# Your opinion of Serbian folk music?



## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

I've mentioned this before, but more in sense of sharing a couple of songs here and there.

Now I'd like to approach it a bit differently, so I'll start with a quick intro:

First thing you need to know is that folk is very big in Serbia. Folk scene is huge, and it was especially huge until 2015 or so when it became a little bit less mainstream, but it's still very big. It has just evolved.

Also Serbia is quite unique, both in the extent of its folk scene, and in people's attitudes to such music, which usually goes in extremes.

Now all Serbian folk could arguably be divided in 5 periods, or styles:

*1) authentic traditional music*, songs that have folk origin, unknown authors, and that have been written down and preserved, usually by schooled musicians
*
2) "ethno" music or world music* - music that either takes authentic traditional tunes and gives them modern arrangement, sometimes with elements of "new agey" vibes... or new music that tries to closely mimic the style of traditional music - *not very popular*
*
3) Newly composed folk muisic *(novokomponovana) - this is music that continues the traditional style, but all the songs are new, and it takes much more liberty in creation of new songs. This style is THE MAIN style of Serbian folk music and it produced countless hits and singers, especially in the period from around 1970 to 2000.

*4) Turbo-folk music *- modernized version of novokomponovana, with elements of techno, rock, pop, electronica, etc... it was hugely popular in the 90s and early 2000s, but is often perceived as kitsch, and promoting immoral values (criminals, prostitutes, gold-diggers, adultery, alcoholism, gambling, luxury...)

*5) post turbo-folk *- when turbo-folk became boring, it evolved in pop-folk, or other more urban oriented styles, recently with addition of trap and hip-hop elements... Currently its replacing turbo-folk as a mainstream genre.

First I'll try to give you an example of each style, and then we could focus a bit more on the style no. 3 "novokomponovana", which is the main style of Serbian folk music historically, and still takes a large part of repertoire on weddings and similar celebrations. I am very curious about how this style in particular compares to folk traditions in other countries, and what it reminds you of... do you know of other similar styles of music... where would you put it in big scheme of things...


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

So now here first one example of each style:

1) Authentic-traditional

"Ajde Jano"





2) Ethno/world music

Teodulija - Zaigrale mamo devojcinja





3) Newly composed folk music - Novokomponovana

Miroslav Ilić - Lažu da vreme leče sve





4) Turbo folk

Ceca - Ljubav fatalna





5) Post turbo folk

Jelena Karleuša - Insomnia





So which style is most interesting to you?

I intend to focus a bit more on the style no. 3 (newly composed folk) as it is the main style with most notable songs. Also I'll try to find more example of style no. 1 (authentic traditional)


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Now some more examples *of the main genre - no. 3 in my classification: newly composed folk songs:
*

1. Tozovac - Jesen u mom sokaku





2. Lepa Lukić - Srce je moje violina





3. Šaban Šaulić - S namerom dođoh u veliki grad





4. Toma Zdravković - Svirajte nocas samo za nju





5. Miroslav Ilić - Polomiću čaše od kristala


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

I liked the authentic traditional the most. It sounds different from Czech traditional music, a little Eastern sounding, with Turkish influences?. The number 3 sounds like pop


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Oh, that's interesting... style no. 3 definitely has some pop influences... after all it's been a mainstream genre of folk music for a long time...

Now regarding *first style... authentic traditional music, here are some more examples*:

Ječam žela (though arrangement is a bit modernized)





Aj čija frula





Gde si da si moj golube





Igrali se vrani konji





Gde si bilo jare moje (very good a-capella performance)


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

what you post here still mostly sounds like pop music which I do not like. We have a similar sounding folk-pop in my country, and mostly old people at village balls listen to it.

this is a more interesting Serbian traditional music


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Though Jacck, I'm not sure if what you posted is actually traditional music, or it's art music BASED ON traditional music... To me it sounds a bit too sophisticated and leaning towards spiritual. It's good, I'm not denying, but it's in general not the type of folk music people listen to in Serbia.

I would say it might fall into category 2- *ethno/world music*. Perhaps I'm mistaken, maybe it's indeed authentic traditional... I'm not really sure.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

some analogous examples of Czech music




I know this guy personally. I was born in the same city and lived in the same street as him. The song is actually authentic folk music from that city, but the interpretation by this particular singer sounds artificial and pop-like to me

this is an example of folk music I like much more, it sounds much more natural to me


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

@Jacck could you share some of that pop-folk for old people?  I'm curious to compare it with Serbian stuff.

EDIT: ah you already did, my bad...


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

ZJovicic said:


> @Jacck could you share some of that pop-folk for old people?  I'm curious to compare it with Serbian stuff.
> 
> EDIT: ah you already did, my bad...


another good one is Jožka Severin


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

and the panultimate Czech pop is Karel Gott. He was famous also in Germany. He had good voice, but what he sang was mostly crap




I love the communist gray architecture in this video


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

I liked "Beutiful Songs of Moravia", especially the 2nd song.

The last song you shared is pop proper, I don't see much folk in it... Not bad though, but a little dated.

The other songs, remind my of so called "old-city music", that's one specific style common in Vojvodina and Macedonia.
Definitely feels more Central European than Serbian songs.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

ZJovicic said:


> I liked "Beutiful Songs of Moravia", especially the 2nd song.
> 
> The last song you shared is pop proper, I don't see much folk in it... Not bad though, but a little dated.
> 
> ...


Of course the Czech music is not the same as Serbian or as German folk music, but the principles are similar. There are some older more authentic traditions, and then there are various artists who are trying to reinterpret it or build upon it. I am not sure I really like this "Newly composed folk music" that tries to imitate folk music. Here is a Czech example of this kind of music, ie music that imitates folk, but was actually composed de novo 




some people like this kind of folk. I am not really a fan.

Here is a traditional Moravian folk music, that I actually like, it is much more authentic. This is my most favorite CD of Moravian folk music
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mgb1vle7NA75jjiZo27i1crbBAC3 yR0Ng


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

here some Serbian folk music I found on youtube I liked. I am not really sure if it is Serbian though


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

The first one is definitely Serbian - Predrag Gojković Cune is among the most famous Serbian folk singers and he mainly sang his own "newly composed" songs, though this song in particular is a traditional folk song, it's just his interpretation.

The second one is not Serbian, and not folk either. It's Croatian pop, though I wouldn't label it commercial pop, it's more like singer-songwriter sort of style like French and Italian singers songwriters, or like traditional American pop, like Frank Sinatra.


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Now some examples of so called Starogradska style (old city music), it's urban style of folk music, with most songs originating in early 20th century. It's usually livelier and more playful than rural folk. It often features bohemian topics, about taverns (kafanas), drinking, women, and so on...

I consider it a completely separate genre from typical Serbian folk:

Čuješ seko... this one is on the verge between old-city music and standard folk:





Fijaker stari... a very beautiful song from Vojvodina... My mother sang it to me when I was a child:





U tom Somboru... another one from Vojvodina





Na kraj sela čađava mehana


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