SLOVENIA: MUSIC AND DANCE

If Slovenians seem to really like making music, it's because they've done it forever. Well, maybe not forever per se, but we at least have evidence that they've been playing musical instruments for about 55,000 years. The Divje Babe Flute was found in a cave and dates back that far -- it's quite possibly the oldest musical instrument in the world! However, modern music didn't really take off until the 5th century with the spread of Christianity. If I can give credit to the one positive coming from the spread of Christianity, it's that it really helped facilitate Western music as we know it. 

Historically, Slovenian musicians were highly influenced by the Italian school of musicians and composers. Religious music was important and served its purposes, but secular music was also highly popular. And like the French troubadours, Slovenian minnesingers performed love poetry and love songs in cities and towns around the country. During the 19^th century, Romanticism, lieder, art songs, and opera (especially German-style opera) dominated the music scene, giving way to impressionism and avant-garde in the 20^th century. Oddly enough, Slovenia also has its own type of polka that has been quite popular since the 1950s. To each his own.

 

Vocal harmonies are a key part of Slovenian folk music. Generally divided into three or four parts, some rural folk songs even divide it into eight or nine parts! Instrumental music includes a number of different instruments that include modern instruments and some of their older, folk variations. Some common ones you’ll find are string instruments (mainly fiddles, cellos, zithers, hammered dulcimer), a Styrian harmonica (it’s actually the oldest type of accordion), woodwinds (clarinets, flutes, panpipes), and other brass instruments. 

Folk dances are still practiced throughout the country, often performed at local festivals and celebrations in an effort to keep their folk traditions alive. Some of these dances are similar to ones performed elsewhere in Europe, while others are strictly local. Dances like the polka, the waltz, and the štajeriš have their particular touch with Slovenia’s history. For the most part, people dress in traditional clothing when performed in one of the many public music and dance festivals held in many areas throughout the year. 

 

I sampled a few Slovenian bands/musicians. The first one I came across is an a capella group called Perpetuum Jazzile. They apparently rose to viral status when a video of them performing hit YouTube. If you’re a fan of a capella singing or the movie Pitch Perfect, then this group is for you.

And I found a couple of punk bands to listen to! The first I sampled through was Pankrti. Their type of punk is more of a rock-punk. But it was also a live album, which I normally don’t like. The other punk band I heard was Niet. I thought that the way they played, it made it easier to pick up on the up-beats that I often associate with punk music.

I ran out of time in exploring whether they had a hip-hop scene or any electronica/EDM/dance DJs or not. If you know of some, let me know!

Up next: the food