types of bulgarian folk songs

Types of Bulgarian Folk SongsAuthor(s): Boris A. KremenlievSource: The Slavonic and East European Review, Vol. 34, No. 83 (Jun., 1956), pp. 355-376Published by: the Modern Humanities Research Association and University College London, School ofSlavonic and East European StudiesStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4204747 .

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Types of

Bulgarian Folk

Songs

BORIS A. KREMENLIEV

Because of the nature of folk art, folk poetry, and folk music in

particular, classification has in many instances hindered rather than

helped the student of folklore. In my experience, the ascription of

Bulgarian folk songs to various types has been a device used for con?

venience of presentation, and I must admit that it is an artificial one

at best.

We have only to imagine a story which deals with a popular hero

like Kfali Marko, for instance; place him in an amorous situation

which is complicated by the presence of a jealous rival, from whose

wrath Marko is saved through his own supernatural strength, and

we find ourselves in serious trouble when we wish to assign this song to any specific category. Naturally, many of the songs drawn from

the annals of each community overlap in a similar fashion. What

determines the classification of a song into any one of the many

types must depend entirely on the specific aspect under consideration

at the time.

'Life and creation, work or entertainment and poetry are in?

separable for the folk,' writes the Bulgarian folklorist Mikhail

Arnaudov in his book, Ocherki po balgarskiya folklor (Sofia, 1934). And indeed, nothing more truly characterises the Bulgarian folk song than this close connection between reality and fiction, between work

and relaxation. Therefore, these universal experiences of the peasant, sad or happy, whether in the personal life of an individual or in the

communal life of the village are all eventually recorded in folk

poetry or song, or in both.

Young men and women sing in the fields and at home, at the how

and at the sedenka, at weddings and at various ceremonies and

celebrations. They sing of love and sorrow, of heroes who lived in

days gone by, of magic and supernatural phenomena, and of family incidents. They sing songs which they learned while they were still

children, and which picture a much brighter future, to relieve the

monotony of rural life.

The peasants sing alone and in groups, either with or without

instrumental accompaniment, and they sing while dancing. In

Bulgarian villages neither the instrumentalist nor the singer is a

professional musician. The girl with a pleasant voice and a good memory usually becomes the leader at any gathering where singing is enjoyed. She is the first to begin, thus establishing pitch and tempo. She knows the entire local repertoire by heart, and has participated



356 THE SLAVONIC REVIEW

in all local events which she has told and retold in song many times; her repertoire remains with her through her entire life. She is

frequently consulted on matters of text or music and thus becomes an

authority on the subject. There have been instances when an entire

community unanimously referred me to the same person for accurate

versions of local songs. In most cases, the local experts are quite

reliable, and their personal 'collection' is really remarkable. Pro?

fessor Arnaudov (op. cit.) mentions women who can sing, 'without any

apparent difficulty, as many as two hundred songs'. A person who possesses such natural gifts may often become the

'professional' musician of the village: he will play for dancing at

weekends and on holidays, at celebrations and weddings. He is

respected for his talent. An indication of his status in the community is found in one of the most popular folk songs in Bulgaria.

j^xamplel Kcwy AA At? AAA?'

Vivo

pu ^ tr. ir, t*

* i>J) > in a

Wy-AM--flA CE. A1M-J7A A1A-MA Ko-Aty A* M? A^'AE?

<jh y > hi JUi

jj) jo M.

I,/? *E A*-AE 3A Stt-KAA-HE, /? &A-KAA-1E. HEH-KAM.

f> J) J1 > 1) IO h l) JO > li' ^

Ba- KAJ1-WE ? KA-KO TAy-WEi; OT BPE-Kfl HA BPE-Kfl.

HOMY #A ME #A#E

Hyjnuia ce MHjia MaMa

KOMy fl;a Me âfl;e ?2

,H,a Me tfajje 3a Sanajiê, h 6aKajrae hghkhm ! Eanajine e Kano rjiyineri ot BpeKH Ha BpeKH.

JH& Me ftaê Ha âcnajiqe, a âcKajrae hghkhm !

âcKajine e Kano Kyê ott> cejio Ha cejio.

TO WHOM TO BETROTH ME

My dear mother wondered To whom to betroth me. To betroth me to a grocer? I want no grocer! The grocer hops like a rat From sack to sack.

To betroth me to a teacher? I want no teacher! The teacher goes like a dog From village to village.

1 Boris A. Kremenliev, Bulgarian-Macedonian Folk Music, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1952, pp. 142-3. This is a Macedonian song, sung by a woman from Skopje, Yugoslavia. 2 The couplet is repeated before each stanza. Also note that Bulgarian spelling is used throughout.



TYPES OF BULGARIAN FOLK SONGS

/Ja Me ftajje 3a MancTopê, h MaftcTopne HeiiKflM !

MancTopne e nano neTJie

ott> rpeâ Ha rpeâ.

,?,& Me âê 3a puSapqe, h pwSapqe HeteflM !

Pn6ap*ie e Kano npanne Hajj Boâ ? noA BO.ua.

,Ha Me Aa,n;e 3a raHâpHe fl raHftapne caKaM !

Oh ne CBHpH, A ne nrpaM ?

ne ce noro^HMe !

357

To betroth me to a builder? I want no builder! The builder hops like a rooster, From rafter to rafter.

To betroth me to a fisherman? I want no fisherman! The fisherman is like a carp Under water, over water.

To betroth me to a piper? I want a piper! He will play, and I shall dance, And we shall get on famously.

II

How exactly does a folk song originate? While a detailed examina?

tion of this subject would be rather out of place in the present article, a brief mention of the various theories might prove instructive.

Carl Stumpf3 believes that music begins with signal calls used by

primitive peoples for the purpose of communication, and Karl

Briicher4 maintains that music originated as accompaniment to

bodily movement. The theory of communal authorship preoccupied A. W. Schlegel and the Grimm brothers. F. B. Gummere and G. L.

Kittridge also subscribe to this theory, whereas such authorities as

Louise Pound and John Meier find it absurd.

Sir Hubert Parry, Cecil Sharp and Ralph Vaughan-Williams all

agree that somewhere, at one stage, there was a poet-singer who

composed a song and sang it to his friends and neighbours. They in

turn would sing it, making certain changes for one reason or another, and thus we have the beginning of a folk song.

Ivan Kamburov,5 the Bulgarian musicologist, believes that a folk

singer, the most likely person to be given credit for originating a song, is essentially a singer of old, already existing tunes; he makes use of

their rhythmic and melodic forms in order to create new ones. In

many instances, according to Kamburov, what is considered a new

song is only an adaptation of a new text to an old melody, or a new

melody to an old text whose melody has either been forgotten or

become commonplace. In Bulgarian villages every event of importance is usually recorded

in songs created specially for the occasion. Touched off by grief or

3 Die Anfarge der Musik, Leipzig, 1911, pp. 23-4. 4 Arbeit und Rhythmus, Leipzig, 1924, p. 17. 5 Balgarskata muzika, minah i sdvremennost (Varna, 1926).




happiness, the song may easily start as an improvisation that is sung over and over again by those present and later passed on to others at

the koro, thus eventually becoming the property of the entire com?

munity. It must be borne in mind that Bulgaria was under foreign domina?

tion for many centuries, and that the political and spiritual sub?

jugation that resulted could not but leave a strong impress on

Bulgarian folk art. Long before the nation was formed, hordes of

Slavs who crossed the Carpathian mountains during the first century of the Christian era brought into this area a culture of their own, which was superimposed on the native culture. Like most primitive

peoples, they had a superstitious faith in the power of sound and

a mythology rich in nymphs, wood-sprites and the like. It is not

strange, therefore, to find that myth and fantasy, ritual and legend have influenced Bulgarian folk music. This music is monodic, with

strong diatonic foundations. The melodies are short, often mono?

tonous, and more often than not of limited ambitus?a feature which

they share with the music of primitive peoples in general. What makes Bulgarian music different from the music of other

European countries and from even its closest ethnic neighbours, is

the wealth of rhythmic and metrical variation.6

The survey which I made for my recent book brought me in con?

tact with some twelve thousand folk-tunes, many collected personally over a period of approximately a quarter of a century. As the problem of classification for the purpose of analysis gradually crystallised, the

following main types of Bulgarian folk songs emerged?songs of

everyday experience, songs relating to the supernatural and songs of

the past.

III

1. Songs of Everyday Experience

Here all types of personal, family and communal experience are

included?experiences which follow the individual from the cradle to the grave. Engagements, weddings, holidays and festivities are all commemorated in songs, in which the social and spiritual develop? ment of the nation is reflected. These are subjective expressions, mirroring life itself?a life of toil and childlike play, of joy and sorrow.

6 Asymmetrical metres, little known and understood by Western musicians, consist of such metrical combinations as 5, 7, 9 and 13 basic units in each measure. Unlike con? ventional music, in which the various smaller units within the measure are obtained by division (whole, half, quarter notes), the designs in asymmetric metres are obtained by addition. To the basic two units is added one more, to obtain a lengthened unit (2+1=3), which then serves as a second unit with which the first alternates thus: 5/8(2 + 3) or (3 + 2), 7/8(2 + 2 + 3), 8/8(3 + 2 + 3), 9/8(2 + 2 + 2 + 3), etc.



TYPES OF BULGARIAN FOLK SONGS 359

(a) Love Songs

As is the case in other countries, in Bulgaria too the love songs are

more numerous than those of any other category. Many of them deal

with kidnapping, bribery and suicide pacts. The interference of

parents is a favourite theme.

BEKVIYA

(Sung by Naum Tsilev of Konomladi, Kostur)7

For nine long years, Tsena, pretty maiden, I have been coming to your inn; I have spoken not one word to you, Nor cast a single glance your way. Have you asked your mother, pretty Tsena, If she will give me your fair hand??

No, young man, I haven't asked her, but I Overheard my parents talking. 'Why don't we give our Tsenka to Georgi?' I heard my mother ask one evening. 'Even if we had nine daughters,' said my father, 'Even if we had so many, There would be none for that fool Georgi, For he is too much of a drunkard.'

The metre is most unusual: it consists of two groups? 9/16(2 +2 +2 +3) +5/16(2 +3), for a total of 14/16. The pattern has resulted from the stress of the words, the qualitative accent falling on

syllables that are strong in speech. As is common in Bulgarian folk music the setting is verbal.

Eloping and kidnapping take place periodically in Bulgarian villages, either as a result of the impatience of the young couple or as a protest against parental interference. Here is a detailed account of such a plot to kidnap a girl:

Dyalko told his mother: 'I am going, Mother dear, Going to the Inzhas plains, On the shores of the blue Aegean, There to tend my flocks alone.5

'Dyalko, my son, Dyalko dearest, Do not go so far away, For who'll care for you there?' 'Mother dear,' replied Dyalko, 'Father can bring me what I need.'

7 Yosif Cheshmedzhiev, Balgarski-makedonskipesni, Sofia, 1926, p. 40. While drinking has always been an everyday phenomenon in the life of the Bulgarian peasant, moderation has been the guiding unwritten law. Tsena's parents, therefore, show just concern in their objections to a marriage between their daughter and a young man who indulges in excessive drinking.




Dyalko left for the big wide plains And tended sheep for many days, For many days, for many months.

Six months rolled by, Easter approached, And Dyalko's friends came down to see him.

'Let's go, Dyalko, go together To the village of Hadzhilar And celebrate a happy Easter.'

Dyalko left his flock behind And joined his friends to celebrate. In the village they were dancing; Maidens danced at Rusa's home. At noon Dyalko's mother arrived, And Dyalko asked her: 'Mother dear, have you seen her, Have you seen that pretty Rusa?'

'Yes, I saw her, son. She's pretty, But you can't have her, For her family won't consent, Since we live too far away and are strangers in this village.' In a low voice Dyalko answered: 'It doesn't matter what they think, Mother, I shall have her just the same.' As it grew dark, Dyalko called at Rusa's house,

Asking through the gate for Rusa. 'She's not here,' came the answer. 'She's gone to see her aunt.'

Dyalko angrily departed and Went next day to Georgi's shop. 'Bring me wine,' he said firmly, 'Bring me wine, strong red wine. I will drink till I am drunk, For I'm about to kidnap Rusa.'

Georgi argued, Georgi reasoned:

'Listen, Dyalko, forget Rusa, She is much too young to marry.' Dyalko paid no heed and left for Rusa's house. He met Rusa, pretty Rusa, And took her hand in his own. 'Please let me go, Dyalko, Please let me go,' she begged, 'Go and ask my mother If she'll let me marry you.' 'Come Rusa dear, come with me now; I have her consent already.' 'Please let me go, Dyalko,' Rusa pleaded, ' Let me go and put on my newest dress,




My new bridal dress, Then I'll come with you.' 'Come with me, Rusa, Come with me now; I like you as well In everyday clothes.' The young couple was still talking When the angry villagers rushed up, Firing pistols, firing rifles. The whole village came, And the last shot that was fired Hit and wounded young Dyalko. Dyalko cried out: 'Is it not a pity, Rusa, That I should die so young?'8

(b) Songs for Engagements

Long engagements are not customary in Bulgaria; therefore

engagements are frequently announced and celebrated during the

week which precedes the wedding. The young couple shops for the

bride's wedding apparel, for which the groom pays, and takes home with him until that evening, when a group of friends accompany him to the home of the prospective bride.

ENGAGEMENT GUESTS9

I have guests this evening, Guests for the engagement. Many guests have entered Chorbadzhi Vutya's house.

Vutya is not at home, Nor is Vutya's good wife; Only two young maidens And the pretty young bride. The young maidens took flight, But the bride called them back: 'Please come back, kalino,10 Please come back, malino.

They are not bad people, But guests for the party, Guests for the engagement.'

Engagements and weddings take place during the winter months, when activities centre round the village and the home, the work in

8 Vasil Stoin, Balgarski narodni pesni ot iztochna i zapadna Trakiya, Sofia, 1939, pp. 80-1, no.743. 9 V. Stoin, Narodna pesnopoyka, Sofia, 1930, p. 84. 10 Kalino and malino are not germane to the text; they are inserted for metrical reasons only. The melody is in 8/16(3 + 2 + 3) and consists of three three-measure phrases with an extension after the second to make a ten-measure period.




fields having been completed. Songs which follow the various phases of the celebration differ from one district to another, but in most

instances an entire cycle of traditional songs is sung. It is interesting to note that the number nine appears again and

again in Bulgarian folk poetry. In the story of Petkana, who had

nine brothers, we have an example of songs that are strictly engage? ment songs.

A MOTHER RAISED NINE SONS

A mother raised nine sons, And she loved all nine dearly, But she had only one daughter; Whose name was Petkana, Who had admirers from near and far.

They came from nearby towns And they came from far-off cities, And they all asked for Petkana's hand. But Petkana's mother refused them all. Last night people came from Chernomenovo, But again her mother refused them, For they lived too far away.

(c) Wedding Songs

Since wedding customs follow local patterns, wedding songs differ

in the various districts of Bulgaria. The wedding ceremonies last

several days, so that there are occasions for a great many songs to be

sung. These are among the most colourful of all Bulgarian folk tunes.

Wedding cycles sometimes contain as many as thirty to forty songs. The wedding ceremony itself takes place on a Sunday. On the

Wednesday before the wedding, friends of the bride take flowers to her home, singing on the way:

'There is a green walnut tree, Elka, young maiden, And it spreads its branches as it sways. Under the tree there are young men, Saddling their horses, Preparing to depart For a distant wedding.'

On the Friday before the wedding, as the unleavened bread is

prepared: White hands knead the white dough, But it takes even whiter hands to finish it.11

Another song, which is sung on the same day, reflects the sadness which the bride experiences on this occasion:

11 V. Stoin, Ot Timok do Vita, Sofia, 1928, p. 134, no. 569.




The bright sun is up already, And shines on the Holy Mountains, On the Holy Mountains, on the Holy Monastery. But there is one tree which it does not shine on, And under the tree are Rada and Khristo.

Rada is in tears, as Khristo consoles her:

'Shed no tears, Rada dear; Come with me, not to be a servant, Come with me to be my queen.'12

And on Saturday, as they dress the bride's hair, we are told:

Neda rose early in the morning,

Early on Saturday morning. She washed her face and

Spread the brightest carpet, And sat to have her hair braided As she faced the morning sun. Neda's friends saw her shed tears And heard her weep softly as she prayed: 'Lord in heaven, let my happiness Last just one more day, So that I may enjoy the farmyard And my parents' spacious house; So that I may take a last stroll

Through my father's own grounds, For tomorrow is Holy Sunday. At my mother-in-law's new home There are also spacious grounds, There are also spacious grounds, But they are not my father's.'13

Numerous songs are designed for specific activities on Sunday, the

day of the wedding. Some are sung as the brother of the bride is

being dressed up in his finery, others are intended for the different

phases of the wedding procession. On the way to church on Sunday we may hear this:

Two pine trees have grown In my little garden. Said the older pine-tree: T hope you grow taller, So that we'll grow tall together, So that our roots will grow together, So that our branches will twine together.' The smaller pine-tree lamented: 'I can grow no taller, Because of my step-mother,

12 V. Stoin, op. cit., p. 134, no. 571. 13 Ibid., p. 143, no. 613.




Who comes home late at night And waters my roots With boiling water, And breaks my tender branches. You have your real mother, Who comes to see you early in the morning, And waters your roots with cold water, And straightens your tender branches.'14

Other songs are sung in front of the church, on the way to the

groom's home, during the gift-giving ceremonies, as hosts and guests are seated at the banquetting table, and finally as the guests depart. These are all songs of gaiety and well-wishing, although for the bride

and her immediate family there are undertones of sadness. Her loss

will be felt, not only as a beloved member of the family but also as

one of the most useful workers. It is the young girl of marriageable

age who helps with the younger children, keeps house, cooks and

works in the fields as well. Her role in her newly-acquired home is

the same. The young bride will assume all responsibility for the new

household, which in most instances includes the husband's parents.

(d) Christmas Carols

Christmas, one of the happiest of all Bulgarian holidays, is

celebrated for several days. Long before the holiday arrives how?

ever the young people gather to rehearse traditional carols. There are many song cycles for this season, dealing often with specific situations, such as songs which are sung for the host or hostess of a

party, for a shepherd, or for a bachelor. In all cases the songs are

happy and wish health and prosperity to the persons to whom they are sung.

While a certain number of carols are of a religious nature, very few dwell on the nativity. The carol which follows belongs to that rare category. It deals with the birth as well as the baptism of Christ. Here is a peasant account of what was happening in Bethlehem:

What is it that thunders and shakes the earth so? Is it a fire raging in the forest, Or is it a monster destroying the grove? It is neither a fire raging in the forest Nor a monster destroying the grove; It is rather the mother of Jesus, Giving birth to a son.

After the birth of Christ the Child, She searched for someone To perform the baptismal rites.

14 V. Stoin, op. cit., p. 159, no. 688.




On the way she met St Basil. 'Will you baptise Christ the child?'

'Keep on going, Divine Mother, For St John the Baptist follows; He baptised the earth and heaven, He will baptise your son too.'

John the Baptist took the young child, Held him by his soft fair hair, And submerged him in the Danube As he sang a song of praise.

(e) Songs for a Time of Drought

During the months of May and June, when the country is

threatened by drought, the peasants sing and pray for rain. In some

parts of Bulgaria a young girl is covered with greenery and is led by her friends from house to house. The 'butterfly', as she is called, dances while her companions sing. A member of the household then comes out and pours water over the head of the young dancer, while the hostess distributes gifts to the group.

PRAYER FOR RAIN15

'Almighty have mercy, Christ, bring us, O God, Christ, dark clouds, Christ, drizzling rain, Christ, to sprinkle, Christ, the wide fields; Christ, the white cornfields, Christ, the white wheatfields, Christ, the red vineyards, Christ, the green meadows.'

(/) Songs of Hospitality

Like all other nations, the Bulgarians are proud of their hospitality, which they consider as a national characteristic. The songs under this heading are called in Bulgarian 'songs for the dining table5, because that is where they are usually sung. They reflect a spirit of welcome and warmth that is customarily extended to every guest.

'Tell me, Stoyan, my son Stoyan, Is our house so attractive, With grounds like no one else's, That so many people come to see us?' 'It is not the house, Mother, For it is a building like the others;

15 V. Stoin, op. cit., p. 196, no. 846




It is not the grounds either, For they too are like the others;

They all come to see us, Mother, For they know that we like people And that our home is theirs.'

(g) Songs about Nature

Nature has been kind to the Bulgarians: they make their living by

cultivating the soil; and in times of national distress, the mountains

have provided refuge to the men and women who could no longer stand the oppressor and formed guerrilla bands?the bands whose

heroic exploits occupy an almost sacred place in the hearts of the

people. In folk poetry, therefore, nature is treated very sentimentally and personally?rivers and mountains not only talk but possess human and often superhuman qualities.

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Byjina BtpBM, SyjiKa bt>pbh Yipes ropa 3ejieHa. KaTO BtpBH, KaTO BtpBH JKajiHO, MMJiHO njiane : ? IlJiaHH ropo, njiaqn cecTpo, T^saivia aa iuiaêMe, Th 3a tbomto jiwcTe, ropo, A3 3a MOHTa MJiaÔCT. Tbohto jincTe, ropo cecTpo, Gnana ocJiaHHJio, Monro JinGe, ropo cecTpo, Jâjie^ 3a6ernaJio,

THE BRIDE AND THE FOREST

The bride wanders, the bride wanders

Through the green forest. As she wanders, as she wanders, She weeps sadly and softly. 'Weep, forest, weep, sister, Let us weep together? You for your leaves, forest; I for my girlhood. The frost, forest, sister, Has bitten your leaves;

My lover, forest, sister; Has ridden far away,

16 B. A. Kremenliev, op. cit., pp. 123-4. Note the asymmetrical metre, viz. 9/8(2 + 2 + 2 + 3), in which each measure has four beats, unlike the usual measure of 9/8(3 + 3 + 3) where it has only three. This type of metrical design is easily conducted as 4*.




^ajien 3a6erHaJio Has ridden far away

IIpe3 fleBeT nJiaHHHH, Across nine big forests,

IIpe3 fleBeT nJiaHHHH, Mateo, Across nine big forests, mother,

IIpe3 fleBeT SajiKaHa. Across nine big mountains.

TBOfrro JiHCTe, ropo cecTpo, Your leaves, forest, sister, IlaK me fla ce Btpiie, Shall come back again,

IIpoJieT me fla flOHfle, ropo, The spring shall come, forest, lian me fla nonapa, And shall put out leaves; Mo toa MJia^ocT, ropo cecTpo, My youth, forest, sister, HeMa fla ce Bi>pHe. Will never come back.'

(k) Humorous Songs

Since the humorous songs aim at relieving the drudgery of

agricultural labour, it is only natural that many of the songs for this

purpose should have work as their central theme.

HOW PEPPER IS GROUND17

Get up, young men, young men, With jaunty hats, jaunty hats, Let's grind black pepper, black pepper.

How does one grind black pepper? With the right knee.

Sit down, young men, Let's grind black pepper. Better get up young men With jaunty hats. Let's grind black pepper.

How does one grind black pepper? With the left knee.

Sit down young men, Let's grind black pepper. Better get up, young men With jaunty hats, Let's grind black pepper.

How does one grind black pepper? By knocking with foreheads.

Lie down, young men, Let's grind black pepper. Better get up, young men With jaunty hats. Let's grind black pepper.

How does one grind black pepper? By bumping with backs.

Lie down, young men, Let's grind black pepper. Better get up, young men, etc.

17 Stoyan Dzhudzhev, Bdlgarska khoreografiya, Sofia, 1945, pp. 72-3. The phrases 'young men', 'jaunty hats' and 'black pepper' are repeated with each stanza.




This song accompanies a comic dance, which is danced only by men. Here is a description of the dance, in Dzhudzhev's words:

'As the song is being sung, a row of men, holding hands, begin to

dance. The leader of the group holds a handkerchief which has been

tightly twisted into a club, and which he uses generously to hit those who

make a mistake or are late in following the game. The dance then calls

for kneeling on one knee, while hitting the ground with the other; then

with the forehead, with the back, and with various parts of the body_'

(i) Work Songs

Bulgarians make work more pleasant by accompanying it with

song. Thus folk songs are sung at spinning parties and working bees

as well as out in the fields. Work songs, therefore, fall into two cate?

gories?those which are sung indoors and those which are sung out

of doors.

a. Work Songs Accompanying Indoor Activities

These folk tunes may belong to almost any category, although the

ones with the elements of love and humour predominate, because it is

the younger generation that usually attends working bees and spin?

ning parties. It is not at all unusual to hear a group of youths and

girls making up songs for certain persons present, about a recent

event of an unusual nature, or about current gossip which involves

courtship of couples in the neighbourhood. In this manner, many a

folk song might have had its beginning.

p. Songs Sung Out of Doors.

Here we find songs for berry-picking, harvesting, hoeing and so

on. By far the most interesting of all work songs are those sung at

harvest time. In most instances, the words are bright and gay, and

the melodies richly decorated. Songs which deal with similar subject- matter have been grouped in song cycles, and many excellent

examples appear in such collections as those of Ivan Kamburov, Raina Katsarova and Vasil Stoin.

The harvest songs may be still further subdivided into the follow?

ing groups?those sung early in the morning on the way to work, those sung at the midday-rest period, and finally the songs sung in

the evening. The subject-matter frequently deals with such obvious

phenomena as sunrise in the morning, or sunset and the stars in the

evening, as in the beautiful short song, Divine Star.

DIVINE STAR18

It is the divine star That appears the earliest, That appears the earliest, And is the last to set.

18 B. A. Kremenliev, op. cit., p. 128.




(j) Children's Songs

By comparison with songs that belong to the religious, heroic or

work categories, for instance, children's songs are relatively few.

However, none are more personal and tender than the lullaby:

Nani, nani, Mother's little baby; Slumber, come from deepest forest, Take my Tsochko by his small hand,

Lead him with you to the forest, Cradle him in forest grasses, Cradle him in forest grasses,

Cover him with warmest fern-leaves, While I rock him, gently singing, swinging, singing, Nani, nani, Mother's little baby.19

There are many other songs that deal with mother-child relation?

ships, father and child, sister and brother. Vasil Stoin has grouped them together under one heading, which covers practically all aspects of family life.20

2. Songs of the Supernatural

As mentioned previously, Bulgarian folklore is rich in stories con?

cerning water-nymphs, fairies, witches and the like. Others deal with

deification of mountains and rivers; still others, with magic. There is

a song sung at Christmas, which speaks for itself:

At the sedenka one night And at the well the morning after A reckless yunak boasted To the women and the maidens That he owned a flying horse, Which could circle the world in one day And could fly to heaven and back in a night; That the horse was priceless And that it was much faster than the sun. When the sun heard this, It sent two stars to fetch the young man. 'To settle this,' the sun declared, 'We must have a race; Should you win, you may wed

My own beautiful sister. Should I win, then I will take Your flying horse for my own.'

19 Ibid., p. 129. 20 V. Stoin, Balgarski narodnipesni ot iztochna i zapadna Trakiya, Sofia, 1939, pp. 313-411. Here the author has included some 234 examples of the following additional categories, viz. for sister-in-law, aunt, widow, orphans, mother-in-law, childless parents, family members in debt, pretty and plain brides, a newly-married man becoming a soldier, sick father and mother and, finally, for unsuccessful marriage.




The reckless yunak went back home And gave his horse some oats; He gave him oats and gave him hay And even red wine to drink. He put a blue saddle on his horse, then Girthed it with the brightest girths And used a bridle made of gold. The sun had barely left the east When the young man reached mid-day; The sun had hardly crossed high noon, When the young man reached eventide; He stopped to rest under a chestnut tree And soon was fast asleep. His flying horse woke him early To tell him that the sun was gaining. 'Cover your dark eyes with a blue kerchief And climb on my back quickly, Then I will leap and fly with you From earth to sky and reach the west first.' He reached the west before the sun, And married the sun's own pretty sister.21

Similar superhuman achievements are ascribed to many of the

national heroes, about whom there are a great many songs dating back to the end of the 14th century. Such heroes as Krali Marko, Monchil Voyvoda, Debel Novak and many others are reported to

have performed incredible exploits that capture the imagination of the oppressed peasant and fire his national consciousness. These

exploits, therefore, belong in many instances as much to the category of the supernatural as to the historic group.

No less interesting, with its element of the miraculous and the

sensational, is the ballad, one of the oldest forms of folk literature in

Bulgaria.22 The theme of Manoil, the master-builder, is similar to that of stories that exist in the folklore of England, France, Rumania, Greece, Germany and other countries.

Many times has Manoil built the bridge on the outskirts of the

village, and as many times have the swollen waters washed it away. For

many months the two hundred men helping Manoil have been waging a losing battle. All else having failed, they resort to the only known

solution; they will bury a person alive in the foundation, and the bridge will then stand fast. The desperate measure is approved by the gang, and it is decided that the woman to arrive first with her husband's

21 V. Stoin, Narodna pesnopayka, Sofia, 1930, p. 55. 22 In his book, Narodni baladi (Sofia, 1937), Tsvetko Nikolov divides Bulgarian ballads into five groups, viz. ballads about the sun, ballads about nymphs and fairies, ballads about dragons, ballads about immuring human beings in the foundations of buildings, and ballads about changing people into birds or animals.




lunch on the following Monday shall be the victim. Each of the workers tells his wife of the scheme, except the honest Manoil. His wife, then, is buried alive and, according to the legend, the bridge still stands.

The story is typical of the traditional, naive attitude of the peasant confronted with powers he can neither control nor understand. Like other ballads, Manoil the Master-builder is compactly constructed and

events take place with great rapidity in order to strengthen the unusual emotional impact.

More numerous than any other type of ballad are those dealing with nymphs and fairies. They generally revolve round work and

episodes on the farm. The nymphs themselves live in the fields, the forests and the mountains of Bulgaria. Dressed in transparent white

robes, they either fly or ride on wild animals, gather at the 'nymph's well', dance weird, wild dances, and laugh with unearthly laughter that can be heard for miles during the night hours. In most instances, the nymphs are friendly and helpful, as is the case with the nymph who inhabits the Pirin Mountains.23

THE PIRIN NYMPH24

A mother asked her son one day: 'Stoyan, my son, what worries you? Is it your flock that is not well, Or have your friends betrayed you?' Replied Stoyan to his mother:

'Mother, dear old Mother, There is nothing wrong with my friends And nothing wrong with my herd; What worries me is a maiden Who visits me every morning and evening. She does my washing And cleans my house, And says only two words to me: "If you marry me, young shepherd, I will make you a rich man, And a rich man you shall remain."'

Stoyan's mother then advised him:

'Why don't you ask her who she is And where she comes from?' 'I have already asked her, Mother. She says she comes from far away, Far away, from the Pirin Mountains, Where she is the daughter Of the Mountain King.'

23 The Pirin Mountains, in the south-western part of Bulgaria, overlooking the Razlog valley, are covered with huge pine-forests, have high summits, deep valleys and numerous glacier-lakes. The mountains have been described in Bulgarian folklore as the refuge of rebels during the Turkish occupation. 24 V. Stoin, op. cit., p. 8, no. 17.




However, not all nymphs are so obliging. Frequently they display such negative human qualities as jealousy of a man because of his

strength and of a woman because of her beauty. They also have been

known to cherish resentment towards the entire human race, on

occasion punishing whole communities indiscriminately by depriving

them, for instance, of drinking water.

3. Songs of the Past.

The record of Bulgarian history, so far as song is concerned, goes back to the 14th century, when the Turks occupied Bulgaria. Thus, nationalism is seen to have manifested itself during the period when

national freedom had ceased to exist.

Many of the songs in this group tell of specific events, some with a

certain degree of historical accuracy, others with none. Here we find

three distinct divisions?songs dealing mainly with an historic sub?

ject, songs about known heroes, and hayduk25 songs. Of the historical songs, those which record the actions of famous

Bulgarian rulers seem to be the favourites. Others depict specific

events, such as 'The Siege of Pleven5, 'The Battle of Madzhar Moun?

tain', 'The Fall of Budim City5. Occasionally the characters are

merely identified as 'the king's son5, 'the king's daughter5, and so on,

although concrete circumstances may be related. On the other hand, an occurrence difficult to place accurately in history might be as?

cribed to an actual, well-known figure, as is the case with a song about Tsar Ivan Shishman.

L(ap MBaH HInuiMaH

Ot Kan ce e, Mnjia moh MaiiKO jie, 3opa 3a3opmia, Ot Tora3 e BoHCKa 3aBT>pBHJia. KOH RO KOHH, K)HaK flo K)HaKa. CaSjiHTe hm KaTO hcho cjn>HH;e, MtyKApaii.H hm KaTO n>cTa ropa. BoiiBO^a hm GaM uap HBaH ninniMaH.

OTroBapn CaM nap HBaH IHnniMaH :

TSAR ivan shishman26

This is how it is,

My dear Mother, The day has broken, And ever since then Armies have been marching. Horse after horse, Tunak after yunak. Their swords are shining Like the bright sun, Their rifles are Like a thick forest. Their leader is Tsar Ivan Shishman himself. And he prays, Tsar Ivan Shishman himself:

25 The hayduk was not a brigand and a thief, as idiomatic usage frequently implies; the word means to the peasant rather a hero who took to the mountains and for years represented the only organised resistance to the oppressors. The hayduk, then, was a liberator and a true friend of the people. 26 V. Stoin, Narodna pesnopayka, p. 19, no. 11.




? Bo>Ke chjihh, God Almighty, Borne Cb3flaTeJibO, God, Creator, IIoMorHH mh Give me strength Cbc CHJia h ct lOHauiCTBO, And give me courage, ^a ce 6neM So that I may go to battle Ha Co<})HftCKO nojie, On the plains round Sofia,

^a npocjiaBHM To exalt

XpHCTHflHCKa Bflpa. The Christian faith.

Such songs as The Capture of Malta', 'Tsar Murad and Mara', The End of King Constantine's Kingdom' and 'War in Three King? doms' all belong to the group of historic songs.

The hayduk emerged in the darkest hour of Bulgarian subjugation as a symbol of courage and hope. The many songs that recount the

plight of the outlaw generally place him in his characteristic sur?

roundings, occupied with plans of coming conflict or romance under

the most dangerous conditions, with daring escapes and, very often,

tragic endings. In all cases the integrity and dedication of the hayduk remains beyond reproach.

THE SONG OF THE HAYDUK27

'We must leave the forest, Kolyo, And return to our homes; For our very dear mothers Are waiting our return, Anxiously scanning the mountainous roads, Anxiously asking travellers for news.'

?'Wait, my friends, my brave friends, Let us stay and carry on; The stars above have now become Our mothers.' 'We must leave the forest, Kolyo, And return to our homes; Our brides have been waiting For us to return.'

?'Wait, my friends, my brave friends, Let us stay and carry on; The slender rifles have now become Our brides.' 'We must leave the forest, Kolyo, And return to our homes; Our little children have been waiting For us to return.'

?'Wait, my friends, my brave friends, Let us stay and carry on; The slender bullets have now become

27 V. Stoin, Balgarski narodni pesni ot iztochna i zapadna Trakiya, p. 141, no. 328. D




Our little children. Wherever we send them,

They advance our cause.5

But the hero of all heroes still remains Krali Marko. The numerous

fantastic accounts of his exploits appear in all parts of Bulgaria, and

there are complete song cycles in that group. Krali Marko, claimed as their own by Bulgarians and Serbians

alike, has been established as a historic figure. According to Enyu Nikolov, Marko was born in Prilep, Macedonia, c. 1335. His father, a landowner, was married to a relative of the Serbian queen, Elena, the sister of Ivan Alexander. There is a record of Marko5s having

appeared on the scene in 1361 as a representative of the Serbian

king, Uros, and later, after his father's death, of his having governed

independently the district of Prilep. There are even references to

indicate that Marko was recognised as King of Macedonia.2 8 After

many conflicts with the Turks and other enemies, he was finally forced into submission to the superior might of the Sultan (1380-

1385).29 Most of the songs which tell of Marko5s exploits come from south?

western Bulgaria. There are approximately two hundred such songs,

although many are variants of the same subject. Tunah Marko is one of these songs. Although it is rather moderate in comparison with the usual claims concerning Marko5s achievements, it does give an idea of the kind of company he kept.

YUNAK MARKO30

Marko's mother set forth

Through the beautiful fields of the Vlakhs In search ofyunak Marko. First she met the bright sun, And meeting him, she said:

'Greetings, bright sun! From your early rising at daybreak Till you are gone at dusk, Did you not see Marko, My son, yunak Marko?' But the bright sun replied thus:

'No, I didn't, Marko's mother! I did not ste yunak Marko; But my brother follows closely, He is the bright moon, he is my brother; You may ask him.5 So she met him, and she asked him:

'Greetings, bright moon! 28 Stavro Skendi, Albanian and South Slavic Oral Epic Poetry, Philadelphia, 1954, p. 40. 29 Enyu Nikolov, Krali Marko, Sofia, 1938, p. 3. 30 Ibid., p. 28.




From your rising late at bedtime

Till you are gone at dawn, Did you not see Marko,

My son, yunak Marko?' But the bright moon replied thus:

'No, I didn't, Marko's mother, I did not see.yunak Marko; But my sister follows closely, She is the tender dawn, she is my dear sister; You may ask her.' Marko's mother met the dawn then, Met the dawn and asked her:

'Greetings, Dawn, graceful Dawn! From your early rise at daybreak Till you are gone before noon, Did you not see Marko,

My son, yunak Marko?' But the bright dawn replied thus: 'He is fighting the Turks now: When the Turks smite Marko Earth and Heaven tremble; When Marko smites the Turks, Earth and forests tremble.'

IV

It is not easy to cover all types of Bulgarian folk songs within the

compass of this brief survey, especially as the Bulgarian creative out?

put represents a particularly complex phenomenon in face of con?

flicting forces which have exerted an influence on the life-patterns of

the Bulgarian peasant. A comprehensive study of the folklore of

Bulgaria, therefore, is not an easy one. The study of folk music in

particular is a comparatively recent development. Scientific re?

search in this area did not begin until the turn of the century. Since

then however the quantity of collected material has steadily grown and scientific methods have in recent years brought before the Bul?

garian reading public numerous collections of outstanding scholarship. To the Western student of folklore however the music of the

Bulgarian people still remains obscure; first, because the collections

mentioned are accessible only to those who read the language and,

secondly, because whatever has been made available in other lan?

guages presents metrical complexities which are entirely unfamiliar. But with a newer concept of time and metre, such contemporary

composers as Bartok, Stravinsky and Milhaud have somewhat

narrowed the gap, so that it may be safely predicted that in the future




the strange metrical patterns of Bulgarian folk music will become

more familiar to Western musicians.

Anthropological, historical and linguistic research will also aid

in the presentation of a more accurate picture of the place of Bul?

garian folklore in the general culture of the entire Slavonic group. If this is to be achieved, many collections of Bulgarian folk music

must be made available to the Western scholar and reader. I feel

confident that not only musicologists and folklorists will profit by a

closer study of the material, but also that composers will find new

sources of rhythmic and metrical wealth in musical forms that up to

the present time have remained entirely Bulgarian.



types of bulgarian folk songs

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