Our Playlist

When I signed up for this course earlier in the year, I never thought it would expand my taste in music the way that it has. I've found myself genuinely enjoying the sliding melodies of Arabic music, the exotic sound of Indian ragas, and the steadfast beat of Native American drumming. In class, we weren't able to touch on any of the Slavic or Nordic cultures, so I'd like to explore a few examples here. 

Kalinka

Continent: Asia | Country: Russia 

This is a recording of one of the most recognizable Russian folk songs, the Kalinka. It's traditionally performed on the balalaika, the triangular instrument pictured in the video. It's a plucked chordophone with only three strings, but, as you can hear, it's capable of producing a wide range of notes. I'm not sure how its triangular shape contributes to its sound, but I've never seen anything like it. I chose the Kalinka because of its popularity in Russia and its incredibly complex rhythm. The progressively faster tempo is really quite exciting; I can't imagine hearing this song and not wanting to celebrate. 

More Information: Wikipedia, Kalinka (1860)

Molchat Doma, Tanzevat

Continent: Eastern Europe | Country: Belarus

 

From a different but culturally similar country, here is a modern example of Slavic music, from my personal playlist to ours! The culture of post-Soviet Belarus has definitely influenced the upbeat yet melancholic sound, but I can also hear influence from 1980's American pop music. I included Molchat Doma because I love their electronic sound, the reverb of the vocals, and I think the Russian language is beautiful. I often listen to this album while I study; the rhythm keeps me motivated, and I'm not distracted by the lyrics because I don't speak the language.  

Long Live Free Ukraine

Continent: Eastern Europe | Country: Ukraine 

Composed in the early 20th century, Long Live Free Ukraine is a relatively new installation of Ukrainian folk music. The composition combines traditional elements of Ukrainian folk music, like the accordion, with aspects of European classical, such as the lyrical structure and vocal harmonies. The lyrics reflect Ukraine's tumultuous history of fighting for independence, which still persists today. There's something to be said for the cheery tone of the song, despite somewhat disturbing lyrics like "May our enemies perish forever unto ages!" I included this song because I think it reflects a strong national spirit that persists through times of war and peace, and it's interesting to hear the syncretism of opposite ends of the European continent. 

Source: Wikipedia, History of Ukraine

Den Blå Slåtten

Continent: Northern Europe | Country: Norway 

Finally, I wanted to include an example of traditional music from a Nordic culture. I chose this piece because the title specifically noted the use of "Norwegian hardingfele". Upon further research, I found that the hardingfele – or the Hardanger fiddle – is an instrument deeply intertwined with the Norwegian culture. Just like a violin, the hardingfele is a chordophone with four strings that are bowed to produce sound that resonates in the wooden body of the instrument. Below the four main strings, however, are four more "sympathetic strings" that vibrate in harmony. Those strings are the reason this composition sounds like two people are playing the fiddle at once. I really enjoyed listening to this piece; it sounds a bit eerie at first, but the echo of the strings started to remind me of an echoing voice travelling through a mountain range. 

Source: Life in Norway, Hardanger Fiddle

Although I wasn't exactly sure where to start, I really enjoyed doing the research for this post. It was tricky to determine whether some of the songs I came across could technically be described as "folk music", but I tried my best to choose pieces that reflected some aspect of the musical culture at hand. For example, Kalinka was written by an acclaimed composer in 1860, but it was meant to purposely emulate the sound of traditional Russian folk music. I hope you found these selections as interesting as I did; or, at the very least, learned something that we didn't have the time to explore in class.