Music of Croatia

The music of Croatia has special sounds from two big places: Central European and Mediterranean. In the middle and north parts of the country, like Slavonia, you can hear music that sounds like from Central Europe. But in the coast areas, such as Dalmatia and Istria, the music has a Mediterranean feel.

Both pop and rock music are very popular in Croatia. You can also find pop songs that mix with old folk music from Dalmatian or Slavonian traditions.

Since the middle of the last century, music called schlager and chanson has been a big part of Croatian popular music. These styles have helped shape what people listen to today.

History of music in Croatia

Medieval

The oldest music pieces from Croatia are religious songs written in Latin. These songs come from the 11th to the 15th centuries and show different musical traditions from places like Dalmatia and Northern Europe.

Renaissance and baroque

In the 1400s, new ideas from Humanism changed music in Croatia. Music started to appear outside churches, influenced by cities in Central Europe and Italy. Writers and thinkers shared new musical ideas. Folk and popular music began to be written down in the mid-1500s. Composers wrote madrigals and other music, and music was part of plays and dances, influenced by Italian styles.

Important composers from this time include Ivan Lukačić, Vinko Jelić, and Atanazije Jurjević.

Baroque music came to Croatia in the early 1600s. Tomaso Cecchini, from Verona, worked in Split and Hvar and published madrigals. Ivan Lukačić wrote important religious music. Monasteries and churches kept traditions of simple religious songs. Music became part of public events and festivals, with local and foreign musicians performing.

Romanticism

Many Italian and Croatian musicians worked in Dubrovnik. Luka Sorkočević and his son Antun created early symphonies and chamber music. Ferdo Livadić wrote one of the earliest piano miniatures in 1822.

In the 1830s, the Illyrian Movement began in Croatia, giving music a role in building national pride. Josip Runjanin wrote music for a poem that became the Croatian national anthem. Vatroslav Lisinski composed the first Croatian national opera in 1846.

Ivan Zajc’s opera Nikola Šubić Zrinjski, first performed in 1876, remained very popular. Franjo Kuhač started studying Croatian folk music. New concert halls were built in Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, and Osijek.

The choral society Kolo was founded in 1862 and became important in Zagreb’s cultural life.

During the 19th century, musicians like violinist Franjo Krežma and singers Ilma Murska, Matilda Mallinger, Milka Trnina, and Josip Kašman gained international fame.

Folk music

The traditional folk music of Croatia has several unique styles. Ganga is a passionate form of singing where one person starts a line and others join in, often used in small towns. It has recently started to include themes from Croatia's history.

Klapa is a type of singing without instruments that began along Croatia's coast in the 1800s. It celebrates love, wine, the homeland, and the sea, focusing on harmony and melody. Klapa groups usually have four main voices and have become popular, especially among younger people who mix klapa with other music styles.

Tamburica music uses string instruments and became popular in the 1800s. It is mainly found in northern Croatia and often sings about love and village life. Traditional groups still exist, but newer ones mix tamburica with other styles like rock and roll.

Gusle is a traditional string instrument used to accompany epic poems about important events and heroes. It is common in inland Dalmatia and parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Diple is a traditional woodwind instrument found from Istria to Herzegovina, made from goat or sheep skin and played using reeds.

In Zagorje, north of Zagreb, folk music uses violins, cimbule, tamburice, and harmonikas. In Međimurje, a northern region, folk music is known for its sad, soothing tunes and uses cimbule, violins, and brass orchestras.

In Istria and Kvarner, instruments like sopila, curla, and diple create a unique regional sound.

Several towns in Croatia host folk music festivals. Požega holds the Zlatne žice Slavonije festival. Vinkovci and Đakovo have yearly folklore festivals. Slavonski Brod hosts Brodfest for tamburica bands. The Dubrovnik Summer Festival features dramatic music and ballet, founded in 1950. The Osor Musical Evenings, started in 1976, play classical Croatian music in July and August. The Musical Evenings in Donat in Zadar, founded in 1961, features old music during the summer.

Popular music

Main article: Croatian popular music

The music in Croatia has many styles, mixing local traditions with modern sounds. Pop music in Croatia often sounds like music from Italy, but it also includes special parts from old Croatian songs. Croatia makes lots of pop music each year, especially for music festivals. The Split Festival is famous for creating popular summer songs.

Many well-known pop singers in Croatia include Meri Cetinić, Mišo Kovač, Ivo Robić, and others. Newer singers like Nina Badrić, Severina, and Jelena Rozga have also become very popular. Some of these singers mix different styles in their music.

Croatia often takes part in the Eurovision Song Contest. A group called Riva won the contest back when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. More recently, Croatia came in second place with a song by Baby Lasagna.

Rock music in Croatia has many famous bands. Some older bands include Haustor, Psihomodo Pop, and Azra. In the 1980s, a special rock movement called the new wave became very popular. Bands like Azra and Haustor were part of this movement.

Dance music in Croatia started in the late 1980s and 1990s, mixing local pop with Western styles like euro disco and eurodance. Some dance groups, like Colonia, are still very popular today.

In the 1990s, rap music also began in Croatia. The first Croatian Hip-Hop album was released by The Ugly Leaders. Later, groups like The Beat Fleet from Split became very well-known. Other popular rap groups came from Zagreb, inspired by music from American cities.

Classical

Classical music from Croatia, made by Croatian composers, is not very well known around the world, even though it has a rich history. The style of this music was often influenced by nearby places like Italy and Austria, as well as by people from Germany and Bohemia who settled in Croatia.

Some important Croatian composers include Vatroslav Lisinski, who wrote the first Croatian national operas, and Dora Pejačević, who introduced orchestral songs to Croatian music. Other notable names are Ivan Zajc, Josip Hatze, and many more who have created interesting pieces that are waiting to be discovered and shared with the world.

Today, the Croatian society of composers helps to promote modern classical music in Croatia.

Jazz

Jazz came to Croatia in the 1920s and grew strong in Zagreb by the late 2000s, turning the city into a center for jazz in the area. In 1947, the jazz orchestra of Radio Zagreb was started, and it is still around today as the "HRT Big Band." In 1959, a famous vibraphone player named Boško Petrović created the Zagreb Jazz Quartet. Now, many jazz groups are active in Croatia, and cities hold jazz festivals. Jazz has also influenced popular music in Croatia, especially in the work of Drago Diklić and sometimes Josipa Lisac.

Christian music

In old times, priests in Dalmatia, Istria, and Kotor sang in Church Slavonic language. This singing began in the 9th and 10th centuries and was used in church services. One famous book of church songs, called Cithara octochorda, was printed three times between 1701 and 1757. It includes songs in both Kajkavian and Latin languages, made for organs by famous Croatian church composers like Albe Vidaković and Anđelko Klobučar. These songs are still used in church today.

Today, Christian music in Croatia includes pop and even metal styles. Bands like EffaTha are known for Christian metal, while others like Emmanuel and Božja pobjeda (God's Victory) are popular among young people. Famous singers and composers include Dragutin Hrastović, Čedo Antolić, and others. Some well-known pop singers have also created Christian songs.