Tracing the Locally Distinctive Characteristics in the Traditional Music of Kri？evci and the Kri？evci Area

Sa？etak This article contains the results of ethnomusicological research on the town of Kri？evci and the Kri？evci area. The data on previous ethnomusicological research carried out in the Kri？evci area were found in manuscripts and audio recordings that are kept at the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research in Zagreb. Those documents include the unpublished materials by three ethnographers from 1930s, 1950s, and 1980s: Nikola Hercigonja, Ksenija Brodari？, and Kre？imir Galin. The materials are transcriptions of repertoires of former folklore groups from Majurec and Apatovec, followed by the cimbalom sound recording from Zaistovec, and, concerning Ksenija Brodari？, a field report from Majurec, ？ur？ic, and Mali Poto？ec. Moreover, collections of songs published by Franjo Kuha？ and Ludvik Kuba in the second half of the 19th century include several songs and a dance from Kri？evci and Lepavina. The music collected by those researchers proves the existence and popularity of traditional instruments, especially the cimbalom, tambura, and the “dude” bagpipes. The musical characteristics of the songs demonstrate the tendency toward diatonic tonality and two-part singing in parallel thirds or in a specific singing style known as “na bas” singing. Furthermore, the musical material indicates that the songs originating in other parts of Croatia, as well as the repertoire of old-town songs, appeared early in the Kri？evci area and became popular, suppressing the previously existing non-diatonic repertoire. All those characteristics comply with the other ethnomusicological findings on the broader cultural area of central and northwest Croatia. Therefore, Kri？evci and the Kri？evci area should be included in the general literature on the regional traditional music in Croatia, in which their presence has thus far often been overlooked