“Tija maglo” (Quiet Fog) Serbian Traditional Folk Song This beautiful traditional folk song from Eastern Serbia tells a poetic and rustic story of the winter fog sheltered in a shepherd’s embrace. It exemplifies a delicate, soulful expression within Serbian traditional folk songs and powerfully depicts rich anthropomorphic symbolism of the shepherd culture common to… Continue reading TIJA MAGLO
NAVALI SE SHAR PLANINA
“Navali se Shar planina” (“Навали се Шар-планина”) Serbian Traditional Folk Song – – – – – – – Disclaimer: This is a long read with a few digressions, so just take a deep breath, relax and get ready for a deep dive into some unknown territories! It is a long and winding road, leading eventually… Continue reading NAVALI SE SHAR PLANINA
AN ELECTRONIC MUSIC HOMAGE TO THE ANDEAN MUSIC AND A DYING GLACIER
AN ELECTRONIC MUSIC HOMAGE TO THE ANDEAN MUSIC AND A DYING GLACIER Sometime around 1989, while taking a walk on the streets of Belgrade, Serbia, I arrived at one of the main city squares where a group of passers-by had gathered around a street performance act. As I walked toward this gathering, a warm… Continue reading AN ELECTRONIC MUSIC HOMAGE TO THE ANDEAN MUSIC AND A DYING GLACIER
NA SRCE MI LEZI, MILA MAMO
“Na scre mi leži, mila mamo” (На срце ми лежи, мила мамо) Macedonian Traditional Folk Song SONG INFO & LYRICS In this lovely Macedonian folk song a young man confides in his mother about his admiration for a young woman Sevda. He has apparently developed deep feelings for this beautiful girl, nothing short of… Continue reading NA SRCE MI LEZI, MILA MAMO
GUSTA MI MAGLA PADNALA
“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