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Transformations in the Interpretation of Music Folklore: From the Protection of Everyday Culture to the Emergence of a Music Genre (Using the Czech Republic as a Case Study)
Uhlíková, Lucie ; Pavlicová, M.
From the 1960s onwards, efforts began to develop in Czech ethnology, which gradually began to include folklore manifestations in their second existence in professional research. The field of folklorism sometimes overlapped with the existence of folk traditions, sometimes built on them, and sometimes was only inspired by them to varying degrees. The distinction in such defined categories was not easy even in the past, and with the increasingly rapid development of society, it became blurred in the general consciousness. Within this scope, a contemporary broad music genre, music folklore, has emerged that is not easy to define in terms of content. In this paper, the authors outline its historical formation, show model moments of its development, and deal with its polyfunctionality: many collectives present themselves not only on stage (together with dancers) and in concert settings (independently), but also participate in local ethno-cultural traditions, dance parties, family celebrations (weddings, birthdays), and commercially focused events. To illustrate this, the paper uses archival source material, and field research based on interviews with selected musicians.
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Transformations in the Interpretation of Music Folklore: From the Protection of Everyday Culture to the Emergence of a Music Genre (Using the Czech Republic as a Case Study)
Uhlíková, Lucie ; Pavlicová, M.
From the 1960s onwards, efforts began to develop in Czech ethnology, which gradually began to include folklore manifestations in their second existence in professional research. The field of folklorism sometimes overlapped with the existence of folk traditions, sometimes built on them, and sometimes was only inspired by them to varying degrees. The distinction in such defined categories was not easy even in the past, and with the increasingly rapid development of society, it became blurred in the general consciousness. Within this scope, a contemporary broad music genre, music folklore, has emerged that is not easy to define in terms of content. In this paper, the authors outline its historical formation, show model moments of its development, and deal with its polyfunctionality: many collectives present themselves not only on stage (together with dancers) and in concert settings (independently), but also participate in local ethno-cultural traditions, dance parties, family celebrations (weddings, birthdays), and commercially focused events. To illustrate this, the paper uses archival source material, and field research based on interviews with selected musicians.
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The Folk Song Cultural Heritage in the Context of Political Correctness: When hep, hep is not hop, hop
Uhlíková, Lucie ; Pavlicová, M.
The paper explores folk songs written down in what is present-day Czech Republic from roughly the beginning of the 19th century to the 1970s. It shows how song lyrics were treated in the past when they did not conform to the social conventions, aesthetics, ethical ideals, and patriotic goals of the time. When such songs were written down by collectors, their lyrics were often modified, some parts being omitted, others changed. This practice was followed from the early 19th century until the fall of the communist totalitarian regime in 1989. At present, these authentic folk song lyrics seem non-controversial by some performers, but many lyrics are far from it. One of the components of tradition is social memory, which is associated with cultural stereotypes—the generally fixed ideas that people have about themselves and members of different groups. These “Others” are usually members of a different ethnicity, religion, or social class. Their image in folklore involves certain ideas, ideological views, evaluative attitudes, and historical experience. Using the example of otherness, which in Czech folk songs is mainly associated with the negative image of members of the Jewish minority, the paper shows the possible results of misunderstanding the historical context: the anti-Semitic motifs of some older songs and dances resented in public may not be evident to those who perform them today.
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The Folk Song Cultural Heritagše in the Context of Political Correctness: When hep hep is not hop hop
Uhlíková, Lucie ; Pavlicová, M.
The paper explores folk songs written down in what is present-day Czech Republic from roughly the beginning of the 19th century to the 1970s. It shows how song lyrics were treated in the past when they did not conform to the social conventions, aesthetics, ethical ideals, and patriotic goals of the time. When such songs were written down by collectors, their lyrics were often modified, some parts being omitted, others changed. This practice was followed from the early 19th century until the fall of the communist totalitarian regime in 1989. At present, these authentic folk song lyrics seem non-controversial by some performers, but many lyrics are far from it. One of the components of tradition is social memory, which is associated with cultural stereotypes—the generally fixed ideas that people have about themselves and members of different groups. These “Others” are usually members of a different ethnicity, religion, or social class. Their image in folklore involves certain ideas, ideological views, evaluative attitudes, and historical experience. Using the example of otherness, which in Czech folk songs is mainly associated with the negative image of members of the Jewish minority, the paper shows the possible results of misunderstanding the historical context: the anti-Semitic motifs of some older songs and dances resented in public may not be evident to those who perform them today.
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“Play What I Sing”: Economical Potential of the Bearers of Folk Music Tradition in the Cultural Memory of the Czech Lands
Uhlíková, Lucie ; Pavlicová, M.
The economic conditions of folk musicians or their remuneration have been mentioned rather inconsistently in sources and literature of the Czech lands. The participation of musicians in ceremonies, traditions and customs of the calendar, or family occasions was one of their natural activities in rural communities. There are relatively frequent references to paying for a song (which involved leading the singing) and playing according to a demonstrated song, which was widespread in the context of folk dances. Musicians played not only for money, but also for food, drink, or special benefits in kind. For itinerant musicians and singers, musical performances were a major source of their livelihood. Many outstanding rural musicians also earned a living by teaching various instruments. From the end of the 19th century, folk musicians and dancers found more occasions to present themselves to the public, which increased an interest in the financial issue of their production. With the coming of brass music bands and other novelty groups, older traditional rural music groups lost not only their cultural capital, but their economic capital as well. Gradually, however, the emerging folklore movement strengthened the position of folk musicians, including their financial rewards. The question of the remuneration of folk musicians has resonated in cultural memory, thus adding to the unbiased image of traditional folk culture.
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“Play What I Sing”: Economic Potential of the Bearers of Music Tradition in the Cultural Memory of the Czech Lands
Uhlíková, Lucie ; Pavlicová, M.
The economic conditions of folk musicians or their remuneration have been mentioned rather inconsistently in sources and literature of the Czech lands. The participation of musicians in ceremonies, traditions and customs of the calendar, or family occasions was one of their natural activities in rural communities. There are relatively frequent references to paying for a song (which involved leading the singing) and playing according to a demonstrated song, which was widespread in the context of folk dances. Musicians played not only for money, but also for food, drink, or special benefits in kind. For itinerant musicians and singers, musical performances were a major source of their livelihood. Many outstanding rural musicians also earned a living by teaching various instruments. From the end of the 19th century, folk musicians and dancers found more occasions to present themselves to the public, which increased an interest in the financial issue of their production. With the coming of brass music bands and other novelty groups, older traditional rural music groups lost not only their cultural capital, but their economic capital as well. Gradually, however, the emerging folklore movement strengthened the position of folk musicians, including their financial rewards. The question of the remuneration of folk musicians has resonated in cultural memory, thus adding to the unbiased image of traditional folk culture.
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Between the Countryside and the City: Changes of the Living Space of Folk Traditions and the Development of the Folklore Movement in the Czech Lands in the Second Half of the 20th Century
Uhlíková, Lucie
The folklore movement in the Czech lands is not related only to the development of cultural policy after the communist coup in Czechoslovakia in February 1948. It is also connected to the period of enthusiasm that immediately followed the ending of World War II in Europe, although its importance is rooted in the inter-war development of Czechoslovakia and older activities. Gradually, a new stage and musical genre were developed that were represented by outstanding personalities, who became role models for the way they worked with folklore. This related predominantly to rural culture, however, very soon the city became its new environment. Various activities of folk ensembles contributed to the fact that in the second half of the 20th century, folk traditions became not only a space for artistic self-realization, but an important form of sociocultural capital at the local and regional levels.
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