Operne produkcije v beograjskem Narodnem gledališču na začetku 20. stoletja med političnim rivalstvom in spornimi kulturnimi strategijami

One of the most intricate problems of Serbian culture at the beginning of the 20th century referred to the attempts to establish a separate Opera branch of the National Theatre in Belgrade. Polemics about whether the Theatre should cultivate spoken drama only, or both drama and opera as well, contributed to the arising of the “opera question”, a complex issue affected by aesthetic, political, social and economic agents. The “opera question” resulted in discontinuities in improvements of musical ensemble and opera performances of the time, being resolved only later, in restructuring of the Belgrade National Theatre after the First World War (branches of Drama and Opera in 1920, and of Ballet in 1923). I focus my attention on a set of behind-the-scene aspects of opera productions of the National Theatre at the beginning of the 20th century in order to define different, but mutually intertwined agents of the postponed reorganisation of this institution. My main aim is to show that 1) the political and cultural rivalry of leading intellectuals of this institution, and 2) the weak positions of musical representatives in the distribution of power at the National Theatre were crucial in different attempts to establish a separate Opera branch in the Theatre. In this context I illuminate the historical circumstances as well as peculiarities in the field of Serbian music. I place attention on frequent changes of the management staff whose representatives, being active in both the political and cultural fields, showed inconsistency between their ideological and artistic intentions. Contesting programme policies and struggles for power inside the Theatre determined discontinuity of musical practice, actually the two short periods of opera production (1906–1909; 1913–1914) before the Great War.Ena največjih težav srbske kulture na začetku 20. stoletja so bili poskusi ustanavljanja ločenega opernega odseka v Narodnem gledališču v Beogradu. Polemike o tem, ali naj gledališče goji le govorjeno igro ali tako igro kot opero, so prispevale k nastanku kompleksnega »vprašanja opere«, na katero so vplivali estetski, politični, družbeni in gospodarski dejavniki. Zaradi »vprašanja opere« je bil razvoj glasbenega ansambla in opernih predstav v tistem času večkrat prekinjen, rešitev pa je prišla šele pozneje, s prenovo beograjskega Narodnega gledališča po prvi svetovni vojni (dramski in operni odsek leta 1920 ter baletni odsek leta 1923). Osredotočam se na nekatere vidike zakulisja opernih produkcij v Narodnem gledališču na začetku 20. stoletja, da bi opredelila različne, a povezane dejavnike, ki so vplivali na zapoznelo reorganizacijo ustanove. Moj namen je pokazati, da so politično in kulturno rivalstvo med vodilnimi intelektualci te ustanove ter šibek položaj glasbenih predstavnikov v razporeditvi moči v Narodnem gledališču odločilno vplivali na različne poskuse ustanovitve ločenega opernega odseka znotraj gledališča. V tem kontekstu razjasnjujem zgodovinske okoliščine in posebnosti na srbskem glasbenem področju. Pozornost namenjam pogostim spremembam v vodstvu, katerega predstavniki, dejavni na političnem in kulturnem področju, v svojih ideoloških in umetniških namenih niso bili dosledni. Kresanje programskih politik in boj za prevlado znotraj gledališča sta zaznamovala nepovezanost glasbene dejavnosti, to je dve kratki obdobji operne produkcije (1906–1909 in 1913–1914) pred drugo svetovno vojno

Značaj i uloga prepiske u osvetljavanju ličnosti i stvaralaštva Milenka Paunovića

The correspondence of the composer and writer Milenko Paunović (1889-1924) has a great role in revealing different aspects of his life, work and mind. Nearly 100 letters are preserved, most of which belong to his correspondence with his family and particularly with his sister Jelena Paunović, a pianist. One part of Jelena's correspondence with other persons gives us also diverse information about her brother. All the saved letters are kept in the holdings of the Institute of Musicology and the Serbian Archive. Paunović's correspondence is discussed from several viewpoints. In the introduction of the article is given a brief survey and description of the correspondence (according to the list enclosed at the end of the text). This is followed by analysis of some of Jelena's letters that clarify certain facts about the posthumous fate of Paunović's works. In the two central parts of the article the correspondence is observed as a source rich with information concerning Paunović's biography, dating and chronological systematization of his works as well as his (un)realized plans for performance. The concluding discussing is devoted to Paunović's personality, his ambitions, aspirations, relations to the others: it is possible to determine and explain his artistic creation like a specific autobiography and his correspondence speaks in favor of this thesis.Prepiska Milenka Paunovića, kao i korespondencija njegove sestre Jelene Paunović, osvetljava različite aspekte života i rada ovog kompozitora i književnika. Ona sama ili ukrštena sa drugim izvorima, omogućava nam da saznamo pojedine biografske momente, da ustanovimo vreme nastanka pojedinih dela, kao i da dublje shvatimo misaoni i estetski svet Milenka Paunovića, a time i mehanizme njegovog stvaralaštva

Мокрањац on repeat: реафирмисање музичког канона путем звучних издања (дискографија ПГП-РТБ/РТС)

Starting with the hypothesis that sound recordings published by the Serbian/ Yugoslav record label PGP-RTB/RTS dominated programmes of the Radio Television Belgrade/Radio Television Serbia during most of the twentieth century (while declining in this century), and that decisions made within the label on which composers’ works were going to be (repeatedly) present in its catalogue consequently had significant impact on overall music and media culture in Serbia/Yugoslavia, our goal was to examine how the central composer figure of Serbian music, Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac, was represented in this catalogue. Research methods were based primarily on analysis of archive material gathered in documentation of the label itself, data on recordings available via online music databases, and recordings themselves, while relying on theoretical notions of canon in music, with the accent on the performing canon.Студија је посвећена звучним издањима музике Стевана Стојановића Мокрањца (1856–1914), објављеним у Продукцији грамофонских плоча Радио телевизије Београд/ Радио телевизије Србије (ПГП-РТБ/РТС). Истраживање се ослања на резултате до којих су ауторке дошле претходно радећи на студијама о формирању канона у српској уметничкој музици (Милановић) и о уметничкој музици објављиваној у оквиру ПГП-РТБ/ РТС (Маглов). Ауторке полазе од претпоставке да је поменута издавачка кућа имала доминантну позицију у музичкој и медијској култури Србије/ Југославије од свог оснивања 1951. године до почетка 21. века, те да су одлуке о избору аутора и композиција који ће у каталогу ове куће бити заступљени значајно утицале на обликовање музичког канона. Стога је основни циљ био да се анализира продукција звучних издања ПГП-РТБ/РТС као конститутивни фактор канонизације Стевана Мокрањца. Истраживање је засновано на анализи архивске грађе која се чува у документацији ПГП-РТБ/РТС, информацијама доступним у одговарајућим базама података на Интернету, те увиду у сама издања (у њихов садржај, опрему и текстове омота/пратећих књижица). Узета су у обзир издања ПГП- РТБ/РТС која су посвећена првенствено представљању композиторовог опуса, затим она посвећена појединачним хорским ансамблима (а на чијим репертоарима се налазе и Мокрањчеве композиције), као и тематска и издања настала одређеним поводом (нпр. прослава јубилеја), која се одликују разноврсношћу, како извођача, тако и дела различитих аутора. Узета су у обзир укупно 43 издања, од којих најстарије потиче из 1968. године. Рад је подељен у три целине. Прва од њих односи се на теоријске и методолошке аспекте истраживања канона, укључујући и кратак осврт на (ре)афирмисање канона у случају локалне уметничке музике. Средишњи део доноси три потпоглавља у којима је представљена систематизација и анализа различитих врста издања са снимцима Мокрањчевих дела. Завршна целина укључује значајне проблеме и поједина питања у контексту стратегија канонизације и програмских политика ПГП-РТБ/РТС, указујући на својеврстан канонски статус доминантних музичких интерпретација световне и духовне музике овог аутора. Закључци изведени у овом истраживању показују да је централна позиција Мокрањца у историји српске музике реафирмисана кроз различите издавачке концепте, од албума и интегралних звучних публикација до ‘функционалних’ и ‘популарних’ издања, те да је програмска политика ПГП-РТБ/РТС у овом случају узимала у обзир како музички образовану, тако и ширу публику. Уочена је и кључна улога Хора РТБ/РТС и његових диригената у обликовању звука Мокрањчевих дела, а с обзиром на бројност издања и реиздања која је овај ансамбл остварио. Међу њима су били албуми и интегрална издања с диригентима Боривојем Симићем и Младеном Јагуштом, потом и издање Страсне седмице с диригентом Владимиром Крањчевићем, а издвајала су се и поновљена издања Мокрањчеве Литургије Св. Јована Златоустог у извођењу хора Collegium musicum и диригента Војислава Илића. Неупитна доминација ПГП-РТБ/РТС медијским простором током социјалистичког периода произвела је нека од највреднијих издања Мокрачеве музике у реализацији ове дискографске куће. Период деведесетих био је обележен напорима да се интензивира објављивање Мокрањчевих дела духовне музике, што је било у складу с променом званичне политике, као и програмских смерница државне дискографске куће. Почетком XXI века ангажман ПГП-РТС на новим издавачким пројектима нагло је опао, тако да после 2003. године није објављено ниједно звучно издање које би представило нове интерпретације Мокрањчевог дела. Међутим, ослањајући се на културни капитал стечен у времену медијске доминације, као и на звучне ресурсе ранијих пројеката, ПГП-РТС није у потпуности напустио праксу понављања својих издања. Посматрано у целини, снимци који су се периодично реиздавали наметали су својом присутношћу идеју о томе како треба да звучи Мокрањчева музика. Управо је ова стратегија понављања оснажила актуелност појединих интерпретација, доприносећи њиховом канонском статусу чак и у садашњем времену

Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac et les aspects de l’ethnicité et du nationalisme

Tout en contextualisant Mokranjac dans le cadre des événements historiques et politiques de son temps, cette étude se concentre sur le concept d’ethnicité dans son œuvre, tout particulièrement exprimé dans la forme musicale des rukovet (bouquets), où il interprète la tradition musicale populaire de façon homogène, corroborant ainsi l’existence d’une identité serbe et yougoslave.While contextualizing Mokranjac in historical and political events of his time, this study focuses on the concept of ethnicity in his works, especially in the musical form of “rukovet” (bouquet), where he interprets popular musical tradition in a homogeneous way, corroborating thus the existence of the Serbian and Yugoslav identity

Kolektivni identiteti i muzika

This paper presents some introductory observations on the ways in which the opposition between the modern and post-modern understanding of social identities can be overcome in the context of musicology. It is based on the consideration of identities as dynamic and changeable categories, as well as on the importance of the relation between individual and collective positionings, on the complexities of the multiple identifications and on the understanding of music as a social construction of identity. Due attention is paid to basic theoretical and methodological aspects in the interdisciplinary analysis of 'self' and 'other'. In music, the problems of self-presentation appropriation, difference, power, control, authenticity, hybridity, as well as other issues that blur the boundaries between musicology, ethnomusicology and the studies of popular music, are made relevant by these interdisciplinary terms. Both the modern and post-modern understanding of identity can first be placed in the context of the binary questions: 'How to construct the identity and maintain it?' and 'How to avoid the construction of the fixed identity and thus leave the door open for the possibility of change?'. It seems that the deconstruction of these opposite approaches has now grown in importance. This paper focuses especially on that kind of theorizing about music and socio-cultural identities. The views of Georgina Born and David Hesmondhalgh, that older and recent models of music representation are not 'either/or' categories but rather complement each other, are especially singled out. These authors show by numerous examples that music can invariably both reflect existing identities and construct new ones. They conclude that possible shortcomings, such as the danger of essentialism in the earlier approach, and of later reductionism, could be avoided by carefully using the homology and process models of music representation. Their typology of music articulation of a socio-cultural identity, however, leaves the opposition between 'real' and 'imagined' intact. The theoretic analysis of other disciplines leads us to conclusion that these categories were the result of different images, whose opposite poles existed in the contrary approaches of 'realism' and 'radical constructivism'. In this context, the analysis of Milan Subotić in the field of social theory is singled out as a ′middle-way′ position between these opposite sides. This approach in musicology could be most helpful in keeping an equal distance from both 'imagination' and 'reality'. Where society is concerned, reality is, after all, imagined. However, this invention is certainly not an arbitrary one, but rather an effort to label social processes as a social reality, from the perspective of the 'longue durée'. Therefore, it is especially important to maintain an historical approach in the study of music, something that is often lacking in post-modern narratives. Since the relation between collective identities and music is a complex and diverse subject, theoretical and methodological approaches must be further developed in the context of separate and specific topics of research. Finally, musicology itself is a construct of musical representation in the performative processes and praxis of music. In that respect, the reconciliation between the antagonisms highlighted in this paper could be achieved in the concurrence of historical narrative and contemporary critique.Tekst predstavlja uvod u moguće prevazilaženje suprotnosti između modernog i postmodernog poimanja društvenih identiteta u muzikologiji. Uz kritički odnos prema ključnim teorijsko-metodološkim kategorijama značajnim za izučavanje kolektivnih identifikacija, predložene su pojedine smernice proučavanja koje se, između ostalog, oslanjaju na važnost odnosa individualno - kolektivno, na višestrukost različitih individualnih i grupnih identifikacija i na ulogu same muzike kao socijalne konstrukcije identiteta ali u relacijama istovremene istorizacije i kritike

Social criticism and subversion of operatic conventions in Irena Dragović’s compositional work

In this paper, I consider the operas Poslednje devojčice [The last Little Girls] (2021) and Deca [Children] (2022) by the Serbian composer Irena Popović (b. 1974), with a special focus on the interrelation of social criticism and the subversion of operatic conventions in her works

Constructing an Alternative Life: Music and Theatre in the First World War Serbian Prisoners Camps in Austria-Hungary

Zarobljenički logori iz vremena Velikog rata predstavljaju relativno novu tematsku oblast humanistike. Ovo transnacionalno i interdisciplinarno naučno područje odnosi se na logorski život preko osam miliona ljudi koji su se tokom rata nalazili u zarobljeništvu na obe sukobljene strane. Pored bazičnih proučavanja vezanih za utvrđivanje tačnog broja logora, zatočenika i žrtava, te sagledavanja problema poput bolesti i čestog masovnog umiranja, pojedina istraživanja fokusiraju se na sasvim specifi čne teme iz svakodnevice logorskog života, aspekte nacionalizma, roda, orijentalizma i druge problemske sfere iz oblasti savremenih studija kulture. Posebnu alternativu uobičajenim narativima u tom kontekstu predstavljaju razmatranja umetnosti i kreativnosti kao značajnih strategija opstanka u logorskim uslovima. Ovaj rad, kojim se po prvi put u muzikologiji pokreće tema o muzičkim praksama u srpskim zarobljeničkim logorima tokom Prvog svetskog rata, inspirisan je takvim pristupima.The period of the Great War brought to Serbian culture and arts completely different conditions of work and functioning when compared with the pre-war years. Music itself, confronted with various war-time contexts, formed part of the adaptation to new circumstances which often changed because of war events. The reorganization of both military music and civilian musicians and ensembles started already in the first half of 1916, immediately after the army and numerous civilians crossed Montenegro and Albania on their way to allied countries and their colonies. Some elite composers worked as musicians in French, British and other west-European musical centres. At the same time musical activities were even organized in prison camps where professional and amateur musicians could be found among the Serbian citizens. Prisoner-of-war camps represent a relatively new topic area of humanities. This transnational and interdisciplinary field relates to the lives of over eight million prisoners on both sides of the war. In addition to basic studies related to determining the exact number of camps, prisoners and victims, as well as looking at problems such as illness and frequent mass death, contemporary research also focuses on everyday life of camp prisoners, aspects of nationalism, gender, orientalism and other approaches that are characteristic of cultural studies. A special alternative to the usual narratives is the consideration of art and creativity as significant strategies of survival in war captivity conditions. This article refers to such issues, and for the first time in musicology raises the topic of musical practices in Serbian prisoners camps during the Great War. The text is based on archival research of documents stored in the Museum of Theatre Arts of Serbia, as well as manuscript periodicals kept in the National Library of Serbia. According to analysis of available materials, one part of the text presents music on Serbian theatrical scenes in the Austro-Hungarian prison camps in Boldogasszony, Aschach and Grödig, including information on some amateur and professional musicians that have not been known in music history so far. The other part is focused on various contextualisations of mentioned musical practices that are observed as (1) a tool of alleviating of difficult everyday life and suppressing of prisoner depression, (2) an imaginary field of nation, state and freedom, (3) a place of memory, nostalgia, oblivion and fun, (4) a mediator between various social, national and confessional groups from the both side of the war, (5) a strategy of providing material conditions for the survival of musicians and actors, as well as their humanitarian action. Therefore, this is a story of constructing an alternative life, which represented both escapist detachment from camp reality and opposition to it.Serija Muzikološki zbornici br. 21 Series Musicological proceedings no. 2

Fond kompozitorskih zaostavština u Muzikološkom institutu SANU

The study is dedicated to the Legacy Collection of composers maintained by the Institute of Musicology of SASA. Due attention is paid to the history of its formation as well as to its unique contents which refers to the primary and very important archive sources related to the Serbian musical history. The text also provides a discourse which highlights issues concerning the strategies and perspectives of Serbian musicology. The Supplement gives a short description of each composer's legacy.Tekst je posvećen Fondu zaostavština koje se čuvaju u Muzikološkom institutu SANU, posebno kompozitorskim zaostavštinama. Dat je istorijat nastanka Fonda, a potom i jedinstven sadržaj zaostavština koje spadaju među primarne i veoma značajne arhivske izvore srpske muzičke prošlosti. Tekst, takođe, otvara pojedina pitanja o strategijama i perspektivama srpske muzikologije. U Prilogu se nalazi kratak opis svake kompozitorske zaostavštine

Sounding the Turn to the West: Music and Diplomacy of Yugoslavia After the Split With the USSR and the Countries of the “People’s Democracy” (1949–1952)

My grasp of the research area of music and diplomacy is grounded on the experience that I gained through the realization of a project investigating the Belgrade Choral Society’s concert tours abroad at the turn of the 20th century. There, I explored how music was incorporated into the diplomatic strategies that the Kingdom of Serbia practiced in its cross-border relationships with empires, states, cities and ethnic communities of the Central, Eastern, South-Eastern and Ottoman Europe of the time. Focusing on a new topic in this article, my approach to music in diplomatic interactions remains the same line. It is placed in the context of cultural diplomacy and poses questions about the involvement of music in policies and practices of cross-border networking, exchange, representation, negotiation and mediation, while encompassing different state officials and non-officials, groups, institutions and organizations, as well as both formal and informal, elitist and non-elitist events and activities. Such an approach shares its interests with a spectrum of contemporary studies that open the space for investigating diplomacy as a social and cultural practice

Kontekstualizacija ranog modernizma u srpskoj muzici na primeru dva ostvarenja iz 1912. godine

This study deals with the first Serbian oratorio, Vaskrsenje (Resurrection) by Stevan Hristić, and the first Serbian musical drama, Divina Tragoedia by Milenko Paunović. These works are based on two different interpretations of the same theme (the Resurrection of Jesus Christ). They were composed almost at the same time (1912), but separately, with no inter-textual relations. They represent the first steps of Modernism in Serbian music. Hristić’s work follows the French and Italian heritage whereas Paunović’s is connected with the German, post-Wagnerian tradition. In this text we highlight the different intensities of modernity realized by the composers, by comparing numerous aspects of the theme, genre and style with new types of expressiveness and procedures in the treatment of all musical resources. The parallel investigation of the oratorio and musical drama shows the closeness of these two young composers in their musical attempts, but also emphasizes some factors that were decisive for the public presentation of their works. Hristić predicted that the genre of oratorio had better chances of placement than, for example, a symphonic or musical-dramatic composition. Actually, a choir had strong links with tradition and it presented a significant means of potential communication, as well as penetrating novelties into other parts of the oratorio. Due to his readiness to make an effort and to compromise, the composer succeeded in performing his work. On the other hand, Paunović did not anticipate problems in the national cultural system of his time. Numerous aspects of his work, which prevented performance, confirm this. The chosen genre of German musical drama was a very speculative investment in the local musical context. Furthermore, the score was inappropriate for the real reproductive potential of Serbian performers. In addition, an avant-garde gesture was marked by the blasphemous treatment of the New-Testament theme in the dramatic content. These were among the most important indications of the author's unrealistic estimation of potential public reception of his music. Modern works of large-scale genre had no prospects of continual survival on the concert repertoire in the period between the two World Wars, either. This testifies to long-standing problems of national musical tradition, especially in consequence of its discontinued and uneven development. This study of early modernism shows the value of researching Serbian music through different cultural models existing in the system of national art of this time. The network of political, economical and cultural institutions was imbued with modern bourgeois culture, but the struggle for its wider acceptance in the domains of everyday life, self-consciousness, and the mentality and taste of different social groups and individuals, was slow and long. Such attempts have not always and fully realized the particular burden of inheritance, reflected in recent times.Prvi srpski oratorijum, Vaskrsenje Stevana Hristića i prva srpska muzička drama, Božanska tragedija Milenka Paunovića nastali su gotovo istovremeno bez međusobnih intertekstualnih relacija. Oba ostvarenja ukazuju na rane znake srpskog muzičkog modernizma, koji su se u vidu žanrovskog i stilskog pluralizma i začetaka moderne muzičke svesti pojavili krajem prve i početkom druge decenije 20. veka. U tekstu je sproveden niz paralelnih ispitivanja s namerom de se praktičnim primerima potkrepi širina i značaj kulturološkog pristupa u sagledavanju srpske muzike kroz različite modele kulture koji su se preplitali, naporedo trajali i iskazivali u neprekidnoj sprezi svih domena umetničke prakse i njene recepcije