Abstracts

StubickeToplice
Croatia

13-17 April, 2011

at the invitation of

Institut za etnologiju i folkloristiku

Vilena Vrbanić,
Croatia
vilena.vrbanic@gmail.com

Bagpipes in modern musical practice in Croatia

In Croatia, two basic types of single-reed, double-piped wind instruments are present: diple (or mješnice) and bagpipes (called gajde and dude). Diple, with bellows and without drone pipe, were used in the southern parts of Croatia (Istria and Dalmatia) and their use was continuously present until modern times. In Panonian region (Slavonia and Baranya), bagpipes, with a drone pipe, were used until the late 19th and early 20th century, when they began to fade away from musical practice, being replaced by other instruments, primarily tamburica, or various instrumental ensembles. Besides the fact that bagpipes have accomplished their role in folk musical life, this situation was also a consequence of various social and political factors. Although they have almost completely vanished, bagpipes have confirmed themselves as an instrument with special ability of recovering. Revival movement of Panonian bagpipes in Croatia began from 1990s, but the full blossom was experienced during 2000s. At the present Croatian bagpipe-scene especially noteworthy are activities of Stjepan Večković, player and maker of traditional woodwind instruments in the National Folk Dance Ensemble of Croatia Lado. Thanks to numerous bagpipe-seminars and workshops he is frequently holding, bagpipe-playing is becoming more wide-spread, and there are now many good amateur bagpipe-players. From 2007, Večković is actuator of Center for Croatian traditional instruments, Croatian Bagpipe Orchestra and Croatian Bagpipe Festival. Thanks to him, bagpipes are increasingly present in contemporary musical practice in Croatia and they are present in various musical genres such as ethno, jazz, pop and rock. In this text, contemporary musical practice of Panonian bagpipes is discussed, as well as musicians who play them, their repertoire and occasions where they play (folklore festivals, concerts, television broadcasts).