Music of Southeastern Europe

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(Redirected from Balkan Music)

The music of Southeastern Europe or Balkan music is a type of music distinct from others in Europe. This is mainly because it was influenced by traditional music of the Southeastern European ethnic groups and mutual music influences of this ethnic groups in the period of Ottoman Empire. The music is sometimes characterised by complex rhythm.

Despite the common influences, there are some differences among the region - the music of the Slavic countries differs from the music of Greece or the music of Romania.

The music of the Slavic countries of southeastern Europe is quite significantly different from that the music of Eastern Europe, which includes the Slavic states of the former USSR. The latter was much more influenced by the common eastern Slavic culture, notably by Kievan Rus and more recently the USSR.

[edit] Neighboring musical influences

[edit] Byzantine medieval music

Byzantine traditional music is associated with the medieval sacred chant of Christian Churches following the Constantinopolitan rite. The development of large scale hymnographic forms begins in the fifth century with the rise of the kontakion, a long and elaborate metrical sermon, which finds its acme in the work of St. Romanos the Melodos (sixth century). Heirmoi in syllabic style are gathered in the Heirmologion, a bulky volume which first appeared in the middle of the tenth century and contains over a thousand model troparia arranged into an oktoechos (the eight-mode musical system).

[edit] Ottoman music

Main articles: Ottoman music

Dimitrie Cantemir was a composer of Ottoman music. Many musical instruments were introduced to the Balkans during the time of Ottoman control, but many Ottoman instruments were borrowed from the locals.

"Balkan" is a Turkish word which means sharp mountains. As this the influence of Mehter and Turkish rhythms can be seen in Balkan Music. In the 19th century in imitation of the Turkish military bands which replaced the Mehterhane formations of Janissary Turks beginning in 1828. Apparently, as in Turkey, they dethroned the ancient traditional oboe (zurna, zurla, or mizmar) and double-membraned drum ensembles.

[edit] Pre-modern Balkan music

[edit] Traditional Serbian music

The medieval era in Serbia traditional music. During the Nemanjic dynasty, musicians played an important role in the royal court, and were known as sviralnici, glumci and praskavnici. Other rulers known for the musical patronage included Stefan Dušan, Stefan Lazarević, and Đurađ Branković. Medieval musical instruments included horns, trumpets, lutes, psalteries, drums and cymbals. Traditional folk instruments include various kinds of bagpipes (Gaida), flutes, diple, tamburitza and gusle.

[edit] Derivatives and offshoots

Main article: Neo-Balkan

[edit] Progressive Balkan folk

Progressive Balkan folk has seen rise in many western countries, particularly the United States. It has had its greatest success in large urbanized areas and cities in the United States such as Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York. It is most commonly played at local alternative coffee houses or at tribal fusion dance conventions. The bellydancer Rachel Brice has been known for her delicate obsession with this form of music in her shows and with her tours with The Indigo Girls. While tribal fusion bellydancing costume does not necessarily draw influence from Southeastern European costume, Rachel Brice incorporates sashes reminiscent of native folk. Though relatively obscure, the group The Toids are the headliners of the genre. The Yard Dogs Road Show are also influential.