Due to Croatia’s location, the music of Croatia is a distinct reflection and merging of its neighbors. It is best said that the music of Croatia could be divided into three distinct regions of influence: the Mediterranean Region, the Balkans Region, and Central Europe. The Mediterranean influence on Croatian music may be seen in one type of Folk music in particular, Klapa.
Klapa Croatian Music is greatly revered and treasured by those who live along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. The word derives its meaning from “Klapa” and signifies a group of people. The focal point of Klapa Croatian music is to celebrate the love of country, the sea, wine, and love.
Klapa music emphasizes harmony and involves many members of the group. First tenor, Second Tenor, Baritone and Bass make up the standard Klapa group, however now female Klapa groups are emerging in Croatia.
Featured in festivals, Klapa music has been beloved for many generations. It is very common to hear Klapa music being sung in the streets of the Croatian coast when strolling through town or dining at an outdoor café.
An example of Croatian music that has its origins in the Balkan regions, or is of Balkan influence is Gusle. The Gusle is a single stringed instrument that has been used in Croatia, Serbia, and in the Balkan regions. In some areas of Croatia, the Gusle may have two strings, but typically it has one. The Gusle is played with a bow made from horsehair. It almost resembles the sound of a low-pitched violin.
Gusle music is a style of folk, where the Gusle accompanies epic poetry. Gusle music isn’t revered only in ancient days, either. There are many modern day Gusle musicians that incorporate current political events in their poetry as well. The narrative epic poems are usually quite large, and the vocalist must commit them to memory. The music holds national significance, as it was used in days past as a way of passing down information from generation to generation. When it comes to famous Gusle musicians, there is one that is most notable, Mile Krajina. There are many folk festivals in Croatia year wide, and it is very common to hear Gusle music during these festivals.
Croatian music with Central European influence is plentiful. Tamburitza is a very popular style of Croatian folk music that uses the Tamburitza instrument. The Tamburitza is a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar or a mandolin. There are several types of Tamburitzas that are used. The first is the Bisernica; this is the smallest Tamburitza and has five strings. The second is the Brač. The Brač also has five strings and is slightly larger than the Bisernica, giving it a lower tone. The next type is the Bugarija. The Bugarija is very similar to a guitar but only contains three or four strings. This is often used as a rhythmic or percussion instrument. Like the Bugarija, the Čelo is often played for dyanamics, or the softness of loudness of each note. Finally, the Bajs is the largest sized Tamburitza and is often used to play bass lines.
Tamburitza music often depicts true love or living a happy village life. It became increasingly popular during the 1800’s and is still a mainstream form of Croatian music.
Other forms of popular Croatian folk music include folk music from the Zagorie region and Medimurhe region folk music. Other styles of Croatian music include the blues, classical, pop, rock, new wave or Novi Val, dance, rap, and jazz.
Most of the music forms cross the Croatian border and are enjoyed by neighboring countries. There are many festivals including dance festivals, foklore festivals, and open air festivals.
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