DUOS

Cello: Petr Nouzovský

Guitar: Adam Svitač

Recording: Lukáš Borzík

Premiered at Dom Albrechtovcov, 30.4.2024.

Festival Premiéry | Sound & Word #2 (nsh.komorne)

Video from the concert and CD recording upcoming.

Composed in June 2023 after visiting Sarajevo.

Sevdalinka is a unique musical genre, a folk song of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The word „sevdah“ comes from Arabic and roughly means „love longing.“ Musically, it is characterized by a slow to moderate tempo (which can change within a song), frequent use of melisma, and an overall melancholic atmosphere. It mostly employs minor and modal scales (especially the Phrygian mode) and oriental makams (the Turkish scale system) with a constant presence of augmented seconds.

Sevdalinka is traditionally performed solo or accompanied by a single instrument. I decided to utilize the principles of sevdalinka for a cello-guitar duo. The cello represents the plaintive voice, while the guitar serves as the accompanying instrument. These primary roles interchange multiple times within the cycle. I dedicate these sevdalinkas to my grandmother, whose father originated from Sarajevo (Bosnian Croatian).

12 sevdalinkas = Sarajevo was founded in 1461 (1+4+6+1=12)

1) Muezzin – Mujezin

A muezzin is a servant of a mosque who calls Muslims to prayer multiple times a day from the minaret (tower) through the recitation of the adhan (call to prayer). Today, in many places, his role has been replaced by speakers.

2) Caravan – Karavana

A caravan is a group of people, often accompanied by animals (camels, donkeys), who travel through a country, usually for trade. Caravans were widespread, especially in the past, as they provided one of the few means of transporting goods between distant places.

3) Madrasa and Şadırvan – Medresa i šadrvan

A madrasa is a higher Islamic religious school, commonly established near a mosque. Şadırvan is a type of fountain found in the courtyards of mosques, madrasas, and other religious sites. It serves for drinking, ritual cleansing, and also as a decoration with a soothing visual and auditory ambiance.

4) Gazi Husrev Bey – Gazi Husrev Beg

Gazi Husrev Bey (1480-1541) was a multiple-time sanjak bey (governor) of Bosnia. As a loyal servant (and through the female line, a relative) of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, he participated in many military campaigns in Europe, including the Battle of Mohács. He contributed to the development of Sarajevo and its surroundings by financing the construction of a mosque, madrasa, library, and bazaar (bezistan) named after him.

5) Miljacka

Miljacka is a small river that flows through Sarajevo. It is lined with several historically significant bridges. It flows into the Bosna River northeast of the city. In 1914, the assassins attempted unsuccessfully to drown themselves in it.

6) Džezva and Fildžani – Džezva i filidžani

Bosnian coffee is known worldwide. It has its specific preparation, strong flavor, and also a coffee set.

7) War in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini

The war took place from 1992 to 1995. Statistics indicate that during the siege of Sarajevo, 12,000 inhabitants lost their lives.

8) Bazaar – Bazar

A bazaar is a marketplace in Oriental countries. This term became known in Central and Western Europe in connection with covered markets, primarily from the Ottoman Empire.

9) Sad Memory after the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand – Tužno sjećanje nakon atentata na Franju Ferdinanda

On June 28, 1914, an assassination took place in Sarajevo by a member of the organization Young Bosnia (Gavrilo Princip), which later served as a pretext for the start of World War I.

10) Vrelo Bosne

Vrelo Bosne is a natural reserve where the Bosna River originates. It is located near Sarajevo and is a popular recreational area.

11) Baščaršija

Baščaršija (meaning „Main Market“) in the center of Sarajevo is an old bazaar from Ottoman times. The district was established during the founding of the city by Isa-Beg Isahović. It houses all the important landmarks, named after Gazi Husrev Bey: a mosque, madrasa, library, bezistan (covered market), as well as a clock tower and Morića Han (inn).

12) Sebilj

Sebilj is a wooden fountain (symbol of the city) located in the historic part of Baščaršija in Sarajevo. Legend has it that a visitor who drinks from this fountain will return to Sarajevo one day. (confession/wish)