Moravian traditional music
Encyclopedia
Moravian traditional music represents a part of the Europe
an musical culture connected with the regions around the western Carpathian Mountains
. It is characterized by a specific melodic and harmonic texture related to the Eastern European musical world. According to Czech musicologist Jiří Plocek, Moravia is the area where the European East musically meets the West.
, today a part of the Czech Republic
, was settled by Slavic
tribes in the 6th century. Today, however, little is known about this period. Following the decline of Great Moravia
in the 9th and 10th centuries, Moravia was captured by the Přemyslid dynasty
and became a part of the Bohemian Kingdom. During the medieval war-invasions, exotic armies of Turks
and Tatars
came to the region. It is possible to find echoes of these dramatic events in the texts of Moravian folk songs. Distinct styles of folk music began to emerge during the Wallachian colonization of the 16th and 17th centuries, separating Czech and Moravian traditional music. The "new hungarian" style has influenced the music of the area in the past three centuries, especially in Southern Moravia. This influence has left a deep imprint on the unusual melodic variegation of Moravian traditional music providing an inspirational source for subsequent Classical, Jazz and Pop music composers.
The Czech National Revival
in the 19th century represents an important turning point for traditional music. The "Gubernial Collecting Action" at the beginning of 19th century was responsible for documenting folk music of the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire. Later, in 1835, the priest František Sušil (1804–1868) published Moravské národní písně (Moravian National Songs), the founding collection of Moravian folk songs. The second important collector of folk songs was the dialectologist
and folklorist František Bartoš
(1837–1906), who published his collection Nové národní písně moravské s nápěvy do textu vřaděnými (New Moravian National Songs with Melodies Integrated to Text) in 1882. He closely collaborated with Czech composer Leoš Janáček
who later became the leader of the Moravian folklore movement. During the 1930s, Janáček published his folk-song collection called Moravské písně milostné (Moravian Love Songs), and also organized the first recordings of the folk music with phonograph
. His recordings represent the oldest documentation of Moravian folk music. Many other valuable regional folk-song collections were also published during this time and collecting activities continued through the second half of the 20th century. Today tens of thousands of folk songs from Moravia are archived in the Ethnographic Division of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
.
. It was influenced by folk music of Germany
and other western regions as well as classical music
, especially in the Baroque
and Classical
eras. The music is mainly written in major keys, and its rhythm and structure are regular and firm.
The music of Southeastern Moravia differs substantially. Its character is closely related to the musical style of Eastern Europe using rather minor keys and melodic elements characteristic of eastern countries such as Ukraine
, Slovakia
, Romania
and Hungary
. Here it is also possible to find elements of gypsy scale
s which contain augmented intervals unusual for the traditional music of Western Europe. The key element of the traditional music of Southeastern Moravia is emotional variegation and greater rhythmic leeway.
Moravian folk music performances use various typical and also unusual instruments. "Cimbalom bands" are the typical interprets of traditional music today. The "small" cimbalom characteristic of Moravian music in the 19th century, however, has been replaced by the "standard" (or Hungarian) cimbalom, a rather new instrument only gaining wide use in the 20th century. The leader and "conductor" of the cimbalom band is often a violin
ist, called "primáš" in Czech, who plays the leading melody with ornamentation. A second violinist, "obligát", often plays the plain melody and supports the "primáš". The harmonic variety of the string instruments is often supported also by other violinists or violists
. They are called "kontry" or "terc" as they usually play a third lower than the leading melody. Other important instruments of the Moravian cimbalom band are clarinet
, ornamenting the melody, and double bass
.
Moravian folk bands often perform in various line-ups as some types of songs require specific instrumental accompaniment. For example, "hudecké" songs only require a string section. The traditional line-up of hudecká muzika (string band) consists of fiddle (prim), viola (kontra) and bass. Bagpipes
, gajdy in Moravian dialects, are integral to the fabric of "gajdošská muzika", often accompanied by violin (prim), viola (kontra) and double bass. Removing some typical violin features lead to the origin of an instrument nicknamed the squeaking fiddle in the former Bohemian-German area of the Jihlava
region. This type of homemade "folk fiddle" is the leading instrument of skřipkařská muzika ("squeaking fiddle band"). Other songs may require unusual instruments such as simpe whistle
s, pipes
, flute
s and recorder
s, hurdy gurdy
, jaw harp, among others.
Moravian traditional folk songs are separated into various specific types, of which the most famous is probably the verbuňk, the specific male recruit dance of Moravian Slovakia
. Koichiro Matsuura
, the General-Director of UNESCO
in 2005 proclaimed the Moravian verbuňk as the part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
of Mankind.
, Leoš Janáček
, Vítězslav Novák
and Bohuslav Martinů
. Following World War II
and the Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948
, folk songs were abused as a part of the communist cultural programme. Ideology-influenced folk-song propaganda was created in order to support the new régime. The movement soon vanished, however, and the principles of traditional folk music headed toward more sophisticated processing. The "off-key and creaky" music of old village musicians was often replaced by the academic and virtuosic expression of professional players, typically represented by the Brněnský rozhasový orchestr lidových nástrojů (BROLN) (The Orchestra of Traditional Folk Instruments of the Brno Radio). In the second half of the 20th century, traditional folk bands were replaced with "chamber orchestras" which performed sterile and mechanical folk arrangements. Regional variability and originality was almost lost. Traditional music partially returned to its roots in the last decade of the 20th century and slowly began to restore its distinctives.
The musical structure of Moravian folk song also influenced many interprets of jazz
. Czech jazz musicians led by Karel Velebný
and Jaromír Hnilička recorded the album "Týnom, tánom" in 1970, the first attempt to arrange the folk songs into jazz compositions. Other jazz musicians who have used elements of folk music include Jiří Stivín
(Inspirations by Folklore CD) and Emil Viklický
(Morava, 2003 CD, together with Billy Hart
, George Mraz
and Zuzana Lapčíková).
The songwriter Petr Ulrych, the founder of the band Javory, was one of the first musicians to deal with traditional music in the 1980s. Ulrych closely collaborated with a violinist Jiří Pavlica, the leader of the cimbalom band Hradišťan. Hradišťan, well-known traditional folk band, later turned away from folklore and focused on fusion in various world music
projects (Yas-Kaz, Dizu Plaatjies
and Altai-Kai collaborations among others).
Widespread use of traditional folk music in the repertoire of Czech rock bands began in the 1990s. Significant representatives of this genre are Čechomor
, Fleret and Vlasta Redl
. Another important musician who deals with Moravian traditional music is the avant-garde singer and violinist Iva Bittová
.
Annual festivals:
The following festivals are held annually unless otherwise noted.
May
June
July
August
August/September
September
October
Hradištské Dolňácko region
Strážnické Dolňácko region
Kyjovské Dolňácko region
Hanácké Slovácko region
Podluží region
Luhačovské Zálesí region
Uherskobrodsko and Kopanice regions
Valašsko region (Moravian Wallachia)
Lašsko region (Lachia)
Haná region
Horácko region
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an musical culture connected with the regions around the western Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
. It is characterized by a specific melodic and harmonic texture related to the Eastern European musical world. According to Czech musicologist Jiří Plocek, Moravia is the area where the European East musically meets the West.
History
MoraviaMoravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, today a part of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, was settled by Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
tribes in the 6th century. Today, however, little is known about this period. Following the decline of Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
in the 9th and 10th centuries, Moravia was captured by the Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
and became a part of the Bohemian Kingdom. During the medieval war-invasions, exotic armies of Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
and Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
came to the region. It is possible to find echoes of these dramatic events in the texts of Moravian folk songs. Distinct styles of folk music began to emerge during the Wallachian colonization of the 16th and 17th centuries, separating Czech and Moravian traditional music. The "new hungarian" style has influenced the music of the area in the past three centuries, especially in Southern Moravia. This influence has left a deep imprint on the unusual melodic variegation of Moravian traditional music providing an inspirational source for subsequent Classical, Jazz and Pop music composers.
The Czech National Revival
Czech National Revival
Czech National Revival was a cultural movement, which took part in the Czech lands during the 18th and 19th century. The purpose of this movement was to revive Czech language, culture and national identity...
in the 19th century represents an important turning point for traditional music. The "Gubernial Collecting Action" at the beginning of 19th century was responsible for documenting folk music of the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire. Later, in 1835, the priest František Sušil (1804–1868) published Moravské národní písně (Moravian National Songs), the founding collection of Moravian folk songs. The second important collector of folk songs was the dialectologist
Dialectology
Dialectology is the scientific study of linguistic dialect, a sub-field of sociolinguistics. It studies variations in language based primarily on geographic distribution and their associated features...
and folklorist František Bartoš
František Bartoš (folklorist)
František Bartoš was a Moravian ethnomusicologist, folklorist, folksong collector, and dialectologist. He is viewed as the successor of František Sušil, the pioneer of Moravian ethnomusicology...
(1837–1906), who published his collection Nové národní písně moravské s nápěvy do textu vřaděnými (New Moravian National Songs with Melodies Integrated to Text) in 1882. He closely collaborated with Czech composer Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
who later became the leader of the Moravian folklore movement. During the 1930s, Janáček published his folk-song collection called Moravské písně milostné (Moravian Love Songs), and also organized the first recordings of the folk music with phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
. His recordings represent the oldest documentation of Moravian folk music. Many other valuable regional folk-song collections were also published during this time and collecting activities continued through the second half of the 20th century. Today tens of thousands of folk songs from Moravia are archived in the Ethnographic Division of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic was established in 1992 by the Czech National Council as the Czech successor of the former Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. The Academy is the leading non-university public research institution in the Czech Republic...
.
Main characteristics
The traditional music of Western Moravia is closely related to the music of BohemiaBohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. It was influenced by folk music of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and other western regions as well as classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, especially in the Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
and Classical
Classical period (music)
The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
eras. The music is mainly written in major keys, and its rhythm and structure are regular and firm.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Here it is also possible to find elements of gypsy scale
Gypsy scale
The term Gypsy scale, refers to one of several musical scales named after their association with Gypsy music.-Hungarian Gypsy scale:...
s which contain augmented intervals unusual for the traditional music of Western Europe. The key element of the traditional music of Southeastern Moravia is emotional variegation and greater rhythmic leeway.
Moravian folk music performances use various typical and also unusual instruments. "Cimbalom bands" are the typical interprets of traditional music today. The "small" cimbalom characteristic of Moravian music in the 19th century, however, has been replaced by the "standard" (or Hungarian) cimbalom, a rather new instrument only gaining wide use in the 20th century. The leader and "conductor" of the cimbalom band is often a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, called "primáš" in Czech, who plays the leading melody with ornamentation. A second violinist, "obligát", often plays the plain melody and supports the "primáš". The harmonic variety of the string instruments is often supported also by other violinists or violists
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
. They are called "kontry" or "terc" as they usually play a third lower than the leading melody. Other important instruments of the Moravian cimbalom band are clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, ornamenting the melody, and double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
.
Moravian folk bands often perform in various line-ups as some types of songs require specific instrumental accompaniment. For example, "hudecké" songs only require a string section. The traditional line-up of hudecká muzika (string band) consists of fiddle (prim), viola (kontra) and bass. Bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, gajdy in Moravian dialects, are integral to the fabric of "gajdošská muzika", often accompanied by violin (prim), viola (kontra) and double bass. Removing some typical violin features lead to the origin of an instrument nicknamed the squeaking fiddle in the former Bohemian-German area of the Jihlava
Jihlava
Jihlava is a city in the Czech Republic. Jihlava is a centre of the Vysočina Region, situated on the Jihlava river on the ancient frontier between Moravia and Bohemia, and is the oldest mining town in the Czech Republic, ca. 50 years older than Kutná Hora.Among the principal buildings are the...
region. This type of homemade "folk fiddle" is the leading instrument of skřipkařská muzika ("squeaking fiddle band"). Other songs may require unusual instruments such as simpe whistle
Whistle
A whistle or call is a simple aerophone, an instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means...
s, pipes
Pipe (instrument)
Pipe describes a number of musical instruments, historically referring to perforated wind instruments. The word is an onomatopoeia, and comes from the tone which can resemble that of a bird chirping.-Folk pipe:...
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s and recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
s, hurdy gurdy
Hurdy gurdy
The hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin...
, jaw harp, among others.
Moravian traditional folk songs are separated into various specific types, of which the most famous is probably the verbuňk, the specific male recruit dance of Moravian Slovakia
Moravian Slovakia
Moravian Slovakia or Slovácko is a cultural region in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic on the border with Slovakia and Austria, known for its characteristic folklore, music, wine, costumes and traditions...
. Koichiro Matsuura
Koichiro Matsuura
is a Japanese diplomat. He is the former Director-General of UNESCO. He was first elected in 1999 to a six-year term and reelected on 12 October 2005 for four years, following a reform instituted by the 29th session of the General Conference...
, the General-Director of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 2005 proclaimed the Moravian verbuňk as the part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
Intangible Cultural Heritage
The concept of intangible cultural heritage emerged in the 1990s, as a counterpart to the World Heritage that focuses mainly on tangible aspects of culture...
of Mankind.
Types of Moravian folk songs
- Love songs – the most numerous category dealing with feelings of love in various forms (joyous songs, sad songs)
- Wedding songs
- Recruitment and army songs – including, for example, songs relating to the Battle of AusterlitzBattle of AusterlitzThe Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
- Shepherd songs
- Jocular songs – with ironic and sharp remarks focusing on human weaknesses
- Drinking songs – in praise of the scent and flavour of wine and spirits; poking fun at those who drink too much
- Ceremonial songs – carnival songs, work songs, dance songs, carols
- Funeral choir songs – This form has survived only in the Horňácko Region.
Moravian ethnographic regions
Moravia is ethnographically divided into approximately ten regions, some of which, Dolňácko for example, are divided further into subregions.- Central and western Moravia – The traditional music of this large area is oriented rather to Bohemian folk culture.
- Northeastern Moravia – Closer to the Carpathian circle of folk culture, the region is influenced by SlovakSlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and PolishPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
culture. - Southeastern Moravia (southeast of BrnoBrnoBrno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
) – This area has many different ethnographic regions collectively known as Slovácko (Moravian SlovakiaMoravian SlovakiaMoravian Slovakia or Slovácko is a cultural region in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic on the border with Slovakia and Austria, known for its characteristic folklore, music, wine, costumes and traditions...
). The regions and subregions also encompass the districts of HodonínHodonínHodonín is a town on the River Morava in the southeast of Moravia, in the Czech Republic. It lies in the South Moravian Region. The population is 26,226 . Hodonín was first mentioned in 1046. In 1228 it became a town...
and Uherské HradištěUherské HradišteUherské Hradiště is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Morava river and is the seat of the Uherské Hradiště District.- History :...
, and partially stretch into the districts of BřeclavBreclavBřeclav is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic, approximately 55 km southeast of Brno. It is located at the border with Lower Austria on the Dyje River. The nearest large town on Austrian territory is Hohenau an der March...
and ZlínZlínZlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
.
| Region | Main characteristics |
| Central and western Moravia | |
| Horácko and the subregion Podhorácko |
An extensive region located at the boundary between Bohemia and Moravia. The major part of Horácko belongs to the Vysočina Region Vysocina Region Vysočina Region , is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located partly in the south-eastern part of the historical region of Bohemia and partly in the south-west of the historical region of Moravia... . The Horácko region encompasses areas around the towns of Dačice Dacice Dačice is a town in the southwest Moravia, currently belonging to the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 8,000 inhabitants. It is notable as the home of the sugar cube, which was invented there in 1843 by Jakub Kryštof Rad.... , Telč Telc Telč is a town in southern Moravia, near Jihlava, in the Czech Republic. The town was founded in 13th century as a royal water fort on the crossroads of busy merchant routes between Bohemia, Moravia and Austria.... , Jihlava Jihlava Jihlava is a city in the Czech Republic. Jihlava is a centre of the Vysočina Region, situated on the Jihlava river on the ancient frontier between Moravia and Bohemia, and is the oldest mining town in the Czech Republic, ca. 50 years older than Kutná Hora.Among the principal buildings are the... , Žďár nad Sázavou Ždár nad Sázavou Žďár nad Sázavou is a city in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has approximately 24,000 inhabitants and is the administrative capital of the Žďár nad Sázavou District. The city is a prominent centre of tourism, as a ski resort in winter and a popular destination for cycling and... , Polička Policka Polička is a town on Bohemia-Moravia borderline in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 10,000 inhabitants. It is about 17 km west of Svitavy.- History :Polička was founded in the year 1265 by Bohemian king Přemysl Otakar II... , Havlíčkův Brod Havlíckuv Brod Havlíčkův Brod , Německý Brod until 1945 is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It is also the capital of the Havlíčkův Brod district. It is located on the Sázava River in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and has a population of 24,321 as of 2003... , Pelhřimov Pelhrimov - Basic facts :Pelhřimov is located approximately half-way between Prague and Brno. It is known as “the Gateway to the Highlands“ because of its location in the westernmost tip of the Czech-Moravian Highlands. The altitude above sea level at the foot of the tower of the Church of St... , Kamenice Kamenice Kamenice or Kamenicë may refer to:In Albania:* Kamenicë, Korçë* Kamenicë, FierIn Czech Republic:* Kamenice , Jihlava District* Kamenice , Prague-East District* Česká Kamenice, Děčín District... , Pacov Pacov Pacov is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic with a population of approximately 5,000. It lies directly on the 15th meridian east.... . The Podhorácko (or Dolácko) region consists of Moravské Budějovice, Třebíč Trebíc Třebíč is a city in the Moravian part of the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic.Třebíč is situated 35 km southeast of Jihlava and 65 km west of Brno on the Jihlava River. Třebíč is from 392 to 503 metres above sea-level.... , Velké Meziříčí Velké Mezirící Velké Meziříčí is a town in the Vysočina Region, Czech Republic. It is situated under the original Gothic castle in a valley framed by the hills of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.... , Nové Město na Moravě Nové Mesto na Morave Nové Město na Moravě is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has 10,464 inhabitants.-Business in town:Despite its location surrounded by great outdoors, the town has a long tradition of manufacturing... . The folk music of Horácko was influenced by Bohemian folklore and also by the Bavaria Bavaria Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany... n colonization. The character of the music of Horácko is rather intrumental. Here it is possible to find the influence of Bohemian regions such as Chodsko, Southern Bohemia and Central Bohemia. Major scale Major scale In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at... s substantially predominate the music; few songs are written using minor scale Minor scale A minor scale in Western music theory includes any scale that contains, in its tonic triad, at least three essential scale degrees: 1) the tonic , 2) a minor-third, or an interval of a minor third above the tonic, and 3) a perfect-fifth, or an interval of a perfect fifth above the tonic, altogether... s. The tempi Tempo In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:... are moderate, mainly in 2/4 or 3/4 time Meter (music) Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented... . The folk music of Horácko uses syncopation. |
| Haná | An ethnographic region in central Moravia approximately between the towns of Zábřeh Zábreh Zábřeh is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 14,500 inhabitants. The town itself is built up "behind the bank" of the Moravská Sázava river.-History:... , Holešov Holešov Holešov is a town in the Zlín Region, Czech Republic. The town is located on the western hillside of the Hostýn Hills - the westernmost part of the Carpathian Mountains.... , Vyškov Vyškov Vyškov is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 22,300 inhabitants.- History :By the middle of the 14th century, pest epidemics and starvation had virtually depopulated the entire area. The Catholic Church, the owners of the lands, administrated their properties... and Uničov Unicov Uničov is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 12,400 inhabitants.Villages Benkov, Brníčko, Dětřichov, Dolní Sukolom, Horní Sukolom, Nová Dědina, Renoty, and Střelice are administrative parts of Uničov.... . It is the largest and oldest traditional Moravian region. Today, however, the original folk music of Haná is lost. Its musical character was similar to Bohemian folk music and was also influenced by court music. |
| Northeastern Moravia | |
| Valašsko (Moravian Wallachia Moravian Wallachia Moravian Wallachia is a mountainous region located in the easternmost part of Moravia, Czech Republic, near the Slovakian border. The name Wallachia was formerly applied to all the highlands of Moravia and neighboring Silesia, although in the nineteenth century a smaller area came to be defined... ) |
A mountainous region in the easternmost part of Moravia, near the Slovak border. The Moravian Wallachs supposedly came from the East, from the Slovak side. They established a shepherd culture in the Beskydy and nearby mountains, close to the towns of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm Rožnov pod Radhoštem Rožnov pod Radhoštěm is a town in Zlín Region, Czech Republic.-People:* Gustav Brom, lived here* Martina Hingis, lived here as a child* Naphtali Keller, lived and died here* Emil Zátopek, buried here-See also:* Romanian diaspora, Romanian exonyms... and Velké Karlovice Velké Karlovice Velké Karlovice is a village in Vsetín District, Zlín Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 2,680 . It was founded in 1714. The village lies on the Vsetínská Bečva river.- External links :... . The area surrounding the towns of Vsetín Vsetín Vsetín is a town in Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 28,500 inhabitants and lies on the Vsetínská Bečva river.The area around Vsetín, called Vsetínsko, is spread out on the foothills of the Vsetín, Hostýn and Vizovice Highlands around the Bečva River... , Valašské Klobouky Valašské Klobouky Valašské Klobouky is a small town in the Zlín Region, Czech Republic.... , Vizovice Vizovice Vizovice is a town with about 4,598 inhabitants in the Zlín Region, Czech Republic.The first recorded reference to the community was in 1261. Vizovice received town privileges in 1498. The annual Masters of Rock Heavy metal festival takes place in Vizovice.... and Zlín Zlín Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company... also belongs to Wallachia. The traditional music of Moravian Wallachia is influenced by Lachian and Polish folk culture on the north, and that of Slovakia in the south. Wallachian folk songs can be divided into several categories. Helekačky and hečené (hollering songs) were used for communication by children and women while herding cattle and horses. Whirling dance and rolling dance are types of dance songs in southern Wallachia. Slovakian influence can be seen in the old Hungarian dance, which is close to the csárdás Csárdás Csárdás is a traditional Hungarian folk dance, the name derived from csárda . It originated in Hungary and was popularized by Roma music bands in Hungary and neighboring lands of Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Burgenland, Croatia, Ukraine, Transylvania and Moravia, as well as among the Banat... . A well-known male dance is also the odzemek. The simplest of traditional Wallachian instruments was the koncovka, a shepherd's end-blown flute. The early bagpipe music (gajdošská muzika) was later replaced by the string band with small portable hammered dulcimer or the table hammered dulcimer, an instrument which almost disappeared when it was replaced by the large Hungarian cimbalom. |
| Lašsko (Lachia) | A region located between the towns of Frýdek-Místek Frýdek-Místek Frýdek-Místek is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It is the administrative center of Frýdek-Místek District. It comprises two formerly independent towns, Frýdek and Místek, divided by the Ostravice River... , Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, Frenštát pod Radhoštěm Frenštát pod Radhoštem Frenštát pod Radhoštěm is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic.It lies under the Moravian-Silesian Beskids Range, in a region rich in history and therefore the town is an important holiday resort in both summer and winter.... , Nový Jičín Nový Jicín Nový Jičín is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has ca. 26,500 inhabitants. The city is situated on the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains about from the Czech Republic's 3rd biggest city, Ostrava... and Kopřivnice Koprivnice Kopřivnice is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 23,500 inhabitants.- History :In 1850, both of the former villages, Drnholec nad Lubinou and Větřkovice, became a part of the political district of Nový Jičín within the judicial district Příbor... in northeastern Moravia. Lachia is known for its traditional folklore, and especially for its typical dance forms. Leoš Janáček, a Lachian native, created the orchestral cycle Lachian Dances Lachian Dances The Lachian Dances was the first mature work by the Czech composer Leoš Janáček. Originally titled Wallachian Dances after the Moravian Wallachia region, Janáček later changed the title when the region's name also changed, since it reflects folk songs from that specific area.- Background :Janáček... , inspired by the music of Lachia. |
| Southeastern Moravia | |
| Uherskohradišťsko a subregion of Dolňácko |
The regional center is Uherské Hradiště Uherské Hradište Uherské Hradiště is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Morava river and is the seat of the Uherské Hradiště District.- History :... . It consists of the following municipalities: Uherský Ostroh Uherský Ostroh Uherský Ostroh is a town in the Uherské Hradiště District, Zlín Region, Czech Republic, located about 11 km southwest of Uherské Hradiště. It lies in the ethnographic Slovácko region.... , Polešovice Polešovice Polešovice is a small town in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 1,966 .... , Nedakonice Nedakonice Nedakonice is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,524 .... , Kostelany Kostelany Kostelany is a village and municipality in Kroměříž District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 535 .... , Boršice Boršice Boršice is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,255 .... , Zlechov Zlechov Zlechov is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,608 .... , Tupesy Tupesy Tupesy is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,106 .... , Velehrad Velehrad Velehrad is a village in the Uherské Hradiště District of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 1,323 and is the most important pilgrimage place in the Czech Republic... , Modrá Modrá (Uherské Hradiště District) Modrá is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 662 .... , Staré Město Stare Mesto Stare Mesto is either Staré Město or Staré Mesto written without diacritics:*Staré Město is name of several locations in the Czech Republic:* district of Prague: see Old Town, Prague... , Mařatice Uherské Hradište Uherské Hradiště is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Morava river and is the seat of the Uherské Hradiště District.- History :... , Sady Sady Sady may refer to the following places in Poland:*Sady, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Sady, Podlaskie Voivodeship *Sady, Łódź Voivodeship *Sady, Lublin Voivodeship... , Kunovice Kunovice Kunovice is a town in the Uherské Hradiště District, Zlín Region, Czech Republic.-History:The first written records of Kunovice date back to 1196... , Huštěnovice Huštěnovice Huštěnovice is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,004 .... , Jankovice Jankovice Jankovice is name of several locations in the Czech Republic:* Jankovice, a village in the Pardubice Region * Jankovice * Jankovice... , Babice Babice (Uherské Hradište District) Babice is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,736 .... among others. Folk music and arts traditions are highly developed in this agricultural area. Here many Czech scholars and composers such as Leoš Janáček, František Bartoš and František Sušil collected "peasant songs" – a specific folk song type from the neighbourhood of Bílovice. The most notable representants of the folk music of this region are Jaroslav Čech Cimbalom Band, Kunovjan, Včelaran and Dolina. |
| Strážnicko a subregion of Dolňácko |
Located around the town of Strážnice, this region consists of Petrov Petrov Petrov or Petrova may refer to:People*Petrov *Vitaly Petrov F1 Driver.*Stanislav Petrov Soviet Army officer who possibly prevented a nuclear war.Places*4785 Petrov, an asteroid... , Sudoměřice Sudoměřice Sudoměřice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,209 .... , Radějov Radějov (Hodonín District) Radějov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 817 .... , Tvarožná Lhota Tvarožná Lhota Tvarožná Lhota is a village in Hodonín District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 899 .- External links :... , Kněždub Kněždub Kněždub is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,124 .... , Tasov Tasov (Hodonín District) Tasov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 542 .... , Hroznová Lhota Hroznová Lhota Hroznová Lhota is a village and municipality in South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located at northern foothill of the White Carpathians mountain range, about 5 km southeast of Veselí nad Moravou and 22 km east-northeast of Hodonín. A protected landscape area extends... , Kozojídky Kozojídky Kozojídky is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 490 .... , Žeraviny Žeraviny Žeraviny is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 194 .... . Notable representants of this region include primáš Slávek Volavý (1922–1983) and cimbalom bands Danaj and Strážničan. |
| Kyjovsko a subregion of Dolňácko |
With the central town of Kyjov Kyjov Kyjov is name of several locations:Czech Republic* Kyjov, a town in South Moravian Region ** Kyjov Hills, part of Carpathians** Kyjov Airport* Kyjov, a village in Vysočina Region... , this area includes Kelčany Kelčany Kelčany is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 242 .... , Osvětimany Osvětimany Osvětimany is a small town in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 854 .... , Vracov Vracov Vracov is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic.It has a population of around 4500 people.- External links :*... , Milotice Milotice Milotice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,931 .... , Vacenovice Vacenovice Vacenovice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,183 .... , Ratíškovice Ratíškovice Ratíškovice is a village in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 4,000 inhabitants.Football club Baník Ratíškovice resides here.-External links:*... , Dubňany Dubnany Dubňany is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 6,850 inhabitants.-External links:*... , Mutěnice Mutenice Mutěnice is name of several locations in the Czech Republic:* village Mutěnice in South Moravian Region * village Mutěnice in South Bohemian Region... , Hovorany Hovorany Hovorany is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,198 .... , Svatobořice-Mistřín Svatoborice-Mistrín Svatobořice-Mistřín is a village and municipality in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 3,500 inhabitants.-External links:*... . Kyjovsko has long been one of the most significant ethnographic regions of southern Moravia. The first written reference to the cimbalom originated here in 1799. The region's usual ensemble line-up was 1 or 2 violins, double bass, cimbalom and later also clarinet. The musical development in Moravia during this time was diverse as bagpipe music existed almost excusively in Horňácko to the west. During the first half of the 20th century, cimbalom bands were nearly replaced by brass music, called "dechovka". However, the tradition was revived since the 1950s and the popularity of cimbalom bands continues to grow. The most characteristic folk dances of the Kyjovsko region are "skočná", "slovenská" and "verbuňk". The most important representative ensembles of this region are primáš Jura Petrů (1922–1984) and the Jura Petrů Cimbalom Band, Varmuža Cimbalom Band. |
| Horňácko Horňácko Horňácko is an ethnographic microregion situated in the Hodonín District, South Eastern Moravia, Czech Republic. The region is home to approximatelly 10,000 people. It is significant for its traditional folk culture, especially the folk music... |
The small region located at the northwestern base of the White Carpathian Mountains White Carpathians The White Carpathians is the westernmost mountain range of the Carpathian Mountains.They are part of the Slovak-Moravian Carpathians, stretching from the Váh river and the Little Carpathians in the south along the border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the Morava and the Javorníky range... . Its center is in Velká nad Veličkou Velká nad Veličkou Velká nad Veličkou is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 3,040 .... . Horňácko consists of Hrubá Vrbka Hrubá Vrbka Hrubá Vrbka is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 663 .... , Malá Vrbka Malá Vrbka Malá Vrbka is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 202 .... , Kuželov Kuželov Kuželov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 398 .... , Javorník Javorník (Hodonín District) Javorník is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 726 .... , Nová Lhota Nová Lhota (Hodonín District) Nová Lhota is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 699 .... , Vápenky Nová Lhota (Hodonín District) Nová Lhota is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 699 .... , Suchov Suchov Suchov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 537 .... , Lipov Lipov Lipov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,565 .... , and Louka Louka (Hodonín District) Louka is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,015 .... . Leoš Janáček considered Horňácko "the most important center of traditional folk music in Moravian Slovakia". The development of Moravian traditional music remained uninterrupted only in the Horňácko region. The characteristic regional music style is represented mainly by the Martin Hrbáč Cimbalom Band. |
| Uherskobrodsko and the subregion Kopanice |
The region at the borders of Moravia and Slovakia close to the town of Uherský Brod Uherský Brod Uherský Brod is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It is situated in the south-east of Moravia . It lies in the Vizovice Highlands and near the White Carpathian Mountains .... . It is sometimes considered a part of the Dolňácko Region. This region shows features of both traditional Moravian folk music and Slovak music. Slovakian influence can be found in the mountainous part at the border of the region, namely in the villages of Strání Strání Strání is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 3,820 .... , Březová Březová (Uherské Hradiště District) Březová is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,085 .... , Starý Hrozenkov Starý Hrozenkov Starý Hrozenkov is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 886 .... and surroundings – called Kopanice as a whole. The musical development in Uherskobrodsko was similar to the other regions in the Southern Moravia. Flutes (whistles), pipes, violins and other bowed instruments were consecutively added to a human voice. A string band (hudecká muzika) with a clarinet was a typical set up for Moravia of the 19th and part of the 20th century. However, it is impossible to find the original forms of the folk music of Uherskobrodsko. The notable cimbalom band of the region is Olšava. |
| Luhačovické Zálesí | A transitive region between Moravian Slovakia, Moravian Wallachia, and Haná Region. The center is in Luhačovice Luhacovice Luhačovice is a spa town in the Zlín Region, Moravia, Czech Republic.It occupies a valley, whose elevation is a minimum of 250 m above sea level... . |
| Podluží | The southernmost part of Moravian Slovakia, it consists of southern Podluží (Ladná Ladná Ladná, until 1950 Lanštorf is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,197.... , Stará Břeclav Breclav Břeclav is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic, approximately 55 km southeast of Brno. It is located at the border with Lower Austria on the Dyje River. The nearest large town on Austrian territory is Hohenau an der March... , Poštorná Breclav Břeclav is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic, approximately 55 km southeast of Brno. It is located at the border with Lower Austria on the Dyje River. The nearest large town on Austrian territory is Hohenau an der March... , Charvátská Nová Ves, Hlohovec, Kostice Kostice (Břeclav District) Kostice is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,865 .... , Lanžhot Lanžhot Lanžhot is a town in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 3,735 . It is the southernmost Moravian town. There is a confluence of Morava and Dyje rivers near the town.- External links :... , Tvrdonice Tvrdonice Tvrdonice is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,046 .... , Hrušky Hrušky (Břeclav District) Hrušky is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,458 .... , Týnec Týnec (Břeclav District) Týnec is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,043 .... , Moravská Nová Ves Moravská Nová Ves Moravská Nová Ves is a market town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 2,500 inhabitants.-External links:*... ) and northern Podluží (Mikulčice Mikulcice Mikulčice is a municipality in the Czech Republic, situated 7 km south of Hodonín, near the border with Slovakia. It belongs to the Hodonín District and the South Moravian Region. It extends out for 1,530 ha, with 1,955 inhabitants in 623 homes. Mikulčice has a biospheric reserve, containing... , Lužice Lužice Lužice is name of several locations in the Czech Republic:* village Lužice in South Moravian Region Lužice is also Czech name for Lusatia.... , Josefov Josefov Josefov is a town quarter in Prague, Czech Republic, known as the Jewish quarter.Josefov may also refer to:* Fortress Josefov, a former fortress in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic... , Dolní Bojanovice Dolní Bojanovice Dolní Bojanovice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,895 .... , Starý Poddvorov Starý Poddvorov Starý Poddvorov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 969 .... , Prušánky Prušánky Prušánky is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,107 .... ). The musical development of this region was somewhat segregated. The most important representants of the traditional music of the Podluží Region are primáš Jožka Kobzík (1929–2000) and the cimbalom bands Břeclavan and Jožka Severin Cimbalom Band. |
| Hanácké Slovácko | A transitive region between Moravian Slovakia and Haná. The southern part consists of Čejkovice Čejkovice (Hodonín District) Čejkovice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,497 .... , Čejč Čejč Čejč is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,248 .... , Kobylí Kobylí Kobylí is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,082 .... , Brumovice Brumovice (Břeclav District) Brumovice is a village in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 936 .- External links :... , Vrbice Vrbice (Břeclav District) Vrbice is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,118 .... , Bořetice Bořetice (Břeclav District) Bořetice is a village in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 1,354 .- External links :... , Velké Pavlovice Velké Pavlovice Velké Pavlovice is a town in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 3,087 . The region of Velké Pavlovice is famous for its vineyards.- External links :... , Velké Bílovice Velké Bílovice Velké Bílovice is a town in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region near Lednice – Valtice area, Czech Republic. It has a population of 3,742 . The economy is based on the wine industry and fruit growing... , and Rakvice Rakvice Rakvice is a village in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 2,187 . There are a large vineyards near the village.- External links :... . The middle part consists of Krumvíř Krumvír Krumvíř is a village in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 1,152 . It lies in the traditional wine region.- External links :... , Klobouky u Brna Klobouky u Brna Klobouky u Brna is a town in the Czech Republic cca 30 km from Brno.-External links:*... , Boleradice Boleradice Boleradice is a market town in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 891 .... , Diváky Diváky Diváky is a village in Břeclav District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 506 .... and Těšany Tešany Těšany is a village in Brno-Country District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 1,211 .- External links :... . The eastern part, close to the Kyjovsko Region, consists of Žarošice Žarošice Žarošice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 985 .... , Archlebov Archlebov Archlebov is a village in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 25 km northwest of Hodonín and has a population of 864 .-External links:*... and Věteřov Věteřov Věteřov is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 532 .... . The notable representant of this folk music is Cimbalom Band Vonica. |
Folklorism
Moravian traditional folk music has served as a source and inspiration to many different musical genres including classical composers such as Antonín DvořákAntonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
, Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
, Vítězslav Novák
Vítezslav Novák
Vítězslav Novák was one of the most well-respected Czech composers and pedagogues, almost singlehandedly founding a mid-century Czech school of composition...
and Bohuslav Martinů
Bohuslav Martinu
Bohuslav Martinů was a prolific Czech composer of modern classical music. He was of Czech and Rumanian ancestry. Martinů wrote six symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. Martinů became a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic...
. Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948
Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948
The Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948 – in Communist historiography known as "Victorious February" – was an event late that February in which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia, ushering in over four decades...
, folk songs were abused as a part of the communist cultural programme. Ideology-influenced folk-song propaganda was created in order to support the new régime. The movement soon vanished, however, and the principles of traditional folk music headed toward more sophisticated processing. The "off-key and creaky" music of old village musicians was often replaced by the academic and virtuosic expression of professional players, typically represented by the Brněnský rozhasový orchestr lidových nástrojů (BROLN) (The Orchestra of Traditional Folk Instruments of the Brno Radio). In the second half of the 20th century, traditional folk bands were replaced with "chamber orchestras" which performed sterile and mechanical folk arrangements. Regional variability and originality was almost lost. Traditional music partially returned to its roots in the last decade of the 20th century and slowly began to restore its distinctives.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. Czech jazz musicians led by Karel Velebný
Karel Velebný
Karel Velebný was a Czech jazz musician, composer, arranger, actor, writer and music pedagogue. Velebný was one of the founders and pioneers of modern Czech jazz in the second half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
and Jaromír Hnilička recorded the album "Týnom, tánom" in 1970, the first attempt to arrange the folk songs into jazz compositions. Other jazz musicians who have used elements of folk music include Jiří Stivín
Jirí Stivín
Jiří Stivín is a Czech flute player and composer.He graduated from the Film Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague . He also studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music as well as at the Prague Academy of Music .Stivín performs music from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and...
(Inspirations by Folklore CD) and Emil Viklický
Emil Viklický
Emil Viklický is a Czech jazz pianist and composer. In 1971 he graduated from Palacký University with a degree in mathematics. While a student he devoted much time to playing jazz piano. In 1974, he was awarded the prize for best soloist at the Czechoslovak Amateur Jazz Festival, and that same...
(Morava, 2003 CD, together with Billy Hart
Billy Hart
William "Billy" Hart is a jazz drummer and educator who has performed with some of the most important jazz musicians in history.-Biography:Early on Hart performed in Washington, D.C...
, George Mraz
George Mraz
George Mraz is a jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and has worked with Stan Getz, Tommy Flanagan, Chet Baker and many other important jazz musicians...
and Zuzana Lapčíková).
The songwriter Petr Ulrych, the founder of the band Javory, was one of the first musicians to deal with traditional music in the 1980s. Ulrych closely collaborated with a violinist Jiří Pavlica, the leader of the cimbalom band Hradišťan. Hradišťan, well-known traditional folk band, later turned away from folklore and focused on fusion in various world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
projects (Yas-Kaz, Dizu Plaatjies
Dizu Plaatjies
Dizu Plaatjies is the founder and former leader of the South African group, Amampondo. He is a graduate of the University of Cape Town School of Music and now lectures there in African Music. Since leaving Amampondo he has started a new ensemble called Ibuyambo...
and Altai-Kai collaborations among others).
Widespread use of traditional folk music in the repertoire of Czech rock bands began in the 1990s. Significant representatives of this genre are Čechomor
Cechomor
Čechomor is a Czech traditional music band playing songs in rock arrangements. They are reportedly a favourite band of Czech playwright and former president Václav Havel.- Discography :...
, Fleret and Vlasta Redl
Vlasta Redl
-Musical career:After playing at dance events in Valašské Meziříčí, Redl joined the Zlín band AG Flek, beginning his career as a folk singer. He then joined the group Fleret, which performed many of the songs he composed...
. Another important musician who deals with Moravian traditional music is the avant-garde singer and violinist Iva Bittová
Iva Bittová
Iva Bittová is a Czech avant-garde violinist, singer and composer. She began her career as an actress in the mid 1970s, appearing in several Czech feature films, but switched to playing violin and singing in the early 1980s. She started recording in 1986 and by 1990 her unique vocal and...
.
Traditional music festivals in Moravia
The following festivals are held annually unless otherwise noted.
May
- Jízda králů (Ride of Kings) Festival in VlčnovVlcnovVlčnov is a village and municipality located in Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. This region is in the southeastern part of Moravia close to the border with Slovakia....
- Podluží v písni a tanci (Podluží in Songs and Dance Festival) – held in TvrdoniceTvrdoniceTvrdonice is a village and municipality in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,046 ....
June
- Kosecké písně – held in BuchloviceBuchloviceBuchlovice is a small town in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 2,487 ....
- International Folklore Festival in Frýdek-MístekFrýdek-MístekFrýdek-Místek is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It is the administrative center of Frýdek-Místek District. It comprises two formerly independent towns, Frýdek and Místek, divided by the Ostravice River...
- Rožnovská valaška – held in Rožnov pod RadhoštěmRožnov pod RadhoštemRožnov pod Radhoštěm is a town in Zlín Region, Czech Republic.-People:* Gustav Brom, lived here* Martina Hingis, lived here as a child* Naphtali Keller, lived and died here* Emil Zátopek, buried here-See also:* Romanian diaspora, Romanian exonyms...
- International Folklore Festival in Strážnice
July
- Rožnovské slavnosti – held in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
- International Folklore Festival "Evropské setkání národů" (European Meeting of Nations) – held in TelčTelcTelč is a town in southern Moravia, near Jihlava, in the Czech Republic. The town was founded in 13th century as a royal water fort on the crossroads of busy merchant routes between Bohemia, Moravia and Austria....
- Kopaničářské slavnosti (Kopanice Festival) – held in Starý HrozenkovStarý HrozenkovStarý Hrozenkov is a village and municipality in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 886 ....
- International Folklore Festival in Svatobořice-MistřínSvatoborice-MistrínSvatobořice-Mistřín is a village and municipality in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 3,500 inhabitants.-External links:*...
- Horňácké slavnosti (Horňácko Festival) – held in Velká nad VeličkouVelká nad VeličkouVelká nad Veličkou is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 3,040 ....
- Romská píseň (Romani Song Festival) – held in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
August
- Národopisný festival Kyjovska (Ethnographic Festival of the Kyjovsko Region) – held in MiloticeMiloticeMilotice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,931 ....
- Slovácký rok (Moravian Slovakian Year Festival) – the oldest Moravian folklore festival, held every four years in KyjovKyjovKyjov is name of several locations:Czech Republic* Kyjov, a town in South Moravian Region ** Kyjov Hills, part of Carpathians** Kyjov Airport* Kyjov, a village in Vysočina Region...
- International Folklore Festival "Folklór bez hranic" (Folkore Without Borders) – held in OstravaOstravaOstrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
- International Folklore Festival in ŠumperkŠumperkŠumperk is a town and district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It is called "The Gate to Jeseníky mountains."- History :Šumperk was founded by German colonists in 1269. The German name Schönberg means "beautiful hill", and the name Šumperk is a Czech garbling of the original German...
- Festival in LiptálLiptálLiptál is a village and municipality in Vsetín District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,425 ....
August/September
- International Folklore Festival in BrnoBrnoBrno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
September
- Hanácké slavnosti (Hanakian Festival) – held in ProstějovProstejovProstějov is a city in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Today the city is known for its fashion industry and special military forces based there....
October
- Festival hudebních nástrojů (Festival of Musical Instruments) – held in Uherské HradištěUherské HradišteUherské Hradiště is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Morava river and is the seat of the Uherské Hradiště District.- History :...
Historical recordings
- Nejstarší nahrávky moravského a slovenského lidového zpěvu 1909-1912. (The oldest recordings of Moravian and Slovakian traditional folk songs). (GNOSIS Brno, 1998) – phonographic recordings, made by Leoš Janáček and his collaborators.
- Ňorkova muzika z Hrubé Vrbky: Drsná pohlazení (ATON, 1999) – a representative selection of recordings from Horňácko region, 1932–1957
- Muzika Jožky Kubíka: Dalekonosné husle (Czech Radio Brno and GNOSIS Brno, 1998) – a representative selection of recordings from Horňácko region, 1953–1972
- František Okénka: Preleteuo vtáča (GNOSIS Brno, 1996)
- Strážnice Folklore Festival (SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
, 1994) – archive recordings from 1946 to 1994. - Václav Harnoš, Jan Gajda a CM Slávka Volavého: Ve Strážnici néni pána (Danaj 2000) – archive recordings (1959–1993)
- Majstr Jožka Kubík (ATON, 1999) – archive recordings from Horňácko region
- Jan Miklošek (ATON 2000)
- Zpěvákovo rozjímání (ATON 2000) – the singer Martin Holý (1902–1985), archive recordings
- Jaroslav Kovářík, zpěvák z Kobylí (JK 0001-2431, 2000) – recordings from Hanakian Slovakia region, 1956–2000
- Mezinárodní folklorní festival ve Strážnici (International Foklore Festival in Strážnice), 1995-2000 – published by the Institute of the Traditional Folk Culture in Strážnice, 2000
Regional recordings
Horňácko region- Horňácký hudec Martin Hrbáč. (GNOSIS Brno, 1995)
- Pěkné kázáníčko od Martina Hrbáče (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 1999)
- Došli sme k vám (INDIES, 1996) – traditional folk choirs from Horňácko region
- Horňácká cimbálová muzika Petra Galečky: Moja žena smutno plače (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 1997)
- Velička: Ej, v tom velickém mlýně (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 1998)
- Zpívání z Horňácka (INDIES, 1998)
- Jura Hudeček z Velké (ATON 2000)
- Horňácká muzika Miroslava Minkse: Pesnyčky ze Lhoték (GNOSIS Brno, 1999)
- Cimbálová muzika Petra Galečky: Ó lásko fortelná (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 2000)
- Veličánek: Małučký sem já był (Velká nad Veličkou, 2001)
- Lipovjan: Na dolinách pod lipami (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 1999)
Hradištské Dolňácko region
- Včelaran: Ballad of Veruna (BONTON, 1991)
- Karel Rajmic – Cimbálová muzika Jaroslava Čecha: Túžení, súžení (LM MUSIC, 1997)
- Kunovjan: Ej, u Hradišťa pršalo (STYLTÓN, 1996)
- Cimbálová muzika Lúčka: Velikonoční rozjímání (GZ Loděnice, 1996)
- Cimbálová muzika Jaroslava Čecha: Muzicírování ve stodole (Klub kultury Uherské Hradiště, 2000)
Strážnické Dolňácko region
- Cimbálová muzika Danaj: Gajdování (Freli, 1995)
- Cimbálová muzika Danaj: Ve Strážnici muzikanti hráli (Multisonic, 1998)
- Strážničan: Šla psota přes hory (1997)
- Strážničan: Co sa stalo kdysi (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 1997)
- Cimbálová muzika Pavla Múčky: Při strážnickej bráně (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 1997)
- Cimbálová muzika Danaj, Magdalena Múčková: Písničky z malířovy palety (Danaj, 2000)
- Cimbálová muzika Radošov (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 2001)
Kyjovské Dolňácko region
- Cimbálová muzika Jury Petrů: Legrúti jedú... (Region s.r.o., 1994)
- Varmužova cimbálová muzika: Písničky z domu (Supraphon, 1994)
- Varmužova cimbálová muzika: Na Kyjovsku (GNOSIS Brno, 1997)
- Varmužova cimbálová muzika: Chválabohu, že sem sa narodil... (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 2000)
- Cimbálová muzika Jury Petrů: Na kyjovských lúkách (BMG Ariola ČR, 2000)
Hanácké Slovácko region
- Krajem beze stínu (Supraphon)
- Cimbálová muzika Vonica z Krumvíře (STYLTÓN, 1998)
- Vonica 2000 (STYLTÓN, 2000)
Podluží region
- Cimbálová muzika Břeclavan: Hodinka na Podluží (EDIT, 1994)
- Vladimír Zháněl s cimbálovou muzikou: Za starů Breclavů (RESTON, 1999)
- Cimbálová muzika Zádruha (TONSTUDIO Rajchman, 2001)
- Cimbálová muzika Břeclavan: Písně a balady (RESTON, 1999)
Luhačovské Zálesí region
- Cimbálová muzika Linda: Svatební písně z Luhačovského Zálesí (STYLTÓN, 1997)
- Cimbálová muzika Linda: Rok na Zálesí (STYLTÓN, 2000)
Uherskobrodsko and Kopanice regions
- Olšava, OĽUN, BROLN: Dívča z Javoriny (LM MUSIC, 1997)
- Kytice z Uherskobrodska (compilation, GNOSIS Brno, 1998)
- Hudecká muzika Kopaničář: Okolo Hrozenka (Starý Hrozenkov, 1999)
Valašsko region (Moravian Wallachia)
- Cimbálová muzika Polajka: Už zme tady, už zme tu (RS 1992)
- Jarmila Šuláková: A vy páni muziganti (Supraphon, 1993)
- Jarmila Šuláková: Valaši, Valaši (W MUSIC, 1996)
- Cimbálová muzika Vsacan: Chodívali chlapci k nám (1998)
- Cimbálová muzika Kašava: Na tom našem potoce (EDIT, 1998)
- Cimbálová muzika Jasénka: Trvalky (LM MUSIC, 1998)
- Cimbálová muzika Technik (Jan Rokyta): Valašské balady (STYLTÓN, 1999)
- Cimbálová muzika Soláň: Při Betlémě na salašu (STYLTÓN, 1995)
- Cimbálová muzika Soláň: A tož jaků (LM MUSIC, 1998)
- Javorník Brno: Půl století s cimbálovou muzikou (Písnička, 2000)
- Cimbálová muzika Soláň, Zdeněk Kašpar a hosté: Vałaské pěsničky (GNOSIS Brno, 2000)
- Cimbálová muzika Jasénka: Přes Javorník chodník (GNOSIS Brno, 2001)
Lašsko region (Lachia)
- Ondřejnica: Moje Lašsko (STYLTÓN, 1996)
- Ondřejnica: Lašské vánoce (STYLTÓN, 1997)
- Valašský vojvoda: Písně a tance z lašsko-valašského pomezí (STYLTÓN, 1997)
- Cimbálová muzika Ostravica (STYLTÓN, 1996)
Haná region
- Hanácká muzika Ječmeni: V Prostijově na renko (Ječmeni, 1999)
- Debe decke tak belo (Moravia Folklor, 2001)
Horácko region
- Studánka 1, 2 (available only on MC)