Vanja Ilijev – Made in Zrenjanin: Serbian Music from Vojvodina (Antonovka Records, 2023)
Nestled in the heart of northern Serbia, Vojvodina is an autonomous region crisscrossed by the Danube, Sava, and Tisza rivers. It is divided into three historical provinces, Banat, Bačka, and Syrmia (Srem), the boundaries of which sometimes spill into neighboring countries. Within this vibrant region, Zrenjanin stands as the capital of Central Banat.
Within Balkan music, the term “gajda” or “gajde” in Serbian, is the common name for various types of bagpipes. However, the Vojvodina gajde stands out with its unique features, featuring a double chanter, a distinctive wooden horn, and a singular bag. It’s the sound of these remarkable instruments that provides the musical backdrop for the region.
At the heart of Made in Zrenjanin: Serbian Music from Vojvodin is Vanja Ilijev, a dedicated folk musician from the city of Zrenjanin. His musical skill is demonstrated primarily through the tones of the Vojvodina gajde. Beyond the bagpipes, Vanja also exhibits his talent with the accordion and the drombulje, a Serbian jaw harp that adds a unique flavor to the recording.
While the majority of the traditional compositions are from Vojvodina itself, Vanja’s skillful exploration also takes us beyond the Vojvodina boundaries, where he learned the drombulje tunes from the Vlach Romanians in the southern reaches of Serbia.
Buy Made in Zrenjanin: Serbian Music from Vojvodina.
Author: Douglas Sanders
