria were influenced by classical and romantic music from Germany. They also developed their own unique styles of folk music, including schrammelmusik (a type of Vienna-style oom-pah music) and Ländler (a type of folk dance music).

Hungarians living in the empire were influenced by both Central European and Eastern European traditions. Their music often featured tubas and fiddles, and was known for its lively rhythms.

Slavic peoples in the empire were divided into several groups: Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians ( Ukrainians), Rusyns ( Carpatho-Russians), Croats, Serbs, Slovenes, Bunjevci (Bunyevci), and Sorbs (Wendish people). Each group had its own unique folk traditions.

Czech folk music was influenced by both Central European and Eastern European traditions. It often featured wind instruments such as flutes and piccolos, as well as string instruments such as violins and cellos.

Slovak folk music was also influenced by both Central European and Eastern European traditions. It often featured violins and accordions, as well as drums and cymbals.

Ruthenian folk music was similar to Czech and Slovak folk music, but also incorporated elements from Byzantine chant and Russian Orthodox liturgical music.

Rusyn folk music was similar to Ruthenian folk music, but also incorporated elements from Ukrainian folk music.

Croatian folk music was influenced by both Central European and Mediterranean traditions. It often featured tamburitzas (a type of string instrument) and tambourines, as well as guitars and mandolins.
Serbian folk music was similar to Croatian folk music, but also incorporated elements from Bulgarian folk music . Slovene folk music was also similar to Croatian folklore , but with some influence from German folklore . Bunjevac folklore includes input from all three of these musical regions . The Sorbian people , who are ethnic Germans living in eastern Germany , have their own unique style of folklore that is heavily influenced by Polish folklore .

The Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia was a country located in the Balkans that existed from 1918 until 1992. The country was made up of several different ethnic groups, including Croats, Slovenes, Bosnians, Serbs, Montenegrins, and Macedonians. Each of these groups had their own distinct culture and music.

Yugoslavia was a very musically diverse country, with a rich tradition of folk music. Some of the most popular folk musicians in Yugoslavia were Kostas Novaković, Lepa Lukić, Esma Redžepova, and Boban Marković.

Folk music in Yugoslavia was often used as a tool for political and social commentary. For example, the song “Djelem, Djelem” by Croatian singer Marko Perković was critical of the Yugoslav government during the Croatian War of Independence.

Due to the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Yugoslavian folk music is not as widely heard as it once was. However, there has been a recent resurgence of interest in the genre, with many young people discovering the music for the first time.

The Instruments Used in Yugoslavian Folk Music

The Lira

The Lira is a string instrument that is popular in Yugoslavian folk music. It has a long neck and a pear-shaped body. It is usually played with a bow, but can also be played with a plectrum. The Lira typically has between four and seven strings, and is tuned in fifths.

The Ganga

The ganga is a percussion instrument used in Yugoslavian folk music. It is made of two pieces of wood held together with a webbing of animal skin. The ganga is played with two sticks, one in each hand. The player strikes the two sticks together to produce a rhythm.

The Kolo

The Kolo is a traditional folk dance in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia. It is usually performed in a circle, with the dancers holding hands or linking arms. The dance is usually accompanied by music played on traditional instruments, such as the gusle, accordion, tamburitza or šargija.

The steps of the kolo vary depending on the region where it is being danced, but they all share a common structure: two quick steps followed by two slow steps. The dance is often danced with sweeping arm movements and exaggerated turns.

The kolo is thought to have originated in the Balkan region in the Middle Ages, and it remains an important part of the traditional culture in the countries of former Yugoslavia.

The Popularity of Yugoslavian Folk Music

Yugoslavian folk music has been gaining popularity in recent years. The unique mix of influences from different cultures has created a sound that is both unique and catchy. If you’re a fan of folk music, then you’ll definitely want to check out some of the best Yugoslavian folk bands.

The 20th Century

During the 20th century, Yugoslavian folk music became increasingly popular, both within Yugoslavia and abroad. Internationally, the most famous Yugoslav folk musicians were probably Lepa Lukić and her orchestra, who toured extensively throughout Europe and the Americas in the 1950s and 1960s. Within Yugoslavia, folk music was particularly popular in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, where it often incorporated elements of traditional Turkish music.

The 21st Century

It wasn’t long after the turn of the century that the internet began to have an impact on music. Piracy became a serious problem for the music industry, as digital copies of songs could be easily shared online without compensating the artists. This led to a decline in CD sales and created financial difficulties for musicians, affecting all genres including folk music. In recent years, however, streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music have become popular ways to listen to music, and many folk musicians have adapted by releasing their music on these platforms. This has allowed Yugoslavian folk music to reach a wider audience and gain new fans from all over the world.