Abstracts

StubickeToplice
Croatia

13-17 April, 2011

at the invitation of

Institut za etnologiju i folkloristiku

Joško Ćaleta,
Croatia
josko@ief.hr

"Re-shaping" of the tradition – Licitarsko srce tamburica collection

Does reshaping of the instrument affect our visual (or acoustical) musical experience?
The paper discusses relationship between shape of the traditional instrument and its acoustical performance, as well as the theme of the traditional instrument as (national) tourist souvenir. On returning home, every traveler tries to obtain something as a keepsake reminiscent of the countries and people visited. A souvenir made by the hands of a master of traditional arts and crafts can stir up vivid memories of culture and history of the visited country and (replicas) of traditional instruments are common trade item. It is a common fact that the base of many private art collections is made up of souvenirs brought from abroad.
Almost two centuries of organized tamburica movement was marked by various transformations. One of them, the process of transformation from traditional soloist instrument to orchestral manufactured instrument, gave craftsmen opportunity to experience with the various instrument shapes. Presently, pear shape and guitar-like shape are two most recognizable shapes while most of the experimental attempts tamburica players never accepted.
The search of the "ideal" shape is still on. This paper presents case of tamburica constructor and craftsman, Marijan Novak from Zagreb, who tried to integrate the shape of the most known Croatian souvenir – Licitarsko srce into the tamburica shape. Novak’s (craftsmen) story vs. prominent tamburica players stories discern different aesthetics towards the tamburica performance praxis rising, and, in the same time, a question of the traditional instrument as souvenir.