General Overview of Art Music in Kosovo: Social and Political Impact

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 127 - 149, 29.12.2018

Rreze Kryezıu Breznıca

https://doi.org/10.33906/musicologist.475994

Abstract

Art Music, if understood in the sense of concert activity and foundation of professional institutions in Kosovo, started to develop by the middle of the 20th century, i.e. still during the Yugoslav period. Precisely, the population of Albanian ethnos in Kosovo was to share its fate with other people of the ex-Yugoslav State after World War II, from 1945. As an integral part of this development, new economic, political, social, and cultural circumstances arose for the professional development of Art Music as a significant segment of cultural life during this period. Prior to this period, there were no professional music institutions, no artists, composers, instrumentalists, or educated singers in Kosovo.

In order to properly understand the characteristics of Art Music in Kosovo, it is necessary to take a brief look at the impact of social and political circumstances on such development. This article strives to help identify specific problems that initially affected the delayed appearance of such a tradition in Kosovo. Despite all the difficulties, and political-historical circumstances, which had overwhelmed Kosovo, and continue having a huge impact even today (2017-18), Art Music (brought and dealt with very late), has managed to achieve a lot. At least it overcame the dark period and unfavourable conditions it had encountered for centuries.

Keywords

Art Music, Albanians, Kosovo, Social Impact, Political Impact, Institution

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