Music of Bulgaria

The Bulgarian folk music is fundamentally different from the folk music of other European nations. It is a part of the Bulgarian folklore and unique due to its unbalanced clock types and their complex rhythms.

The Bulgarian folk music had over the centuries of foreign rule of the Ottoman Empire across identity among the Bulgarians, who until 1878 regained a statehood. The history of the Bulgarian music is primarily a history of the Bulgarian folk music.

Typical of the Bulgarian folk music are asymmetrical time signatures (Synonyms: odd time signatures, rhythmic irregularity ), which leads to odd and changing time signatures. For the presentation of Bulgarian folk music is often typical instruments are used as the instruments kaval ( shepherd's flute ), duduk (small flute, not to be confused with the Armenian Duduk ), Dwojanka and Gaida, and the stringed instruments gadulka ( fiddle), gusle ( one-stringed fiddle ) and tambura.

• 3.1.2.1 wedding songs

• 4.1 Simple time signatures 4.1.1 Two-stage cycle styles
• 4.1.2 Three -term signatures

• 4.2.1 Combined metric groups
• 4.2.2 Straight Metric series
• 4.2.3 Two-part signatures 4.2.3.1 Four -simultaneous time signatures of the type 2 2 = 4
• 4.2.3.2 Six Early signatures of the type 6 = 3 3
• 4.2.3.3 Two-piece asymmetrical time signatures
• 4.2.3.4 Five Early series of the type: 5 = 2 3
• 4.2.3.5 Early Five rows of the type 5 = 3 2

• 4.2.4.1 Three-part symmetrical clock types
• 4.2.4.2 The six time signatures
• 4.2.4.3 Nine Early signatures
• 4.2.4.4 Three-piece asymmetrical time signatures

• 5.1 Wind Instruments
• 5.2 Strings
• 5.3 percussion instruments, instruments membrane 5.3.1 Tapan ( bass drum )
• 5.3.2 Tarambuka and Daire
• 5.3.3 The Tschanowe

The uniqueness of Bulgarian folk music

Some asymmetrical time signatures, which are so typical for the Bulgarian folk music can be found although not as numerous and varied, with other peoples of the Balkan peninsula. Of them, some have been borrowed in the distant past by the Bulgarian people. However, nowhere is the palette is so rich and colorful as in Bulgaria, where the following unbalanced ( = odd ) are signatures before: 5/ 8, 7 /8, 8/8, 9/ 8 and 11 /8, also the composite asymmetrical time signatures ( 5 7) / 8, (15 14) / 8, ( 9 5 ) / 16 and No 22 / 16th

From the European music theory, the asymmetric bars in 1886 were noted for the first time, as the Bulgarian music teacher Atanas Stoin published five Bulgarian melodies. 1913, described Dobri Hristov the whole variety of asymmetrical time signatures in his book " The rhythmic basis of our folk music ". He put it together a table with the unbalanced Bulgarian bars, a performance that was for Bulgarian music research is essential. With this work, the single-ended clocks are ever become known beyond the borders of Bulgaria addition. Especially great interest in the Bulgarian folk music then showed the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. Repeatedly appeared in his works asymmetrical time signatures such as 3/8, 5/ 8 and 7 /8 and Bartók emphasized explicitly that he had borrowed this from the Bulgarian folk music. He called these single-ended clocks, also called " Bulgarian signatures ".

In the 20th century music, there are numerous examples of asymmetrical time signatures; for example in " Mars, the Bringer of War ," the first sentence of "The Planets " by Gustav Holst, in " Unsquare Dance" by Dave Brubeck, in "Money" by Pink Floyd as well as in works of minimalist music composer Philip Glass.

Regions

In Bulgaria there are seven folklore regions:

• Northern Bulgaria ( Bulg Северняшка / Sewernjaschka ), also Moesian ( bugl. Мизийска / Misijska ) called
• Dobruja ( Bulg Добруджанско / Dobrudschansko )
• Beach Saddle ( Bulg Странджанско / Strandschansko )
• Thrace ( Bulg Тракийско / Trakijsko )
• Rhodopes ( Bulg Родопско / Rodopsko )
• Schop ( Bulg Шопско / Schopsko )
• Pirin ( Bulg пиринско / Pirinsko ), also ( Bulg Македонско / Makedonsko ) called.

Before the First World War there was a further, the Aegean region folklore ( Bulg Беломорска / Belomorska ), but which is now risen by population shifts ( → Thracian Bulgarians ) in other regions.

Classification of Bulgarian folk songs

The folk song plays a very important role in the life of Bulgarians. The Bulgarian people love the song. It sings with love the old, inherited from the fathers of old songs and constantly creates new. Folk singers have an amazing memory. Often they control up to 500 folk songs. In some cases, this number is far exceeded. So the 90 -year-old folk singer Pavel Atanasov sang (1867 - 1960) 742 songs that were written and researched by members of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Wasila Valcheva (1906 - 1981) sang about 1,000 songs, Penka Poptodorowa (1895 - 1970) over 1000 songs.

The wide variety of Bulgarian folk songs with respect to musical characteristics, distribution of songs and historical roots provides some difficulty in the classification of song material dar. fundamental distinction is made ​​between the following types of songs: Ceremony and ritual songs, work songs, table songs and dance folk songs.

Ceremony and Ritual Songs

Custom songs are the oldest Bulgarian folk songs. They are functionally linked to specific customs and depend to a large extent directly related to the life of the people and with its strong affinity with nature together. At the same time it expresses the firm belief in the goodness and justice. There are calendar songs at a specified for centuries holiday such as Christmas, Lazarus Day ( Orthodox Feast day: Saturday before Palm Sunday; Bulg Лазаровден ) Enjotag ( day of the summer solstice, June 24, Bulg Еньовден ) are sung. In part, it is also about family custom songs, so to songs that are not connected to any particular calendar, but with a particular occasion, such as a baptism, wedding or a funeral. The songs console for example to a wedding the young bride leaves her father's house, but they also pray for rain or want to drive away evil spirits. Within the traditions they occupy a well-defined place.

Calendar songs

An overview of the various customs are the so-called folk calendar. It is a system that divides the annual cycle by pagan ( pre-Christian ), Orthodox ( Christian ) and secular elements are merged. As in many Indo-European calendars the sun and the moon principle also be combined in Bulgarian. Christmas is, for example, based on the sun always on December 25. Easter is celebrated but because of the changing lunar calendar on different days ( for details on the calculation see: Easter date).

The Folklore Calendar divides the year into a summer and a winter season. The Holy Georgi is for the summer, the Holy Dimiter for the winter. Always plays music an important role in these customs and rituals, such as carol singing or the celebration of Lazarus Day

Christmas singing

Main article Koledari

Celebration of Lazarus Day

The celebration of Lazarus Day on Palm Sunday is a particularly interesting custom in Bulgaria. In pagan times the resurrected fertility goddess was honored on this day. Since Christian times the Lazarustag symbolizes the maturation of young girls. As with the Koledari shows her singing and dancing the transformation from child to marriageable girls. The girls who participate in the ritual Lazarus have completed their 18th year. How important was this custom, demonstrated by the fact that in Old Bulgarian time just a girl who had participated in the Lazarus - ritual, get married and was allowed to wear jewelry.

What songs the Lazarus girls recite depends on the conditions in the house where the girls sing the songs Lazarus, from. They can be determined for a Grown Up Girls, for an older woman, a child, for a shepherd. Similar to Christmas songs, there is also at the Lazarus songs a great diversity: the girl singing on the road, on entering the house, in the house itself and while you dance. Only on this day, people believed the girl has magical powers to bless them through a song and a dance by the house, the homeowner and their property and fields.

There are lively, poetic songs with short melodies, mostly in tempo giusto. The melodies are funny, mischievous and also very different in different parts of the country. The rhythm is determined by the rapid pace of Lazarus dance.

A major theme of the songs is to predict which girl will marry whom. The girls then play in front of a dance that is meant to symbolize their future wedding. They are standing around a cauldron, with the " silent water " is full - " silent " it's because the girls are silent while they fill the boiler. In these boilers each girl emerges a bouquet with a firmly attached to it ring. The bouquets stay overnight in the boiler. The next morning, every girl takes his bunch. The other girls sing a song in which they prophesy what profession the girl's chosen one will have. The prophecy of the profession has with the profession of the future husband but does not really match.

In other parts of Bulgaria, especially in villages, through which a river, the girls throw their bouquets into the river. Then it says: " The boy who finds your bouquet will marry you! "

Family custom songs

The weakness of man against the forces of nature has a cycle of songs for solicitation of rain (see rain dance) or raised against flooding into life. In earlier times had every locality songs that were in drought or heavy rains that threatened the harvest, sung.

Calendar songs describe the relationship between society and nature. In contrast, family custom songs are relevant to the relationship between the individual and society. Bulgarian family customs are at the birth of a child, at a wedding and a funeral of particular importance - these are perhaps the most important moments in one's life.

Wedding songs

An example will be described in a traditional Bulgarian wedding music here.

Three elements are the musical basis of the traditional Bulgarian wedding:

• The group singing of women,
• Instrumental music and
• The men singing while eating with instrumental accompaniment.

The symbolism of the wedding songs, the instrumental melodies and dances can be seen as a juxtaposition of man and woman. The result is a juxtaposition of rituals the bride and the groom rituals.

The actual traditional Bulgarian wedding lasts three to five days, but the wedding customs between the betrothal and a year after the wedding take two whole years. Furthermore, a distinction between Vorhochzeits, Wedding and Nachhochzeitsritualen.

Under the Vorhochzeitszeit refers to two to three days before the marriage. The Vorhochzeitsrituale close the jaws of special custom breads one, as is the preparation of the wedding banner ( Bulgarian wedding banner, Bulg сватбено знаме or уруглица / Urugliza ), the preparation of the bride by braiding her hair and groom by shaving. As this occurs, all the time is sung.

Wedding rituals are the departure of the guests to the bride's house, the collection of the godfather (whose importance in the Bulgarian folklore goes far beyond the role of witnesses ) that the accomplishment of the bride from the father's house, which accompany the bride to the home of the groom and the bestowal the guests. There are many other less important rituals that are quite different in different parts of Bulgaria. The rituals include small games, such as around the pick of the bride. First, the groom will not be admitted into the house of the bride. He must first fill the shoes of the father with money. But if he then enters the house, he must look for the bride who is hiding somewhere in the house. The departure of the bride from her parents, separation from the father's house and her fate still unknown are the saddest moments at a wedding. All of this takes strong response both in the character of the texts as well as in the melody of the songs that are sung to it.

Wedding songs have very specific traits in each region songs. Even in neighboring towns, the melodic structure and the text content of wedding songs are quite different.

Work songs

In an agrarian culture, the activity is ritualized in the field. For a farmer does the work on the not only forced and nutrition field, it is also a certain kind of philosophy and poetry. The famous Bulgarian writer Jordan Jowkow wrote: " The mower is a priest of the Mother Earth, his work is sacred and his singing a hymn. " That singing, crying and laughing are ritual parts of a mowing. The painstaking fieldwork in the strong summer sun is into music and ritualized. The work itself is honored and criticized the laziness. The farmers believe, to connect through their songs with the pulse of the universe. Singing helps them persevere when the heavy field work, and have fun doing it. Many of these songs are the " Songs without clock ". These no time signature is given, therefore they give the singer great freedom with respect to the manner of singing. The following example shows a typical work song:

- A great deal of work songs are harvest songs. They are sung on the field by the reapers, mostly solo, but also in groups and antiphon. The harvest songs are often accompanied by so-called " exclamations ". Are characteristic exclamation on the minor seventh above the tonic. This bid must be quite precise, so made ​​on the correct pitch. The melodies of the harvest songs are slow, plodding, the range is usually a minor third, a fourth or a fifth. The melody lingers long on the third level, which gives the song a melancholy character harvest. Of course you have to consider what have accompanied these songs for heavy work.

Lyrically, the harvest songs have very different topics. Often it is also the content of the crop. Sometimes there are also haidouk or love songs, songs historical content or songs whose themes taken from the everyday life. A large part of the harvest songs has no consistent stroke and is in the rhythmic structure completely free.

- Other important work songs are the so -called " Sedjanka " songs. " Sedjanka " comes from sitting, the name of the songs from the following circumstance: In the past, young people met at the agreed upon a place that was called " Sedjanka " and were doing there together their domestic chores. The girls knitted sweater or socks, it was spun or crocheted, the boys helped by keeping the balls of wool or also tension. Thus, it was not boring, they sang, later left the work lie and danced round. This used to be the most popular form of entertainment for young people.

There were and are two types of Sedjankas - one that that takes place in winter in the dining rooms, in summer or in autumn outdoors. " Sedjanka " - songs during the meeting or about to begin, so then when everyone gathers, sung. This works as follows: The first attending the meeting girls start singing songs, which they invite other girls and boys to their Sedjanka. Then they make a fire and put around on wooden stool. Take a one half of the circle and leave the other half the boys. The boys come in groups and carry a Kawalspieler ( shepherd's flute ), Zafaraspieler ( short flute) or a Gadulkaspieler ( fiddle) with itself. Besides the work entertaining games are played, told stories or funny experiences, mystery solved, but mostly is sung. Normally, mainly the girls sing and the boys accompany them on a folk music instrument. After a few songs will be played for the dance, and it is danced and played until dawn. When a girl is in love with a guy, she gives him a small bouquet, that he thinks of them. This is the only way to show affection in this rural environment. The Sedjanka songs are the subject after multiform. In general, they are characterized by slow, ornate melodies, in which the singers put their skills to the test. The oldest Sedjanka songs are more consistent. These are mainly sung in western Bulgaria.

Overall, the number of work songs is enormous. There are songs about the mowing, plowing over and rake, about stringing and folding of tobacco, about the vintage and even concerning harvesting of Cornelian cherries in the forest. The work songs is proven great respect. They are not singing " somewhere, sometime ", but only on certain work.

Panel songs

Panel songs are sung on holidays, at a festive table or at weddings. It always is worn, recited melodies. Usually they are given by individual singers, with or without accompaniment of a folk musical instrument. A large part of the panel songs gives players the opportunity to show their improvisational skills. For these songs a great range and a high emotional content is characteristic. Typical examples for table songs are the so-called " Songs without clock ".

The blackboard songs are the real folk songs for the people. This subheading includes the Bulgarian folk songs about glorious heroes, songs about big events that had shaken the entire nation, as well as narrative songs and songs from the family life.

Dance folk songs

The dance folk songs make up the largest percentage of Bulgarian folk songs. There is no town in Bulgaria where not dance danced where not old dance songs are sung to this day. The dance songs are performed by the dancers dance themselves, and usually antiphon, alternating two groups of singers. Almost all domestic and work songs end with a dance. It is also important to calendar holidays, every Sunday, danced at a " Sedjanka " and at weddings. In the " Sedjanka " eg close a girl and a boy from a bet. If the boy the girl while dancing " defeated ", he gets, for example, her wreath of flowers, and as long as he wears it, he shows that he loves her. When preparing for a dance there, depending on age and gender before a strict hierarchy. In the dance songs a wealth of irregular timing can be found, which is particularly characteristic of western and northern Bulgaria. Basically, however, is the dominant in the dance songs time signature of 2/4 - stroke, the dance songs are sung but at different rates. Depending on the season we distinguish Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn Songs and round dance. Some are sung only in the evening to the " evening dance " ( = Wetschernik / вечерник ). Depending on the character come to the dance, inter alia, following cycle types are used:

Rhythm and beat

Typical of the melodies of Bulgarian folk music are their difficult rhythms. This can not always be written with the traditional means of notation. For the notation of the melodies you have to the irregular beats and characters that can not always play the melody one hundred percent access.

In the Bulgarian folk song researchers and folk music composer ( as Dobri Hristov, Vasil Stoin etc. ), there is, however, no 2/2-Takte. The basic rule according to which they assign signatures, is the following: If the tempo of the melody is slow or moderate (ie, when the number of consecutive beats per measure very small or medium size is - for example, between 50 and 180 beats per minute ) they write a 4 in the denominator (eg, 2 /4, 3 /4, 5 /4). This shows that the unit of measure is the quarter note. If the tempo is fast or very fast ( ie, when the number of beats between 180 and 250 per minute ) they write an 8 in the denominator (eg, 3 /8, 5/8, 7/ 8, etc. ). The unit of measure is thus the eighth note. If the number of beats per minute higher than 250, so is the number 16 in the denominator (eg, 5 /16, 7/16, etc.). This rule can be broken of course, she was just an auxiliary measure of folk music researcher to record the tunes coarse. The great variety of metrical forms in the Bulgarian folk music can be divided into four groups:

Simple time signatures

The simple time signatures you count the two - and the three -time signatures. The combination of two-and three -time signatures arise the composite time signatures, the combined metric groups and the heterosexual metric series. Thus, for example, the four -time clock from a synthesis of two simple two-stage cycles; the five -time clock may be viewed as a combination of a zweizeitigem and a three -time clock, etc.

Two-step, time signatures

The 2/4 - stroke: The most common two-stage time signature in the Bulgarian folk music is the 2/4 - stroke. In a fast pace you just connect two two time signatures in a clock figure.

The 2/8 - cycle: If very rarely recorded. A few songs like " Ne predawai se, dewoiko " by Wasil Stoin and how " Kula Kula braschnu durwa " Angel Bukoretchliew are in this time signature.

Three Early signatures

Simple three -time signatures are very rare to find in the Bulgarian folk music. Some Bulgarian music theorists even deny their existence at all in the Bulgarian folk music. Wasil Stoin but writes in one of his works: "In the Musikfolkore one hits very often on three -term cycles, but they are never alone, but occur only in combination with one or more two-stage clock species. "

The 3/4 - stroke: When the melody is slow or moderately fast, it is available in a 3/ 4 - stroke. Of 3/8 - step: When the number of beats per minute is the mean level, higher than 160, the eighth note is for Maßeinheit.25

Compound time signatures

The composite time signatures can be two-piece, three-piece, four-piece, five-piece, six-part, seven parts, depending on the number of simple time signatures that make up each composite time signature. The four -term ( 2 2), the five -time (3 2 ), and the six -time clock ( 3 3 ) are, for example, two-part stroke modes. Of the six -time clock (2 2 2) and the nine -time clock of the type 3 3 3, however, are three-piece. The nine -time clock can also be vierteilig and indeed is regarded as combination of 2 2 2 3 or 2 3 2 2 or 2 2 3 2, or 3 2 2 2 same for the ten -time clock 3 2 2 3 or = 2 2 3 3 and the twelve -time clock 3 3 3 3 Fifth -piece, for example, the clock elfzeitige 2 2 3 2 2, six-part of the three ten -time clock 2 2 2 2 2 3

Furthermore, the composite time signatures symmetric ( gleichgliedrig ) or unbalanced ( ungleichgliedrig ) can be, depending on whether they are formed of the same or different simple time signatures. Thus, for example, are of the six -time clock of the type 6 = 3 3 or 6 = 2 2 2, the nine -time clock of the type 9 = 3 3 3 and the twelve -time clock of the type 12 = 3 3 3 3 ( Symmetric compound time ).

The eight -time clock, but the type 8 = 3 2 3, 8 = 2 3 3 and 8 = 3 3 2, the nine -time clock of the type 9 = 2 2 2 3 9 = 2 3 2 2 or the five-part twelve -time clock of the type 12 = 3 2 2 2 3 and 12 = 2 3 2 2 3, the thirteen- time clock and others, however, are unsymmetrical compound time.

The latter can be divided into two subgroups:

Combined metric groups

Combined metric groups are called combinations of asymmetrical time signatures, which repeat periodically until the end of the song. From such a combined metric groups is, for example, the round dance " Iztursi kaltzi ". It is the combination of 7 7 11 = 25

Straight Metric series

This refers to clock changes, in which the metric groups that are formed from different types of composite time signatures do not repeat periodically.

Two part time signatures

These are signatures that are formed either of two two-stage or two- three time signatures. So there are either four or six term -time signatures.

Four -simultaneous time signatures of the type 2 2 = 4

- The 4/4 - cycle = (2 2 ) / 4 The 4/4 - stroke results from the addition of two 2/4 - clocks. In the Bulgarian folk music one rarely encounters melodies in 4/4 - stroke. They prefer to write in 2/4 - stroke on. The result is a slow and moderate tempo.

The 4/8 - cycle = (2 2 ) / 8 One can tunes in 4/4 - write clock - clock in 4/8. This depends on the text that is sung to the song from. When it is sung very fast, you need a smaller unit, ie the eighth.

The 4/16 - cycle = (2 2 ) / 16 This signature is very rare and is almost never used in Bulgarian folk music.

Six Early signatures of the type 6 = 3 3

The 6/4 - stroke = (3 3 ) / 4 has not found any use in the Bulgarian folk music. There are a couple of exceptions, but in 2/4 - are listed clock. An example of this is the song " eyes, black eyes."

The 6/8 - clock = (3 3 ) / 8 If a melody at a fast 3/8 - played clock, the limit vanishes between the two simple three -time clocks. The result is a two-piece six -time signature.

The 6/16 - clock = (3 3 ) / 16 When a melody in 6/8 - clock is very fast, it can also be in the 6/16 - clock be written down. In this time signature is, for example, the most popular and also the easiest to learning the dance, the dance " Prawo ".

Two-piece asymmetrical time signatures

In the Bulgarian folk music one often encounters songs, which alternate two -term and three time intervals, ie for a two-stage clock is a three time, then again, and so creates a two- time clock to a clock line. This results in a series of five time groups. Depending on whether the clock series begins with a two-stage or a three- time clock, we distinguish two types of five -time clocks.

Five Early series of the type: 5 = 2 3

The 5/4 - stroke = (2 3) / 4; This is a very characteristic signature of the Rhodope Mountains. The melodies in which the 2/4 and 3/4 - stroke alternated periodically, another line between the two and the three - clock must be set. Is set no bar, but only the 5/4 - stroke entered at the beginning of the song is otherwise not clear whether it is a (2 3 ) structure or a ( 3 2) - is structure.

The 5/8 cycle = (2 3) / 8; The 5/8 - clock differs only by the swiftness of the tempo of the 5/4 - stroke. With a quick change of 2/ 8 and 3 /8 time, the boundary between the two-stage and three -time group disappears in the five -time clock, but the boundaries between the five -time clocks are even clearer.

The 5/16 - cycle = (2 3 ) / 16; In the Bulgarian folk music one hits very often to tune in a five- time clock, which is very fast ( basic stroke = 200, and even up to 460 beats per minute). In such cases, as noted above, the sixteenth note to the unit.

This is the time signature of many dances such as " Paiduschko horo ", " Kostenskata ", " Jutschata " and others. Many of the " Koledari " songs ( = Christmas ) are in this time signature.

Since the 5/16 - clock is in two parts, but consists of two unequal groups and has a very fast pace, creates the illusion of a two-part cycle with a slightly extended second half time. Dobri Hristov says: " The two elements of the clock form a short unit, three elements but form an extended unit. Thus, the timing of a short and from a straight unit. "

Five Early series of the type 5 = 3 2

The 5/4 - stroke = (3 2 ) / 4; Here is a five -time clock series with a 3/ 4 and not with a 2 /4 - clock starts and the 2/4 - stroke ends. The time signatures alternate as above periodically.

The 5/8 - clock = (3 2 ) / 8; When the clock 3/4- and 2/4 - alternate clock very quickly at a fast pace, the boundary between the three -term and two-stage clock disappears. The two simple clock species merge into a composite five -time clock. The unit of measurement for this clock time is the eighth note.

The 5/16 - clock = (3 2 ) / 16; It is a rarely occurring in the Bulgarian folk music time signature in a very fast pace.

Three-part signatures

The composite three-part signatures consist of three simple measures that may be two or three time periods. When the three simple measures of the same kind, there is a symmetric signature; if they are different, there is an asymmetrical time signature.

Three-part symmetrical clock types

These clock styles can be made either of three three -term or three two-stage clock types. In the first case, the nine clock periods (3 3 3 = 9) and in the second case, six periods (2 2 2 = 6). Nevertheless, the three-part symmetrical clock types are very rare.

The six time signatures

The 6/4 - cycle = (2 2 2) / 4; The three-part symmetrical six -quarter time is not used in musical practice. In the professional European music, he was ousted from 3/2-Takt. The Bulgarian folk musicians simply write out a 2/4-cycle instead of 6/4-Taktes without the grouping of simple bars to indicate somehow.

The 6/8 - cycle = (2 2 2) / 8; This clock has the 3 /4 - mixed clock.

Nine -term signatures

The 9 /8 - clock = (3 3 3) / 8; The symmetrical three-part nine -time clock is made up of three simple three -term measures. If the tempo of the melody is slow, the connection between the three three-timed clocking is very loose. But even if the pace is very fast, the folk music practitioners never write a 9/8-Takt out, but 3/8 or 3/4. This clock is almost never true in the Bulgarian folk music.

Three-piece asymmetrical time signatures

The three-piece asymmetrical time signatures can be either seven or eight time periods. There are three types of seven -time clock modes:

The eight temporarily unbalanced cycles can be divided into three groups:

Musical folk instruments

Wind Instruments

• Gajda ( Bagpipe ), bagpipes
• Kaval, widespread Hirtenflöte
• Duduk, rarer short longitudinal flute
• Dwojanka, double flute

String Instruments

• String Instruments Gadulka, fiddle
• Gusla, one-stringed fiddle

• Tambura, long-necked lute

Percussion instruments, instruments membrane

Tapan ( bass drum )

The Tapan resembles the Turkish Davul and is almost known all over the country. There are two different ways to play: on the one hand with a mallet, the other with mallets and sticks, so you can beat on the second side of the drum. There are drums of all different sizes. All, however, are manufactured in the same way: on a wooden tires a coat, with the aid of two cords taut. The drum is used as an accompanying instrument to other folk instruments like Gaida, gadulka, Kaval and others.

Tarambuka and Daire

The goblet drum Tarambuka ( darbuka ) and the frame drum Daire ( Bulg дайре; . Engl Dayereh ) are mainly used by Roma and Turks, but also take in the life of the Bulgarians a place a. In some areas they replace the large drum. More common than the Tarambuka Daire is mainly rhythmic songs accompanied on holidays for example.

The Tschanowe

Even if the Tschans for the folk music of Bulgarians have no immediate significance, the sheep bells have always been a constant companion in the life of the Bulgarians.

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