Warsaw Village Band
Encyclopedia
Warsaw Village Band is a band
from Warsaw
, Poland
, that plays traditional Polish
folk music
tunes combined with modern elements.
, it was formed as a response to mass culture and narrow-mindedness, "which in fact leads to [the] destruction of human dignity." Indeed, after the fall of the Berlin Wall
and the expansion of the European Union
to most of the former Warsaw Pact
countries, Poland's economy has grown dramatically, while at the same time ushering in investment by a number of multinational corporation
s, leading to concerns of globalism
and loss of Poland's cultural identity.
Warsaw Village Band was intended to be a response to this trend by exploring Poland's musical traditions and making them relevant to its new capitalist economy. Member Wojciech Krzak has stated that "after the nightmare of Communism, we still have to fight for our identity, and we know that beauty and identity are still in our roots." Krzak has further stated that the band are "trying to create a new cultural proposition for the youth in an alternative way to contemporary show-biz." The band's very name appears to evoke what troubles Krzak about Poland's new capitalism: many large Polish cities do not have suburbs in the traditional sense, leading to unsettling transitions directly from city to field. To this end, in their most recent release, Wykorzenienie (Uprooting), the band traveled throughout Poland to find and record older musicians who still played almost-forgotten styles of music, thereafter incorporating those melodies into new songs and expounding upon them.
The band also incorporate socially-conscious folk lyrics in their songs. The song "Kto się żeni" ("Who is Getting Married") on their second album, Wiosna Ludu (People's Spring), discusses a young country girl who refuses to be married off, opting instead to "sing,
dance, and be free rather than being dependent on someone."
Warsaw Village Band have appeared at several international music festivals, including the 2005 Roskilde Festival
in Denmark
, the 2004 Masala Festival in Hanover, Germany, and the 2000 International Ethnic Music Fest in Germany
.
s, the hurdy-gurdy and the suka, a Polish folk fiddle stopped with the fingernails rather than the fingers, similar to the Bulgaria
n gadulka
, the sarangi
, or the rebec
. The suka was practically unknown to the Polish people until member Sylwia Świątkowska began to play it in the band's concerts, and, later, on their albums. Additionally, many of the band's vocals are sung in a loud and powerful style remakably like the "open-throated" singing styles in Bulgarian music, called biały głos (white voice). This style of singing was used by shepherd
s in the Polish mountains to be heard for long distances.
Warsaw Village Band have also used modern elements in their music. Wykorzenienie contains scratching
by the Polish hip hop
artist DJ Feel-X, most likely as a nod to the phenomenal popularity of hip hop in Poland
. The same album also includes electronic siren
sound effects by the band's sound engineer, Mario "Activator" Dziurex, leading to a peculiar juxtaposition of new sounds upon old melodies.
World Music Awards in 2003, and won it in 2004.
The band also won the Polish musical competition "New Traditions" in 1998.
2005 - "Fryderyk" - the best Polish Folk album of the year "Uprooting".
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, that plays traditional Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
tunes combined with modern elements.
About the band
According to the band's creative manifestoManifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
, it was formed as a response to mass culture and narrow-mindedness, "which in fact leads to [the] destruction of human dignity." Indeed, after the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
and the expansion of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
to most of the former Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
countries, Poland's economy has grown dramatically, while at the same time ushering in investment by a number of multinational corporation
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
s, leading to concerns of globalism
Globalism
Globalism can have at least two different and opposing meanings. One meaning is the attitude or policy of placing the interests of the entire world above those of individual nations...
and loss of Poland's cultural identity.
Warsaw Village Band was intended to be a response to this trend by exploring Poland's musical traditions and making them relevant to its new capitalist economy. Member Wojciech Krzak has stated that "after the nightmare of Communism, we still have to fight for our identity, and we know that beauty and identity are still in our roots." Krzak has further stated that the band are "trying to create a new cultural proposition for the youth in an alternative way to contemporary show-biz." The band's very name appears to evoke what troubles Krzak about Poland's new capitalism: many large Polish cities do not have suburbs in the traditional sense, leading to unsettling transitions directly from city to field. To this end, in their most recent release, Wykorzenienie (Uprooting), the band traveled throughout Poland to find and record older musicians who still played almost-forgotten styles of music, thereafter incorporating those melodies into new songs and expounding upon them.
The band also incorporate socially-conscious folk lyrics in their songs. The song "Kto się żeni" ("Who is Getting Married") on their second album, Wiosna Ludu (People's Spring), discusses a young country girl who refuses to be married off, opting instead to "sing,
dance, and be free rather than being dependent on someone."
Warsaw Village Band have appeared at several international music festivals, including the 2005 Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the 2004 Masala Festival in Hanover, Germany, and the 2000 International Ethnic Music Fest in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Instrumentation
Notably, Warsaw Village Band have revived several musical traditions that were all but lost in Poland. The band use instruments rarely heard in modern music: frame drumFrame drum
A frame drum is a drum that has a drumhead width greater than its depth. Usually the single drumhead is made of rawhide or man-made materials. Shells are traditionally constructed of bent wood scarf jointed together; plywood and man-made materials are also used. Some frame drums have mechanical...
s, the hurdy-gurdy and the suka, a Polish folk fiddle stopped with the fingernails rather than the fingers, similar to the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n gadulka
Gadulka
The gadulka is a traditional Bulgarian bowed string instrument. Alternate spellings are "gudulka" and "g'dulka". Its name comes from a root meaning "to make noise, hum or buzz"...
, the sarangi
Sarangi
The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...
, or the rebec
Rebec
The rebecha is a bowed string musical instrument. In its most common form, it has a narrow boat-shaped body and 1-5 strings and is played on the arm or under the chin, like a violin.- Origins :The rebec dates back to the Middle Ages and was particularly popular in the 15th and 16th centuries...
. The suka was practically unknown to the Polish people until member Sylwia Świątkowska began to play it in the band's concerts, and, later, on their albums. Additionally, many of the band's vocals are sung in a loud and powerful style remakably like the "open-throated" singing styles in Bulgarian music, called biały głos (white voice). This style of singing was used by shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
s in the Polish mountains to be heard for long distances.
Warsaw Village Band have also used modern elements in their music. Wykorzenienie contains scratching
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
by the Polish hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist DJ Feel-X, most likely as a nod to the phenomenal popularity of hip hop in Poland
Polish hip hop
The Polish hip hop scene was born in 1980's, when American rappers were very popular.-Summary:The first album by a Polish performer was "East on the Mic" by PM Cool Lee, which featured two songs in Polish...
. The same album also includes electronic siren
Siren
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
sound effects by the band's sound engineer, Mario "Activator" Dziurex, leading to a peculiar juxtaposition of new sounds upon old melodies.
Albums
- Infinity - 2008
- Wymiksowanie (Upmixing) - 2008
- WykorzenienieWykorzenienie- Tracklisting :#Roots: Józef Lipiński 0:19#In the Forest 3:31#Woman In Hell 2:48#At the Front of the Gates 3:31...
(Uprooting) - 2004 - Wiosna Ludu (People's Spring) - 2002
- Hop Sa Sa (released in US and UK as Kapela ze wsi Warszawa) - 1998
Awards
Warsaw Village Band were nominated for the "Newcomer" award in the BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
World Music Awards in 2003, and won it in 2004.
The band also won the Polish musical competition "New Traditions" in 1998.
2005 - "Fryderyk" - the best Polish Folk album of the year "Uprooting".