Page 216 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2017. Glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti - Musical Migrations: Crossroads of European Musical Diversity. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 1
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glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti
languages, literature, science, art, etc. This was based on the idea of “ Slavic
mutuality”. The very beginning of these efforts made its mark in both the
cultural and political history of Vienna. There were famous Slavic balls and
large Slavic parties (“besedas”) as well as Czech theatre performances or
abundantly attended requiems for the leading personalities of the Slavic in-
tellectual world – the attendance was high across different social groups, it
was covered by the press and, as something exotic, it was even perceived by
the imperial family (on the contrary, the police saw this activity as a risk of
Slavic irredentism). At the same time, there were also contacts at the low-
er social level, i.e. in connection with organization of Czech theatre perfor-
mances, craftsmen besedas, entertainment parties in Slavic cafés, etc.
Tamburitza players – this is the term used to refer to an organized
group of players of different kinds of tamburitza instruments. There is no
etymological connection to the Italian word “tamburo” (drum), but a link
to the South-Slavic word “tambura”, designating any lute instrument. These
instruments were brought to southern Europe from Oriental cultures, and
later the fashion of mandolin orchestras also penetrated into Germany and
Austria. This kind of music had a specific development in the South-S lavic
nations. The popularity became mass fashion, culminating at the turn of the
19th and 20th centuries, besides other influences thanks to Croatian expatri-
ate orchestras in the USA, Australia and other countries. However, let’s start
at the beginning.
The first amateur (six-member) ensemble was founded in 1847 by
Pajo Kolarić in the Croatian town of Osijek. However, the music expand-
ed outside of Croatia only later, thanks to Kolarić’s student Mijo Majer. As
a secondary school student in Osijek, he founded a tamburitza orchestra
called “Hrvatska Lira” in 1882. In 1883 Majer also performed in Prague
(on the Žofín island) with a Zagreb group, as part of the celebration of the
opening of the Czech National Theatre, which was followed by invitations
to other towns.
The first tamburitza ensemble in the Czech territory was formed in 1891
in Slavia, a literary and rhetorical club of Prague university students. Subse-
quently, dozens of tamburitza ensembles were established in the following
years. The process was partly motivated by the music itself, but it was also a
manifestation of support of the Serbian and Croatian nation. The trend last-
ed until the mid-20th century, when people became interested in other forms
of popular music, for example, dance jazz.
214
languages, literature, science, art, etc. This was based on the idea of “ Slavic
mutuality”. The very beginning of these efforts made its mark in both the
cultural and political history of Vienna. There were famous Slavic balls and
large Slavic parties (“besedas”) as well as Czech theatre performances or
abundantly attended requiems for the leading personalities of the Slavic in-
tellectual world – the attendance was high across different social groups, it
was covered by the press and, as something exotic, it was even perceived by
the imperial family (on the contrary, the police saw this activity as a risk of
Slavic irredentism). At the same time, there were also contacts at the low-
er social level, i.e. in connection with organization of Czech theatre perfor-
mances, craftsmen besedas, entertainment parties in Slavic cafés, etc.
Tamburitza players – this is the term used to refer to an organized
group of players of different kinds of tamburitza instruments. There is no
etymological connection to the Italian word “tamburo” (drum), but a link
to the South-Slavic word “tambura”, designating any lute instrument. These
instruments were brought to southern Europe from Oriental cultures, and
later the fashion of mandolin orchestras also penetrated into Germany and
Austria. This kind of music had a specific development in the South-S lavic
nations. The popularity became mass fashion, culminating at the turn of the
19th and 20th centuries, besides other influences thanks to Croatian expatri-
ate orchestras in the USA, Australia and other countries. However, let’s start
at the beginning.
The first amateur (six-member) ensemble was founded in 1847 by
Pajo Kolarić in the Croatian town of Osijek. However, the music expand-
ed outside of Croatia only later, thanks to Kolarić’s student Mijo Majer. As
a secondary school student in Osijek, he founded a tamburitza orchestra
called “Hrvatska Lira” in 1882. In 1883 Majer also performed in Prague
(on the Žofín island) with a Zagreb group, as part of the celebration of the
opening of the Czech National Theatre, which was followed by invitations
to other towns.
The first tamburitza ensemble in the Czech territory was formed in 1891
in Slavia, a literary and rhetorical club of Prague university students. Subse-
quently, dozens of tamburitza ensembles were established in the following
years. The process was partly motivated by the music itself, but it was also a
manifestation of support of the Serbian and Croatian nation. The trend last-
ed until the mid-20th century, when people became interested in other forms
of popular music, for example, dance jazz.
214
