Harmony in Bulgarian Music

• Main Author: Kirilov, Kalin Stanchev
• Language: en_US
• Published: University of Oregon 2013
• Subjects: Music > Bulgaria > History and criticism; Folk music > Bulgaria > History and criticism; Harmony
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/13533

555 pages === This study focuses on the development of harmonic vocabulary in Bulgarian music. It analyzes the incorporation of harmony in village music from the 1930s to the 1990s, "wedding music" from the 1970s to 2000, and choral and instrumental arrangements (obrabotki, creations of the socialist period (1944-1989). This study also explains that terms which are frequently applied to Bulgarian music, such as "westernization," "socialist-style arrangements," or "Middle Eastern influence," depict sophisticated networks of codified and non-codified rules for harmonization which to date have not been studied. The dissertation classifies different approaches to harmony in the above mentioned styles and situates them in historical and cultural contexts, examines existing principles for harmonizing and arranging Bulgarian music, and establishes new systems for analysis. It suggests that the harmonic language of the layers of Bulgarian music is based upon systems of rules which can be approached and analyzed using Western music theory. TV1y analysis of harmony in Bulgarian music focuses on representative examples of each style discussed. These selections are taken from the most popular and well-received compositions available in the repertoire. === 10000-01-01