Sevdalinka (), also known as Sevdah music, is a traditional

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

originating from

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sevdalinka is an integral part of the Bosniak culture, but is also spread across the ex-

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

region, including

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...

and

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

. The actual composers of many Sevdalinka songs are largely unknown because these are traditional folk songs. In a musical sense, Sevdalinka is characterized by a slow or moderate

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

and intense, emotional melodies. Sevdalinka songs are very elaborate, emotionally charged and are traditionally sung with passion and fervor. The combination of Oriental, European and Sephardic elements make this type of music stand out among other types of folk music from the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

. Just like a majority of Balkan folk music, Sevdalinka features very somber, minor-sounding

modes Mode ( la, modus meaning "manner, tune, measure, due measure, rhythm, melody") may refer to: Arts and entertainment * '' MO''D''E (magazine)'', a defunct U.S. women's fashion magazine * ''Mode'' magazine, a fictional fashion magazine which is ...

, but unlike other types of Balkan folklore music it more intensely features

minor second A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically. It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...

intervals, thus hinting at Oriental

makam The Turkish makam ( Turkish: ''makam'' pl. ''makamlar''; from the Arabic word ) is a system of melody types used in Turkish classical music and Turkish folk music. It provides a complex set of rules for composing and performance. Each makam spec ...

s and the Phrygian mode. As a result, the melodies are noted for leaving a strong

melancholic Melancholia or melancholy (from el, µέλαινα χολή ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly d ...

feeling with the listener. The singer will often impose the

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

and

of the song, both of which can vary throughout the song. Traditionally, Sevdalinka’s are women's songs, most addressing the issue of love and longing, unfulfilled and unfortunate love, some touch on a woman's physical desire for her loved one, and some have various comic elements. There are Sevdah songs written and sung by men as well. Traditionally, they were performed without any instrument, hence their elaborate melody. As with most old folk styles, it is pure assumption what the sound of original melodies were like, as in modern days their interpretations are fully aligned to the Western chromatic system due to instruments used for accompaniment (whereas Oriental modes often use intervals smaller than a

semitone A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically. It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...

). Modern interpretations are followed by a small

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

featuring the accordion (as the most prominent instrument), the

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

, nylon-string

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

s and/or other string instruments, occasionally (such as

oud , image=File:oud2.jpg , image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921 , background= , classification= * String instruments *Necked bowl lutes , hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum , ...

, saz or šargija), the flute or clarinet (occasionally), upright bass and the snare drum. In modern interpretations, between the verses, an accordion or violin

solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Comics * ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series * Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...

can almost always be heard.

Etymology

The word itself comes from the Turkish ''sevda'' which, in turn, derives from Ottoman Turkish sevda refers to a state of being in love, and more specifically to the intense and forlorn longing associated with love-sickness and unrequited love. This is connected with the related Persian word () meaning both "melancholic" and "enamored". It was these associations that came with the word when it was brought to Bosnia by the Ottomans. Today it is a richly evocative Bosnian word, meaning ''pining'' or a ''longing (for a loved one, a place, a time)'' that is both joyous and painful, being the main theme of Sevdalinka lyrics. Thus the people of Bosnia employ the words "Sevdalinka" and "Sevdah" interchangeably as the name of this music, although the word ''Sevdah'' can also be used in other meanings.

Saudade ''Saudade'' (, , , ; plural ''saudades'') is an emotional state of melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for something that one loves despite it not necessarily being real. It often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of lo ...

, the central term in Portuguese

Fado Fado (; "destiny, fate") is a music genre that can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar Rui Vieira Nery states that "the only reliable information on the history of fado was ...

, is of the same origin, likewise emerging from the Arabic language medical discourse used for centuries in both

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label= Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, al-Ándalus () was the M ...

and the Ottoman empire. N.B., the term melancholy is of similar origin, stemming from original Greek medical term for black bile - ''melan kholé''.

Origins and history

The origins of Sevdalinka are not known for certain, though it is known to date from sometime after the arrival of the Ottomans in the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, but melodies and the venerable "Aman, aman" lyrical figure hint at a Sephardic and Andalusian influence which can be explained by the arrival of Sephardic refugees in Ottoman Bosnia, or more likely an Ottoman Turkish meaning which translates to "have mercy". The first historically mentioned Sevdalinka is considered to be "''Bolest Muje Carevića''" (''The Illness of Mujo Carević''), which is believed to have been written around the year 1475. Another early written document that notes Sevdalinka was from the year 1574 when an Italian man was passing through the Bosnian city of

Visoko Visoko ( sr-cyrl, Високо, ) is a city located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the municipality had a population of 39,938 inhabitants with 11,205 liv ...

and heard what he described as "sad songs sung by the locals" that made him feel

. In the early 16th century, a

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

from

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...

mentioned a song about the forbidden love of a Christian girl named Mara Vornić and a Muslim boy named

Fadil Fazl ( ar, فضل ) is an Arabic word meaning ''grace'' or ''virtue''. It may also be transliterated as Fadl, or with the addition of an extra vowel. It is used as a given name, and also as a constituent of several compound names.{{cite book, title ...

or Adel/Adil (accounts vary). The earliest known female Sevdalinka poet was Umihana Čuvidina, who wrote mainly about her dead husband.

Performers

A couple of significant singers of the Sevdalinka in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s were Rešad Bešlagić and Vuka Šeherović. Towards the end of World War II, Radio Sarajevo was founded and signed some of the most prominent ''Sevdalije'' (Sevdalinka performers) among them were Zaim Imamović in 1945, Himzo Polovina in 1953,

Beba Selimović Izeta Selimović (27 March 1936 – 10 March 2020), known by her stage name Beba Selimović, was a Bosnian sevdalinka- folk singer and was one of the leading female singers of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s in Yugoslavia, along with Zehra Deović, ...

in 1954,

Safet Isović Safet Isović (; 20 October 1936 – 2 September 2007) was a Bosnian singer who performed the Bosnian traditional music sevdalinka. Early life and family Isović was born into a Bosniak family in Bileća, located in the Herzegovina region of mod ...

in 1955 and

Zehra Deović Zehra Deović (9 December 1938 – 30 October 2015) was a Bosnian sevdalinka- folk singer and was one of the leading female singers of the 1960s and 1970s in Yugoslavia, along with Silvana Armenulić, Nada Mamula and Beba Selimović. Deović s ...

in 1960.

Nada Mamula Nada Mamula (9 January 1927 – 11 October 2001) was a Serbian singer. She started her career on Radio Beograd, where she passed an audition in 1946 (as Nada Vukićević). In 1946 she delivered her first ever professional performances as Nada ...

was signed to Radio Beograd in 1946. Others like

Silvana Armenulić Silvana Bajraktarević (born Zilha Bajraktarević; 18 February 1939 – 10 October 1976), known professionally as Silvana Armenulić (), was a Bosnian singer-songwriter and actress and one of the most prominent commercial folk music and traditi ...

, Emina Zečaj, Nedžad Salković,

Hanka Paldum Hanka Paldum (born 28 April 1956) is a Bosnian sevdalinka singer and founder of the record label Sarajevo Disk. She is regarded as one of the best female sevdah performers of the 20th century and is popular in her home country of Bosnia as well ...

and Meho Puzić were signed to record for such production companies as

Jugoton Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia. History Jugoton was formed in 1947. It is notable for releasing some of the most important former Yugoslav pop and rock records. ...

Diskoton ''Diskoton'' was a major record label in SFR Yugoslavia, based in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The company ceased to exist in 1992, with the outbreak of the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The studio was destroyed along ...

or other Yugoslav labels. Although sung mainly by traditional Bosniak singers, the Sevdalinka made its way to many "mainstream" musicians. Sevdalinkas were covered by Josipa Lisac,

Željko Bebek Želimir "Željko" Bebek (born 16 December 1945) is a Bosnian and Croatian vocalist and musician most notable for being the lead singer of former Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme from 1974 to 1984. He also has a successful career as a solo artis ...

Ibrica Jusić Ibrahim "Ibrica" Jusić (born 15 December 1944) is Croatian chanson, folk, pop and sevdalinka singer-songwriter and musician. Early life and career beginnings Ibrica Jusić was born as Ibrahim Jusić in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik into a ...

, Jadranka Stojaković,

Toše Proeski Todor "Toše" Proeski ( mk, Тодор "Тоше" Проески, ; 25 January 1981 – 16 October 2007) was a Macedonian multi-genre singer and songwriter. Considered a top act of the local Macedonian and Balkan music scene, Proeski's music wa ...

, and

Zdravko Čolić Zdravko Čolić (, ; born 30 May 1951) is a Bosnian Serb singer and is widely considered one of the greatest vocalists and cultural icons of the former Yugoslavia. Dubbed the "Tom Jones of the Balkans", he has garnered fame in Southeastern Europe ...

. In 1990s a band

Mostar Sevdah Reunion Mostar Sevdah Reunion is a world-fusion musical ensemble from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina playing almost exclusively sevdalinka fused with contemporary musical styles. The band is composed of experienced musicians and often collaborates with r ...

was assembled in

Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...

and in early 2000s they became widely popular on the '' world music'' scene, receiving high awards for their lively interpretations of Sevdalinkas (that fuse Sevdalinka with contemporary musical styles like

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

and funk) and introducing many people outside Bosnia to the genre of Sevdalinka. Equally popular today is Amira Medunjanin dubbed by music journalist and author Garth Wainwright "Bosnia's

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

Notable songs

;Some famous Sevdalinka songs: * Il' je vedro, il' oblačno (''It's either clear (no clouds in the sky), or clouded'') *Ah što ćemo ljubav kriti (''Why Should We Hide Our Love'') *Da Sam Ptica (''If I Were a Bird'') * Moj golube (''My dove'') * Emina *Grana od bora, pala kraj mora (''A Branch of

Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accepts ...

, Fell by the Sea'') *Karanfile Cvijeće Moje (''

Carnation ''Dianthus caryophyllus'' (), commonly known as the carnation or clove pink, is a species of ''Dianthus''. It is likely native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years.Med ...

, My Flower'') * Kraj potoka bistre vode (''By a Stream of Crystal Clear Water'') * Omer-beže na kuli sjeđaše (''

Bey Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...

Omer Sits on the Tower'') *Razbolje se lijepa Hajrija (''Beautiful Hajrija Became Ill'') *Razbolje se Sultan Sulejman (''The Sultan Suleiman Became Ill'') * Sejdefu majka buđaše (''Sejdefa's Mother Wakes Her'') *Snijeg pade na behar na voće (''Snow Fell on the Blossom, on the Fruit'') *Što te nema (''Why Aren't You Here'') *Sve behara i sve cvjeta (''Everything Blossoms and Everything Blooms'') *Tekla rijeka potokom i jazom (''The River Flowed Through the Stream and Divide'') *Teško meni jadnoj u Saraj'vu samoj (''It's Difficult for Me, a Poor Girl Alone in

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...

'') *U Stambolu Na Bosforu (''In

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

on the

Bosphorous The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern T ...

'') *Zapjevala sojka ptica (''The Blue Jay Bird Sang'') *Zaplakala šećer Đula (''The Sweet Rose Wept'') *Zaplakala stara majka (''The Elderly Mother Wept'') *Zmaj od Bosne ('' Dragon of Bosnia'') *Zvijezda tjera mjeseca (''The Star Chases the Moon'') ;Other Bosnian folk songs often mentioned as Sevdalinka-s: *Crven Fesić (''Little Red

Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...

'') *Čudna jada od Mostara grada (''Strange Wretch from the Town of

'') *Djevojka sokolu zulum učinila (''The Girl Perpetrated Cruelty on the Falcon'') *Došla voda od brijega do brijega (''The Water Came from Hill to Hill'') *Karanfil se na put sprema (''Karanfil Prepares for a Journey'') *Ko se ono brijegom šeće? (''Who Is Walking on the Hill?'') *Lijepi li su Mostarski dućani (''Mostar's Shops Are Beautiful'') *Mila majko, šalji me na vodu (''Dear Mother, Send Me to the Water'') * Moj dilbere (''My Darling'') *Mujo kuje konja po mjesecu (''Mujo

Shoes A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...

the Horse in the Moonlight'') *Sinoć ja i moja kona (''Last Night, My Neighbor and I'') *Tamburalo momče uz tamburu (''The Boy Played the

Tamburica Tamburica ( or ) or tamboura ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", tamburica, тамбурица, little tamboura; hu, tambura; el, Ταμπουράς, Tampourás; sometimes written tamburrizza or tamburitza), refers to a family of long-necked lute ...

'') *U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu (''In the Beautiful Old Town of

Višegrad Višegrad ( sr-cyrl, Вишеград, ) is a town and municipality located in eastern Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rests at the confluence of the Drina and the Rzav river. As of 2013, it has a population of 10,668 ...

'') *Vino piju Age Sarajlije (''The Aghas of Sarajevo Drink Wine'')

Examples

*Anadolka *Kad ja pođoh (Guitar) (Flute) *Ne Klepeći Nanulama *Što te nema (Hasanagin Sevdah) *U Stambolu na Bosforu *Žute Dunje

References

External links

Sevdalinka.info

Sevdalinkas.com Sevdalinkas Archive

Sevdalinke.com Digital Archive

Radio Sevdah

Story: Sevdalinke - part-1 - balkanist.net
{{Manele Bosniak culture Bosniak history Bosnia and Herzegovina music history Bosnia and Herzegovina folk music Bosnia and Herzegovina culture Bosnia and Herzegovina music World music genres Turkish words and phrases Folk music genres