Sevdalinka (), also known as Sevdah music, is a traditional genre of folk music originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sevdalinka is an integral part of the

Bosniak The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who share a common Bosnian ancestry, cu ...

culture, but is also spread across the ex- Yugoslavia region, including Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The actual composers of many Sevdalinka songs are largely unknown because these are traditional

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be c ...

s. In a musical sense, Sevdalinka is characterized by a slow or moderate tempo 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 Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...

elements make this type of music stand out among other types of folk music from the Balkans. Just like a majority of Balkan folk music, Sevdalinka features very somber,

minor Minor may refer to: * Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities. ** A person who has not reached the age of majority * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Music theory *Minor chord ** Barb ...

-sounding modes, but unlike other types of Balkan folklore music it more intensely features minor second intervals, thus hinting at Oriental makams and the

Phrygian mode The Phrygian mode (pronounced ) can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek ''tonos'' or ''harmonia,'' sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern ...

. As a result, the melodies are noted for leaving a strong melancholic feeling with the listener. The singer will often impose the rhythm and tempo 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). Modern interpretations are followed by a small orchestra featuring the

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...

(as the most prominent instrument), the violin, nylon-string guitars and/or other string instruments, occasionally (such as oud, saz or šargija), the

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

(occasionally), upright

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

and the

snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...

. In modern interpretations, between the

verse Verse may refer to: Poetry * Verse, an occasional synonym for poetry * Verse, a metrical structure, a stanza * Blank verse, a type of poetry having regular meter but no rhyme * Free verse, a type of poetry written without the use of strict me ...

s, an accordion or violin solo can almost always be heard.

Etymology

The word itself comes from the

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

''sevda'' which, in turn, derives from

Ottoman Turkish Ottoman Turkish ( ota, لِسانِ عُثمانى, Lisân-ı Osmânî, ; tr, Osmanlı Türkçesi) was the standardized register of the Turkish language used by the citizens of the Ottoman Empire (14th to 20th centuries CE). It borrowed extens ...

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 The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

. 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, the central term in Portuguese Fado, is of the same origin, likewise emerging from the Arabic language medical discourse used for centuries in both Al-Andalus 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

in the medieval Balkans, but melodies and the venerable "Aman, aman" lyrical figure hint at a

Sephard Sepharad ( or ; ''Səp̄āraḏ''; also ''Sefarad'', ''Sephared'', ''Sfard'') is the Hebrew name for Spain. A place called Sepharad, probably referring to Sardis in Lydia ('Sfard' in Lydian), in the Book of Obadiah (, 6th century BC) of the Hebrew ...

ic and

Andalusian Andalusia is a region in Spain. Andalusian may also refer to: Animals *Andalusian chicken, a type of chicken *Andalusian donkey, breed of donkey *Andalusian hemipode, a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds *Andalusian horse, a breed of ho ...

influence which can be explained by the arrival of Sephardic refugees in Ottoman Bosnia, or more likely an Ottoman

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 and heard what he described as "sad songs sung by the locals" that made him feel melancholic. In the early 16th century, a duke from Split mentioned a song about the forbidden love of a Christian girl named Mara Vornić and a Muslim boy named Fadil 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 Rešad Bešlagić (1912–1945) was a Bosnian folk singer and sevdalinka interpreter. Biography Bešlagić was born in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina shortly before World War I broke out in nearby Sarajevo in 1914. He was killed during World War ...

and

Vuka Šeherović Vuka Šeherović (; ''née'' Šekerović, ; 1903–1976) was a Bosnian folk singer and sevdalinka interpreter. She was called the "woman with the silver voice." Biography Šeherović was born with the surname Šekerović in the village Kovač ...

. 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 Zaim Imamović (; 26 August 1920 – 2 February 1994) was a Bosnian sevdalinka-folk singer, accordionist and author. Biography Imamović was born into a Bosniak family in Mrkonjić Grad and after a year his family moved to Travnik and there he ...

in 1945, Himzo Polovina in 1953, Beba Selimović in 1954, Safet Isović in 1955 and Zehra Deović in 1960. Nada Mamula was signed to Radio Beograd in 1946. Others like Silvana Armenulić,

Emina Zečaj Emina Zečaj ('' née'' Ahmedhodžić; 17 March 1929 – 19 April 2020) was a Bosnian interpreter of the traditional folk music, sevdalinka. Zečaj was called an "icon of traditional Bosnian music" by American '' Billboard'' magazine in 2004. ...

Nedžad Salković Nejat (and its variants Necat and Nedžad) is a male name of Turkish origin. Nejat might be derived from the German word "Naja" meaning "well" or "Nadja" meaning "hope". The name might be derived from the Persian word "Nezhad" meaning "race and n ...

, Hanka Paldum and Meho Puzić were signed to record for such production companies as Jugoton, Diskoton or other Yugoslav labels. Although sung mainly by traditional

singers, the Sevdalinka made its way to many "mainstream" musicians. Sevdalinkas were covered by

Josipa Lisac Josipa Lisac (; born 14 February 1950) is a Croatian pop rock singer. Biography During the 1960s, Lisac was the vocalist of the group Zlatni Akordi. Her first solo album, '' Dnevnik jedne ljubavi'' (''The Diary of a Love''), recorded in 1973, was ...

, Željko Bebek, Ibrica Jusić,

Jadranka Stojaković Jadranka Stojaković ( sr-cyr, Јадранка Стојаковић, 24 July 1950 – 3 May 2016) was a Bosnian singer-songwriter popular in the former Yugoslavia, known for her unique voice. Her best known hits are "Sve smo mogli mi", "Što te ...

, Toše Proeski, and Zdravko Čolić. In 1990s a band Mostar Sevdah Reunion was assembled in Mostar and in early 2000s they became widely popular on the '' world music'' scene, receiving high awards for their lively interpretations of Sevdalinkas (that

fuse Fuse or FUSE may refer to: Devices * Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current ** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles * Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...

Sevdalinka with contemporary musical styles like jazz, rock and

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

) and introducing many people outside Bosnia to the genre of Sevdalinka. Equally popular today is

Amira Medunjanin Amira Medunjanin (; born 23 April 1972) is a Bosnian singer and interpreter of sevdalinka. She holds both citizenship of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Biography Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo and her fascination with the Music of Bosnia ...

dubbed by music journalist and author Garth Wainwright "Bosnia's Billie Holiday."

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 ''Moj golube'' ("My dove") is a well-known folk song from countries of the former Yugoslavia.

(''My dove'') * Emina *Grana od bora, pala kraj mora (''A Branch of Pine, Fell by the Sea'') *Karanfile Cvijeće Moje ('' Carnation, My Flower'') *

Kraj potoka bistre vode A kraj ( ''kraje'') is the highest-level administrative unit in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. For lack of other English expressions, the Slavic term is often translated as "province", "region", or "territory", although it approxim ...

(''By a Stream of Crystal Clear Water'') * Omer-beže na kuli sjeđaše ('' Bey 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 ''Sejdefu majka buđaše'' (English: ''Seydefa's Mother Wakes Her'') is a Bosnian ( Bosnia and Hercegovina ) traditional folk and sevdalinka song. Origins ''Sejdefu majka buđaše'' is a traditional song that is believed to have originated in Sar ...

(''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'') *U Stambolu Na Bosforu (''In Istanbul on the Bosphorous'') *Zapjevala sojka ptica (''The

Blue Jay The blue jay (''Cyanocitta cristata'') is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to eastern North America. It lives in most of the eastern and central United States; some eastern populations may be migratory. Resident populations are a ...

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'') *Čudna jada od Mostara grada (''Strange Wretch from the Town of Mostar'') *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 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'') *U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu (''In the Beautiful Old Town of Višegrad'') *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