The ''gunjac'' (plural: ''gunjci'') or ''bajs'' is a

violoncello The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C ...

-like Croatian instrument but with only two

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

. Gunjac instrumentalists are called ''bajsisti''. It is a double bass string instrument played with a bow. The gunjac is commonly found in melodic groupings (tunes) associated with North-Western and Central Croatia including the regions of Zagreb, Žumberak,

Pokuplje Pokuplje is the name for the Kupa river basin in Croatia. Major settlements are Karlovac, Sisak, Petrinja, Glina and Topusko Topusko is a Municipalities of Croatia, municipality and settlement in Sisak-Moslavina County, Croatia. Topusko is an ...

, Upper

Posavina Posavina ( sr-cyr, Посавина) is a geographical region that stretches along the Sava river, encompassing only the inner areas of the Sava river basin, that are adjacent or near to the Sava river itself, namely catch region spanning fro ...

Moslavina Moslavina (), also known as Monoszló in Hungarian, is a microregion in Croatia centered on the central mountain of Moslavačka gora. It is administratively divided by the counties of Zagreb, Sisak-Moslavina and Bjelovar-Bilogora. The main cit ...

, and

Bilogora Bilogora (English: ) is a low mountainous range and a microregion in Central Croatia. It consists of a series of hills and small plains some 80 kilometres in length stretching in the direction northwest–southeast, along the southwest part of the ...

. An international festival of bajs players is held annually in

Draguć Draguć () is a small fortified village in Croatia's Istria County. Today it pertains to the municipality of Cerovlje Cerovlje () is a village and a municipality in Istria, Croatia. Description Many ancient towns and decayed castles ( Belaj ...

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...

References

External links

*Prof. Dr. Darko Zubrinic, 09/1/2007
"''Istarski gunjci'', musicological book by Vladimir Pernić"
strian ''gunjci'' ''Croatia.org'' *Darko Zubrinic, Zagreb (1995)
"Croatian Pop and Folk Music"
''CroatianHistory.net'' *Stanislav Tuksar and Grozdana Marošević
"Croatia."
Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 27 Sep. 2011 Bowed instruments Croatian musical instruments String instruments {{Cello-stub