Klapa music is a form of traditional

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

singing with origins in

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

. The word ''klapa'' translates as "a group of friends" and traces its roots to littoral church singing. The motifs in general celebrate love,

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

(grapes), country (homeland) and sea. Main elements of the music are harmony and melody, with rhythm very rarely being very important. In 2008, Croatian Ministry of Culture proclaimed it Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2012 klapa was inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Description

A klapa group consists of a first

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

, a second tenor, a

baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...

, and a bass. It is possible to double all the voices apart from the first tenor. It is usually composed of up to a dozen male singers. In recent times, female vocal groups have been quite popular, but in general male and female groups do not mix. Although klapa is a cappella music, on occasion it is possible to add a gentle guitar and a mandolin (instrument similar in appearance and sound to tamburitzas). Klapa can also be accompanied with synthesizer keyboards, usually simulating percussion instruments.

Modern day

The klapa tradition is still very much alive, with new songs composed and festivals held.Festival of the Dalmatian Klapa in Omis
/ref> The Festival of the Dalmatian Klapas in

Omiš Omiš () is a town and port in the Dalmatia region of Croatia, and a municipality in the Split-Dalmatia County. The town is approximately south-east of Croatia's second largest city, Split (city), Split, where the Cetina River meets the Adriatic ...

is the best known music festival and has a long tradition in Klapa music. Many young people from Dalmatia treasure klapa and sing it regularly when going out eating or drinking. It is not unusual to hear amateur klapa singing on the streets in the evenings over some food and wine. In 2013,

chose a klapa group to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. The klapa group was called Klapa s Mora, with the entry " Mižerja". Klapa s Mora is a "super klapa ensemble" of six performers chosen by Maestro Mojmir Čačija from five existing klapa groups, namely two from Kampanel, and one each from Sinj, Crikvenica, Šibenik and Grdelin. There are klapa ensembles in Croatian diaspora as well. Since 2011, Croatian Culture Association in Burgenland organizes Festival klapov ("Klapa festival").

References

{{UNESCO Oral and Intangible music Croatian folk music A cappella Dalmatia Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Four-part harmony Choral music genres

Description

Modern day

See also

References