Transcript Introducing a New Product

Istrian Folk Music of Croatia and
Antonio Smareglia Comparison
By Mariella Mladineo
Demographics of Croatia







Divided into 20 counties
Population: 4,290,612; Istria County: 206,344
Ethnicities: 89.6% Croats, 4.5% Serbs, 5.9%
others and unspecified
Istria County: Approximately 72% Croatian
Religion: 87.8% Roman Catholic, 5.2% Athiest
Land mass: 21,851 sq mi
Bordered by Bosnia, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary,
Montenegro, Herzegovina and the Adriatic Sea
Demographics Continued
Istria County, which occupies the majority of the
peninsula of Istria, has 277 miles of coast and
numerous islands
 Mediterranean climate
 Processing industries include traditional agriculture
(also wine and olive making), sea fishing and growing,
trade and transport
 Highly developed branch of industry is ship-building
 The coastal aspect of the region influences much of the
traditional music, because they often express their
appreciation of their country through lyrics

Instruments of Croatia
Many instruments found only in Croatia
Rozenice or sopila- ancient type of woodwind
instrument that is similar to the oboe
 Two types, a smaller and a larger one which
produces two different sounds- thin and thick
 Leading voice is lower but secondary voice plays in a
low octave in order to play in cadence
 Diple- type of bagpipe, uses two reeds
 Both very common to unique sound of Istrian music


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWJ7fWBq
8ZI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIRpsBBfJ
Istrian Scale





This untuned scale is unique to the Istrian region
Hexatonic (6 notes)
Consists of E-F-G-Ab-Bb-Cb
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/36/Istrian_mode_on_C.
mid
Example of rozenice music (2 pieces for two different sizes)
Dance Music
Famous type of dance called the balun
Partners step to the rhythm and spin around
Played with many different traditional
instruments, as well as the accordian



Singing





Klapa- Croatian a capella singing in groups of
usually men
Utilizes voices of tenor, bass, and baritone
Celebrated the ideas of love, homeland, and sea
Rhythm not as important
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG2bO22Z06c
&feature=related
Antonio Smareglia


Born in Pula, Istria County, Croatia on May 5, 1854 to
an Italian father and Croatian mother
Influenced by music from a very young age- his mother
sang him Croatian lullabies and his father played in a
brass band
Antonio Smareglia
His family sent him to the Polytechnic school in Vienna, Austria
(then the capital of the Hapsburg Empire) where he fully realized
his interest in music
 Later traveled to Milan, Italy, where he studied privately under the
instruction of conductor and lecturer Franco Faccio
 Accepted into the Conservatory of Milan where he met Arrigo Boito
and began composing Italian operas
 Married Maria (Jetti) Polla and had 5 children, who all inspired him
greatly through love
 Lost his sight later at age 46 due to an unsuccessful operation, but
continued his work by dictating to one of his sons or friends
 Died in the seaside town of Grado, Italy, on April 15, 1929
 His birthplace in Pula now contains a memorial room for the Italian
composer

His Work
Ten of Smeraglia's operas are available, some were not
kept recorded
 The coast was a repeated theme in his life, and
inspired what he claims to be his best work- Oceana (1903)
 His most famous opera was Nozze istriane, or “Istrian
Wedding” (1895)
 Introductions to Acts
1, 2, and 3 of Nozze istriane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_SSpxxOMAg
Similarities to Croatian/Istrian Music






Beginning similar to klapa music, slow and loose rhythm, no
precise beat, similar dramatic stylistic qualities
Both klapa music and the opera involve tenor, bass, baritone
voices
0:58-1:10- comparable to Istrian scale (3:00-3:10 in this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4MMVAl7fFo), somewhat
dissonant, two-toned and in thirds
3:554:18- Similar to certain balun dance music, upbeat lively
rhythm, bright melody, major tonality
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyE4vKxNsbc)
Overall just as the opera score has a variety of shifts in style,
Istria County has several different types of music
Both in honor of the Istrian land of Croatia
Differences




Instruments unique to Croatia, such as the rozenice and the diple,
are utilized
Traditional dancing is involved
Much folk music made for Istrian scale
Sung in Croatian
Performed mostly at local status, shorter songs





Nozze istriane is written for an orchestra
Operatic singing within the rest of the opera tells a story, no dancing
Istrian scale not official in score
Sung in Italian
Performed/conducted often on a stage, 3 acts

Works Cited







http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia#Geography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istria_County
http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/14509814/2007/1450-98140707185M.pdf
http://www.escape.hr/skpu/index.php?opereen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klapa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istrian_scale
http://www.smrikve.com/istria/books/smrikve/istria
n-music/