“Gusta mi magla padnala” Serbian Traditional Folk Song SONG INFO & LYRICS This old folk song belongs to an opus of Serbian traditional songs from the Kosovo and Metohija region in Serbia. It originated in the town of Štrpce (Штрпце), in the the Sirinić District (Сиринићка жупа). Before we proceed to the song itself,… Continue reading GUSTA MI MAGLA PADNALA
IN THE GREEN GARDEN
“In the Green Garden a Bird Was Singing” (“У зялёному саду пташечкай пропела” or “U zelenom u sadu ptashechka propela”) Russian Traditional Folk Song SONG INFO & LYRICS This old Russian folk song tells a touching story about a poor, young orphan girl lamenting over her own misfortunes as it reveals a life in poverty… Continue reading IN THE GREEN GARDEN
OJ GOLUBE, MOJ GOLUBE
“Oj golube, moj golube” Serbian Traditional Folk Song SONG INFO & LYRICS At the first hearing “Oj golube, moj golube” (“Oh, pigeon, my pigeon” or “Ој, голубе, мој голубе”) might easily leave the listener with an impression of a beautiful, yet plain folk song. After all, its story involves some of the usual… Continue reading OJ GOLUBE, MOJ GOLUBE
AJDE JANO
“Ajde Jano” Serbian Traditional Folk Song SONG INFO & LYRICS “Ajde Jano” is one of the most popular and beloved Serbian traditional folk songs. While its author and the exact time of its origin are not known, it is believed by some to have been created in the early 1900s, although according to… Continue reading AJDE JANO
SHTO MI JE MERAK POLJAK DA BIDNEM
“Shto mi je merak poljak da bidnem” Traditional Folk Song SONG INFO & LYRICS “Shto mi je merak poljak da bidnem” is a well known and very popular traditional folk song, admired throughout the former Yugoslavia. It is a staple song in both Macedonian and Serbian folk music repertoires. A few versions… Continue reading SHTO MI JE MERAK POLJAK DA BIDNEM
ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 6
Part 6: Beyond The Odd Meters: The Mixed Meters (Previous essay: “Part 5: Examples of Odd Meters in Modern Music”) Combinations of different meters used in a single music piece are called Mixed Meters. They could be used to create a variety of special effects in music or as a support for any… Continue reading ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 6
ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 5
Part 5: Examples of Odd Meters in Modern Music (Previous essay: “Part 4: Feeling (and Understanding) the Odd Meters”) Odd meters are such an important element of traditional Balkan music that even in a randomly picked song we would most likely encounter an odd metered rhythm. However, odd meters are not exclusive to… Continue reading ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 5
ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 4
Part 4: Feeling (and Understanding) the Odd Meters (Previous essay: “Part 3: Identifying Odd Meters”) In the world of music “feeling the music” means understanding the music with our “inner ear”. Music uses an abstract language, however, understanding the musical language doesn’t necessarily imply the intellectual understanding but rather the intuitive understanding by… Continue reading ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 4
ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 3
Part 3: Identifying Odd Meters (Previous essay: “Part 2: Classification of Odd Meters”) When it comes to identifying odd meters, the difference between simple and complex odd meters becomes obvious. Identifying the simple odd meters is quite easy – all we need to do is count the beats along the music and we… Continue reading ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 3
ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 2
Part 2: Classification of Odd Meters (Previous essay: “Part 1: Introduction to Odd Meters”) Defining the term “odd meter” can be somewhat confusing because the word “odd” implies multiple meanings. Depending on the context, the word itself refers to a variety of different things and situations including: unusual, irregular, unexpected, eccentric, fantastic, bizarre… Continue reading ODD METERS AND TIME SIGNATURES IN MUSIC – Part 2