Dunja Knebl & Adam Semijalac – Moje srce se reskoli (self released, 2023)
Dunja Knebl and Adam Semijalac have released a joint album titled Moje srce se reskoli (“My heart is broken”). The recordings feature time-honored, little-known songs from the Croatian folk tradition. Specifically, the topic is war, an issue that has become even more relevant compared to the time three years ago when Dunja started working on this project.
The 14 songs on the album are arranged chronologically, taking into account the time of the wars that took place in Croatia; from the invasion of the Ottoman Empire to the Second World War. They are mostly brief accounts of events that brought sadness and pain into the lives of women, their loved ones, husbands, and sons. Dunja Knebl explains: “If women asked, it would be less likely that there would be wars in the world.”
From a stylistic standpoint, the musical ensemble features distinctive a cappella elements and innovative solo performances, harmoniously complemented by a diverse array of instruments. The orchestration encompasses everything from the evocative tones of the sorrowful harmonium and mesmerizing sansula (modified kalimba) to the soulful bluesy guitars, among various other instruments.
The core theme of all the songs on the album are the feelings and lives of women who found themselves in wartime circumstances. These are not protest songs as such, but tragic stories of those who stay behind after men go to war; about mothers, wives, loved ones.
Unfortunately, regardless of all the tragedies caused by wars, these are stories that never end. Many of them could apply to any war, in any country. Notably, all tracks featured are traditional folk songs from various parts of continental Croatia (Međimurje, Podravina, Croatian Zagorje, Prigorje, Slavonia).
Four songs appeared on Dunja’s earlier albums; although they appear in new forms, with completely new arrangements (“The End of the Black Sea”, “Pisala Je Draga”, “Staj Sonce”, “Letter from Belovara”). Only one of the songs has seen many versions (“Forests, forests”), while most of the others have never been recorded, and Dunja chose them from books/songbooks to tell a story about the insanity and futility of war.
Dunja and Adam made joint arrangements so that the songs primarily speak with their lyrics, using specific instruments and a range of effects that are available today. In this way, they gave a completely new form and meaning to the half-forgotten traditional songs, making them current and timeless.
All songs are traditional (music and lyrics).
Dunja Knebl was nominated for the Porin Award in the Best Ethnic Music Album category with the album Sonce (Sun), which was developed in collaboration with Zoran Majstorović.
The album was realized with the help of the Croatian Society of Composers.
Musicians: Dunja Knebl on vocals, Indian harmonium, sansula, frame drum; Adam Semijalac on vocals, guitars, Indian harmonium, sansula, frame drum, small percussion.
Buy Moje srce se reskoli.
Author: JGurski
