Folk vocal traditions in the eastern borderlands (Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian-Ukrainian) 3106-LTW-OG

The course has a workshop character and is addressed to everyone interested in traditional musical culture. Ethnomusicological studies and articles, as well as an extensive collection of sound recordings from the Suwałki, Podlasie, Poniemnia and Polesie regions, will be the basis for discussing the vocal techniques and styles of the eastern border belt.
Each meeting will consist of theoretical and practical parts. Each participant will have the opportunity to prepare and then perform (ensemble and/or solo) three selected songs.

Class topics:
1. Borderland - typology and types. Ambiguity of the borderland. Eastern borderlands: Polish-Lithuanian; Polish-Belarusian; Polish-Ukrainian. Musical phenomena in the eastern borderland.
2. Suwałki - ethnographic and musical region. History of research on traditional music of Suwalszczyzna. Vocal traditions of the ritual cycle.
3. Podlasie - historical and ethnographic-musical region. Vocal traditions of the ritual cycle. Examples of solo musical expression.
4. Poniemnie - historical and cultural conditions and influence on the study of the folklore of the region. Repertoire remembered vs repertoire practiced. Common traditional repertoire.
5. Polesie - history and ethnographic-musical division. Macro- and micro-regions. Types of polyphony. Family rituals vs lyrical common songs.
6. Voice as a tool of communication. Basics of voice emission useful for performance of traditional songs. Method of active listening. Musicalization techniques.
7. Musical folklore - knowledge of the people vs codified elaborations. Folk musical traditions - terms, issues, typologies. Transformation of the role and importance of musical traditions.
8. Contemporary performance of folk music - panorama of phenomena, trends, tendencies. Contemporary varieties and forms of use of musical folklore.

Type of course

elective courses
general courses

Course coordinators

Anastasiya Niakrasava

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the participant:
 knows the basic forms and genres of traditional
music in the eastern borderlands (Polish-Lithuanian,
Polish-Belarusian, Polish-Ukrainian);
 understands the fundamentals of "good" voice
emission and can apply selected vocal techniques in
their own performance practice;
 can identify the characteristic musical folklore traits
of various ethnographic-musical regions;
 can distinguish the differences and similarities in the
vocal culture of the eastern borderlands;
 can control the structure of a song during its
performance;
 can perform selected types of songs and present a
chosen style, accurately recreating the sound and
dialect;
 is aware of the historical variability of forms and
genres of traditional music.

Assessment criteria

 Attendance and active participation in the classes (1 absence is allowed);
 Regular completion of homework assignments;
 Preparation and performance of three songs (individually and/or in a group).

Bibliography

 Bielawski, Ludwik (red.), Podlasie. Część I. Teksty
pieśni obrzędowych. Warszawa 2012, s. 7–93.
 Bielawski, Ludwik (red.), Podlasie. Część II. Teksty
pieśni powszechnych. Warszawa 2012, s. 24–47.

 Ciecierska-Zajdel, B., Trening głosu. 2. wyd.
Warszawa 2020.
 Engelking, A., Golachowska, E., Zielińska, A. (red.),
Tożsamość – Język – Rodzina. Z badań na
pograniczu słowiańsko-bałtyckim. Warszawa 2008,
s. 10–24.
 Grozdew-Kołacińska, Weronika, Barwa głosu jako
kryterium konstruowania koncepcji stylu – do badań
nad ludowym śpiewem tradycyjnym w Polsce. W:
Etnomuzykologia na przełomie tysiącleci: historia,
teoria, metodologia / Etnomuzykolohiya na zlami
tycyacholit’: istoriya, teoriya, metodolohiya. Red.
Zbigniew Przerembski. Wrocław–Lwów 2015, s.
31–44.
 Juzala, Gustaw, Semiotyka folkloru muzycznego
pograniczy polsko-litewskich. Kraków 2007
(wybrane fragmenty).
 Pokropek, Marian, Ludowe tradycje Suwalszczyzny.
Suwałki 2010, s. 275–286.
 Tadić, Branko, Metody wspomagające
zapamiętywanie melodii. W: Śpiew tradycyjny —
modele edukacji. Doświadczenia polskie i serbskie.
Red. Weronika Grozdew-Kołacińska, Bartłomiej
Drozd. Lublin 2027.
 Tarasiewicz, Bogumiła, Mówię i śpiewam
świadomie. Podręcznik do nauki emisji głosu. 2014.
 Tradycyjnaja mastackaja kultura biełarusaŭ. Tom 3.
Hrodzienskaje Paniamońnie. Kniha 1, Minsk 2006.
  Tradycyjnaja mastackaja kultura biełarusaŭ. Tom
4. Bresckae Paliessie., Minsk 2008 (wybrane
fragmenty).

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3106-LTW-OG in USOSweb