Music of the Republic of Macedonia
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The music of Republic of Macedonia encompasses primarily the music of the Ethnic Macedonian majority, but also as well the music of the ethnic minorities: especially Roma music and other ethnic Balkan music idioms.
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[edit] Traditional Music of the ethnic Macedonians
Traditional folklore music which can be rural or urban (starogradska muzika) includes: Lyric songs, Epic songs, Labour songs, Ritual songs, Humorous songs, Folk dance ("oro"), old urban music Čalgii (not to be confused with chalga) etc. Popular traditional songs are: Kaleš bre Andjo, Slušam kaj šumat šumite (audio clip), Biljana platno beleše, Dafino vino crveno, Narode Makedonski and many others. Often referenced oro dances are Teškoto (video) from the village of Galičnik, Kalajdžiskoto (video), Komitskoto (The Dance of the freedom fighters) and others. The most eminent professional folklore association is Tanec.
 Female oro performed by Tanec |
 Mens oro performed by Tanec |
 Female folk dance performed by Tanec |
 Mens oro by Tanec |
 Female folk dance by Tanec |
 Mixed male and female dances |
The music of the Balkans is known for complex rhythms, and Macedonian music exemplifies this trait. Folk songs like "Pominisli libe Todoro" can be as complex as 22/16, divided 2-2-3-2-2-3-2-2-2-2. Old-fashioned musicians also have a distinctive characteristic of stretching out the beats to add tension to the notes.
The gajda (bagpipe) was the most common folk instrument. It has now become an instrument for concert recitation, drawing on recent legends like Pece Atanasovski (video), leader of the Radio Skopje ensemble Ansambl na Narodni Instrumenti, as the source of modern tradition. Other instruments include:
- šupelka — small flute
- ćemane — three-stringed fiddle
- tambura — long-necked lute
- zurla — large double-reed horn
- tapan — cylindrical drum
- kaval — rim-blown flute
Macedonian folk orchestras consist of a clarinet or saxophone, drum kit, bass guitar, accordion and guitar, sometimes with modern synthesizers and drum machines. These orchestras are very popular, and include virtuoso musicians like Skender Ameti on accordion and Miroslav Businovski on clarinet.
Newly-composed folk songs, often with a ballad-like tone, are also popular, especially those of Vaska Ilieva and Aleksandar Sarievski. Local rock and roll bands like Leb i sol also have a following, and have included folk elements in their compositions. The lead singer and guitarist of Leb i Sol Vlatko Stefanovski has made an international career partly based on his skill in reproducing the traditional rhythm and tempo in his modern music.
Čalgija is an urban style, played by bands (Čalgii) with a dajre (tambourine) and tarabuka (hourglass drum) providing percussion for ut (lute), kanun (zither), clarinet and violin. Though modern musicians have updated the Čalgija into a spectrum of hard and soft, classical and pop sounds, some traditional musicians remain. Perhaps the most influential of recent years was Tale Ognenovski, who plays a wide variety of traditional and modern sounds.
[edit] Roma minority
Macedonia has a large Roma minority, many of whom are professional musicians. Long oppressed and forced into certain lower-class and disreputable occupations, the Romas are, in many places, the only local professional performers. Roma orchestras typically contain electric guitars and other modern instruments. Popular Roma musicians include Esma Redžepova (known as the "Queen of the Roma music"), Ferus Mustafov, Naat Veliov and Kočani Orkestar and others.
[edit] The first cultural and artistic association in Veles
The cultural and artistic association was established in Veles in 1894 and it focused mainly on music. The most important Macedonian musician was Atanas Badev, whose only preserved work is the "Liturgy for a Mixed Choir."
[edit] The Mokranjac School of Music
The Mokranjac School of Music was established in Skopje, in 1934. It was famous by its choir and the people that were involved in its establishment, Macedonian composers like Trajko Prokopiev and Todor Skalovski.
In 1947 the Association of Musicians of Macedonia was established in Skopje, and shortly after that, the first radio concert was made, conducted by Skalovski.
During the 1950s the first Macedonian ballet by Gligor Smokvarski and the opera "Goce" by Kiril Makedonski were shown. The after period resulted with a flow of talented musicians who developed new styles, genres and ideas and incorporated them in their music.
[edit] Pop music
Popular pop music performers include: Toše Proeski, Karolina Gočeva, Kaliopi, Elena Ristevska, Tamara Todevska, Lambe Alabakoski and others.
[edit] Rock music
The most succesful and influential band in Macedonia (and one of the most popular in former Yugoslavia) was the band Leb i Sol. They combined rock with fusion jazz and folk elements creating a distinct sound of their own. After they broke up, their frontman the guitar hero Vlatko Stefanovski started a succesful solo career. In 2006 they gathered again for a reunion tour to mark 30th year anniversary from their beginning as a band. It is still unclear if this represents a permanent reunion, or just a temporary one for this particular tour.
[edit] Underground scene
Notable acts: the cult bands Mizar and Arhangel (postpunk, darkwave, gothic rock), Anastasia (authors of the soundtrack for Milcho Manchevski's Before the Rain), Superhiks (ska punk), Two Sides (hardcore punk), Sanatorium (thrash metal), SAF (hip hop music) and others.
[edit] Electronic scene
The most prominent electronic musicians are Kiril Dzajkovski, the PMG Collective and others.
[edit] Jazz
The Macedonian Jazz scene is highly appreciated as well. The premier jazz guitarist in Macedonia currently is Toni Kitanovski. Skopje Jazz Festival is held every year.
[edit] References
- Burton, Kim. "Tricky Rhythms". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 202–206. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
[edit] Video
- Teškoto oro folk dance
- Kalajdžiskoto oro folk dance
- Pece Atanasovski playing gajda (bagpipe)
- Pajduško oro folk dance
- Nevestinskoto oro - Wedding folk dance
- Žensko beranče female folk dance
[edit] External links
- Macedonian ethnology, folk music and dances - Foundation Open Society Institute, Macedonia
- Lithium Records (Macedonian music label) - mostly alternative rock & roll and electronic artists including news, biographies and MP3s
- Macedonian Underground Music Archive including most of the Darkwave generation of bands from the 1980s
- Macedonian albums
- Video clip of the folk song "Karanfilce devojce" (Carnation flower of mine)
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