Slow haunting Slovak songs for mandolin

[CervenySatek]

Hi, does anyone out there happen to know of any traditional Slovak folk songs that would be well suited for tremolo style mandolin. I'm looking for slower songs, with harmonic minor or minor tone, that aren't too repetitive.

[aero_space]

There is a Slovak Lully by recorded by Theodore Bikel more than 40 years ago. The score was published in a Bikel song book back then. I think the title is Haj Pada pada. This may fit your requirements.

[Jason Kessler]

My Slovak mother used to sing a song whose name I can only render as "Slovensk Amatchisky." Beautiful, haunting tune; I'm told it appeared somewhere in the film "Heaven's Gate." I also think it's pretty well known. Beyond that, you're on your own.

[glauber]

Slovensky mamicky,
pekne synon mate!
Vyhovaly ste ich,
na vojno ich date!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I'm sure i'm butchering the spelling, but it's about the Slovak Mothers who lovingly raised their beautiful sons only to lose them to the War. (All the beautiful girls will cry, etc.)

Seriously, look for cassettes or CDs of Eastern Slovak folkloric groups that feature the fiddler. If you're Slovak, you probably know the sources; i lost track but it should be easy to find on the Web. This kind of music has a "Gypsy" sound to it (although if you say that there, you'll probably suffer violence). Western Slovak music, in contrast, is very Polka-oriented (um-pah).

[Jason Kessler]

That's the one, Glauber. You must be partly Slovak too.

Many years ago, when I asked my mother what it meant, it struck me as an odd sublect matter to lullabye one's young sons to sleep with...

[glauber]

I'm Brazilian, but my wife is full-blood Slovak. I've been there a few times, and i know a liitle of the language, but i've been too busy and too lazy to learn it properly so far (a great shame). This is an interesting song: each stanza repeats and ellaborates the 3rd verse of the preceding stanza.

Here's an interesting band: Keltieg (http://www.keltieg.sk/). They mix traditional Slovak and traditional Irish music, using traditional Slovak instruments. They're very good. (MP3) (http://www.keltieg.sk/files/ireland.mp3)

I also enjoy the Pop/Rock band Elan (http://www.elan.sk) (their website seems to be down right now).

[CervenySatek]

Thanks all - #I like Slovenske Mamicky, but I already have enough Major tone Slovak tunes for sure. #Yeah I've heard a lot of Eastern Slovak music, and I really like it, but I just can't find many folk songs that would be suited to tremolo mandolin. #I'm thinking about some sort of slightly complex melody, harmonic minor, that doesn't need a back beat to sound good - maybe like a Slovak version of Come Back to Sorrento :-) #


it struck me as an odd sublect matter to lullabye one's young sons to sleep with...

Actually, there's a lot of Czech and Slovak lullabies that do that. #It's almost normal. #Like: #"dark eyes go to sleep , tomorrow they wake, The newspaper will say that they're drafting for the war, pity the boys, go to sleep ) #Good stuff!

[glauber]

I'm running the list in my head, but most Slovak songs i know are either fast or rather muscular (macho bravado) and major key.

But... how about Nad Tatrou sa blyska? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif In a mix of tremolo and non-tremolo.

[glauber]

Oooh! One more! But you probably already have it: Ja som baca velmy stary!

One more: Sobotienka ide.

I have a book of Slovak folk songs somewhere; i should look in there again. If there is no other way, i may be persuaded to record one or two of these, especially if i'm drunk.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[glauber]

Here's one more, last one for now:
Vysoko zornicka
dobru noc Anicka,
Este vysie nebe Pan Boh daj a tebe!

This is in major key, but nice and slow (lullaby).

I have music notes for this one, Baca Stary, and Nad Tatrou.

[CervenySatek]

Good stuff, glauber...

I actually play Nad Tatrou - half tremolo - like you said. I always wondered what it'd sound like heavily amplified :-)

I don't think I've heard "Sobotienka ide". I'll track it down.

[glauber]

Good stuff, glauber...

I actually play Nad Tatrou - half tremolo - like you said. I always wondered what it'd sound like heavily amplified :-)

I don't think I've heard "Sobotienka ide". I'll track it down.
I think Nad Tatrou needs a barrage of tremolloing mandolas and mandocellos in the background. Maybe some percussion, timpani. And maybe a small model of Stonehenge. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Sobotienka... if you don't find it, send me a personal message through the board and i'll see if i can find the recording i have. It's this guy complaining that saturday is almost over, he has a long hard way to go and to top it all, his girlfriend has been kidnapped by the Turks.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[flairbzzt]

Look for recordings of the Duquesne University Tamburitzans. I've got several that cover many Eastern European countries back when the names were different- beautiful melodies like what you are looking for. I also have a good slovak friend whom I'll ask.

[malick]

Hi guys, I am slovak and I am quite amazed by your discussion about our folk songs. I discovered this forum by accident when trying to google any reference to "Slovenske mamicky" being used in Heaven's Gate.

"Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (There are lightnings over Tatra) is actually our national athem (you can check it e.g. here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3mA_SEORsk) and its melody comes from folk song "Kopala studienku".

Anyway thank you for your interest, it kind of makes me proud about our melodies that inspire people overseas :o)

[mandocrucian]

Did some tape/CD trading with a guy from the Czech Republic 10+ years ago. Got some first-class music, mostly from the Moravian part of CR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravia)

Some names to look for on Youtube (and they've got stuff there), or for sound files:
Hradistan
Jiri Pavlica
Danaj

NH

[Jason Kessler]

Malick,

I haven't seen Heaven's Gate, but my brother told me that the song received some sort of symphonic treatment as background music at some point in the film.

Also: I work in the fashion industry, and once sang a bit of the song with Paulona Poriskova (a Czeck supermodel, for those who don't recognize the name; after appearing in a Cars music video, she married the singer Ric Ocasek). This may be a fearless germane point for you, but not for me!

[malick]

Hi Jason,

yes in Heaven's gate immigrants were singing this song the night before final battle.

CervenySatek, if you are still interested in slovak folk songs I found a page of one slovak band Banda that plays traditional folk songs in "contemporary arrangement". Some of band members even play mandolin, so it might be interesting.
Check it out here: http://www.banda.sk/lang/gb/

[Santiago]

Loved the video on that site with the wild fiddler. Good stuff.