Tales of the River Danube

Contents

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“Sunflower Waltz”

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“Milica Has Long Eyelashes”

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“Watermelon Dance”

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“Piglets in the Blackberry Bush”

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“The Stream”

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“Buttercup Dance”

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“Can’t Wait for Sunday!”

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“The Milky Way”

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“Jelena’s Song”

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“Hats in the Air!”

Notes from the arranger

Dear Harpists,

Welcome to the world of beautiful Balkan music. This book contains a collection of traditional songs and dance tunes from central Serbia and its Northern Province of Vojvodina (Voivodina), arranged for the harp for the first time.

Serbia and the whole Balkan region are known as a crossroads of many different cultures as well as the meeting point between east and west; it has provided the setting for one of the most impressive song and dance traditions in Europe.

Serbia borders Hungary to the north, Romania and Bulgaria to the east, the Republic of Macedonia and Albania to the south, and Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro to the west. Therefore, its traditional music was, and still is, influenced by all the nations of this region. Traditional instrumentation is simple but mesmerizing.

Music has always played a major part in the lives of Balkan people: traditional melodies were sung during work in the fields and, as today, no holiday, Saint’s day, wedding or other celebration could go without song and dance; at village fairs groups from many different villages, complete with their own musicians, would meet to celebrate their joy of life in a swirl of sound and colour.

Branka Crowder