Page 250 - 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
P. 250
glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti
And while the musical life of the Western European type branched
out among immigrants, the local inhabitants visibly distanced themselves
from these events. The population remained turned to nourishing the tra-
ditional musical values, with visits to a la turca cafes being popular. The ca-
fes were typically owned by Sarajevo Muslims, and music players were local
people as well. On the other hand, the Orthodox attended performances by
Gypsy musicians, who mostly came to B&H from Serbia and played at the
city spa at Bendbaša or in Avakum’s inn in the daytime, which was popu-
lar among ordinary people.14 Serbian gypsies usually played and sang Ser-
bian folk songs such as Pokraj čaše, pokraj flaše [By the glass, by the bottle],
Kralja Petra Marš [King Peter’s March] and similar pieces that were ex-
tremely favored by local population.15 Frequent visits by Serbian musicians
from Mitrovica were also particularly favored; for instance, Mitrovica tam-
buritza players had a rich repertoire, primarily focused on the traditional
music of Serbia. A newspaper article covered a visit and said: “Our inhabit-
ants have a good opportunity to (…) enjoy the nice Serbian songs and play-
ing, instead of going to all sorts of coffee shops, where one can hear only
some foreign czardas and worn-out Orpheum pieces, which are not made
for our ears.”16
The Problem of Perception and Reception of Musical Life
The discussed facts suggest that there was a serious problem with transfer-
ring new musical developments from its main players to grassroots. Actual-
ly, with the inflow of immigrants, the musical culture of the Western Euro-
pean type was mechanically transferred to the B&H soil; however, it could
not easily take hold beyond the immigrants’ circle, labeled as the “car-
pet-baggers’” and “German” one by ordinary people. It turned out that the
political, economic and social differences between B&H and Austro-Hun-
gary were far easier to bridge than the cultural ones. And while the for-
mer could be controlled by means of a series of decrees and laws, the subtle
field of culture or, in the actual case, of musical life was an earthquake area
where it was not simple to plant new germs. It was a civilization conflict be-
tween different cultures, additionally supported by different perception of
14 Bendbaša is dam on the river Miljacka in Sarajevo city, which was bilt in 1462 by Isa-
-bey Ishaković. Landscape near Bendbaša was very popular during Austro-Hunga-
rian rule as the center of cultural life for domestic population. Alija Bejtić, Ulice i tr-
govi Sarajeva (Sarajevo: Muzej grada, 1973), 97.
15 Anonym., “Ciganska propaganda,” Srpska riječ, May 14, 1908, 3.
16 Anonym., “Mitrovački tamburaši,” Srpska riječ, May 18, 1907, 3.
248
And while the musical life of the Western European type branched
out among immigrants, the local inhabitants visibly distanced themselves
from these events. The population remained turned to nourishing the tra-
ditional musical values, with visits to a la turca cafes being popular. The ca-
fes were typically owned by Sarajevo Muslims, and music players were local
people as well. On the other hand, the Orthodox attended performances by
Gypsy musicians, who mostly came to B&H from Serbia and played at the
city spa at Bendbaša or in Avakum’s inn in the daytime, which was popu-
lar among ordinary people.14 Serbian gypsies usually played and sang Ser-
bian folk songs such as Pokraj čaše, pokraj flaše [By the glass, by the bottle],
Kralja Petra Marš [King Peter’s March] and similar pieces that were ex-
tremely favored by local population.15 Frequent visits by Serbian musicians
from Mitrovica were also particularly favored; for instance, Mitrovica tam-
buritza players had a rich repertoire, primarily focused on the traditional
music of Serbia. A newspaper article covered a visit and said: “Our inhabit-
ants have a good opportunity to (…) enjoy the nice Serbian songs and play-
ing, instead of going to all sorts of coffee shops, where one can hear only
some foreign czardas and worn-out Orpheum pieces, which are not made
for our ears.”16
The Problem of Perception and Reception of Musical Life
The discussed facts suggest that there was a serious problem with transfer-
ring new musical developments from its main players to grassroots. Actual-
ly, with the inflow of immigrants, the musical culture of the Western Euro-
pean type was mechanically transferred to the B&H soil; however, it could
not easily take hold beyond the immigrants’ circle, labeled as the “car-
pet-baggers’” and “German” one by ordinary people. It turned out that the
political, economic and social differences between B&H and Austro-Hun-
gary were far easier to bridge than the cultural ones. And while the for-
mer could be controlled by means of a series of decrees and laws, the subtle
field of culture or, in the actual case, of musical life was an earthquake area
where it was not simple to plant new germs. It was a civilization conflict be-
tween different cultures, additionally supported by different perception of
14 Bendbaša is dam on the river Miljacka in Sarajevo city, which was bilt in 1462 by Isa-
-bey Ishaković. Landscape near Bendbaša was very popular during Austro-Hunga-
rian rule as the center of cultural life for domestic population. Alija Bejtić, Ulice i tr-
govi Sarajeva (Sarajevo: Muzej grada, 1973), 97.
15 Anonym., “Ciganska propaganda,” Srpska riječ, May 14, 1908, 3.
16 Anonym., “Mitrovački tamburaši,” Srpska riječ, May 18, 1907, 3.
248
