Full Description
In Western political discourse, Yugoslavia was frequently referred to as a "buffer zone," its independence from the Soviet bloc being the single most salient factor making it politically atypical. Another enduring metaphor, that of a crossroads between East and West, was often invoked to describe Yugoslavia's heterogeneous culture, owing as much to its geographic position in central/southeast Europe as to its multinational makeup. Yet, if not solely for its socialist brand of communism, the Balkan-Slavic identity of Yugoslavia's traditional culture shaped the perception of the country as a part of the east European cultural bloc.
Like other cultures on the map of Slavic traditions, Yugoslavia presented the casual observer with a colorful variety of village music, ethnic customs and a proliferating national folklore engendered in festival re-enactments of rural life. Rapid social changes following World War II profoundly affected the country's largely rural-based culture. Despite enormous evidence of vanishing historic practices, the music rooted in the socioeconomic milieu of peasant society remained the main focus of ethnomusico-logical research interest. Yugoslavia's contemporary culture, originating in such modem institutions as mass media and the market place, did not receive comparable attention.
Contents
Musical Examples on the Compact Disc, Note on Language and Pronunciation, Acknowledgments, Introduction, Chapter I: The Emergence of Newly Composed Folk Music, Chapter II: Laying the Foundations: The Practice of Arrangement, Chapter III: The Market Breakthrough, Chapter IV: The Folk Estrada: Products and Activities, Chapter V: Style and Regionalism, Chapter VI: Newly Composed Folk Music on Radio, Chapter VII: The Power of the Market: Production, Chapter VIII: The Power of the Market: Patterns of Reception, Bibliography, Selected Discography, Index
