Search results
This is a list of folk music traditions, with styles, dances, instruments and other related topics. The term folk music can not be easily defined in a precise manner; it is used with widely varying definitions depending on the author, intended audience and context within a work.
CountryElementsDanceInstrumentationaheng Albanian ballad epic (këngë ...ajsino oro arnaöut Osman Taka pušteno ...bousouk / buzuk cifteli clarinet dajreja ...AndalusianSee Spanish––AndorranSee Catalan––ArbereshiSee Albanian––Find Central European Traditions Albums, Artists and Songs, and Hand-Picked Top Central European Traditions Music on AllMusic
- Inuit Drum Dancing, Greenland
- Byzantine Chant, Cyprus & Greece
- Kaustinen Folk Music, Finland
- Rebetiko, Greece
- Canto A Tenore, Sardinia
- Uilleann Piping, Ireland
- Fado, Portugal
- Chant of The Sybil, Majorca
In 2021, UNESCO recognised as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity Greenland's Inuit drum dancing and singing, an indigenous form of music performed among the Greenlandic Inuit communities. The drum dance typical of the tradition can be performed by one dancer alone or accompanied by a choir singing songs about love, humour and hunting. For ...
Both Cyprus and Greece share the practice of the Byzantine chant, which was inscribed in UNESCO’s list in 2019. The Byzantine chant, which mixes tradition and religion, is a living art that has existed for over 2,000 years and was initially developed in the Byzantine empire. The chant is closely linked to the Orthodox Church in Cyprus and Greece, a...
In 2019, UNESCO added to its list Finland’s Kaustinen folk music, a tradition where the violin, with or without accompanying instruments, is played by ear. The style is characterised by displaced rhythms or accents that make it easy to dance to. The 250-year old tradition is played during wedding parties, public concerts and at the annual Kaustinen...
In 2019, Rebetiko, a century-old beloved Greek musical tradition, was added by UNESCO to its heritage list. Rebetiko, which is often called “the blues of Greece” or “the blues of the outlaws,” is an umbrella term covering a music genre that emerged among the poorest population in Athens in the early 20th century. It was music influenced by Byzantin...
In 2008, Sardinia’s “Canto a tenore,” a style of pastoral singing developed on the island, received recognition from UNESCO. Its main characteristic is its deep, guttural tone, achieved by the polyphonic singing of a group of four men. It is performed in a tight cicle. The tradition, still alive, is deeply entrenched in Sardinian identity. It often...
Uillean piping was inscribed on UNESCO's list in 2017. It involves playing Irish music on a particular type of bagpipe known as the 'uilleann', It is a highly developed and complex instrument, with some functionalities that are found nowhere else. It often accompanies music played at weddings and parties, and it’s been passed on through several gen...
Fado music, which originated in Portugal in the early 19th centry, is now a symbol of Portuguese culture and tradition. It incorporates poetry and music to create a sometimes sorrowful, melancholic and always passionate melody, usually performed by a solo singer accompanied by an acoustic guitar and the Portuguese guitarra. It was inscribed in UNES...
The Chant of the Sybil, inscribed in UNESCO’s list in 2010, is a religious song performed on the night of Christmas’ Eve in churches across Majorca. The chant is traditionally performed by a boy or girl accompanied by two or more altar boys or girls, with the main singer walking through the church carrying a sword in their hands. At the end of the ...
- Giulia Carbonaro
Sep 23, 2024 · The major mode is the most common in western and central Europe, an indication of the influence of nearby art music; others are found in eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and England (as well as in English-derived music around the world).
Sep 23, 2024 · The central traditions of folk music are transmitted orally or aurally, that is, they are learned through hearing rather than the reading of words or music, ordinarily in informal, small social networks of relatives or friends rather than in institutions such as school or church.
Folk music and dances in Central Europe (also East Europe and many other part of Europe) went into classical music and today is known in all around world. The tradition of Yodeling is one of the interesting singing techniques in Central Europe.
Sep 17, 2009 · Classical music is the enduring soundtrack of Central Europe and one of the many compelling reasons to visit the region. Some of the world’s greatest composers were born here—including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Dvorak—and their musical masterpieces are a legacy treasured by locals and visitors alike.
