Orčuša Songs
Modern adaptations of old Gorani songs from the Dragaš region
About the Gorani:
The Gorani are a Slavic people from the mountainous Gora region of
southern Kosovo, northern Albania, and northern Macedonia. They speak a
distinct dialect related to Bulgarian and Serbian and practice Islam.
At most, there are likely only 60,000 self-identifying Gorani people in
the world, and the majority of them no longer live in their
traditional homeland. Fleeing economic hardship and forced assimilation attempts by various regimes, most Gorani have resettled in Belgrade,
Tirana, and other regional metropolises. Today, young Gorani in
urban environments increasingly self-identify with the majority
population, having been educated in the dominant language
of their adopted homes.
About the artist: Emir Hasani has studied and performed classical and rock music all his life. He was born in Mitrovica, Kosovo, and began playing the guitar at the age of 8. He graduated from primary and secondary music schools, and hopes to attend the music academy in Mitrovica this year. He has studied music and sound engineering at the Mitrovica Rock School, where he also teaches other students. His band Dark Sky performs throughout the Balkans, and he is involved in numerous other musical projects. His interests include composition, production, and musical heritage preservation.
About the artist: Emir Hasani has studied and performed classical and rock music all his life. He was born in Mitrovica, Kosovo, and began playing the guitar at the age of 8. He graduated from primary and secondary music schools, and hopes to attend the music academy in Mitrovica this year. He has studied music and sound engineering at the Mitrovica Rock School, where he also teaches other students. His band Dark Sky performs throughout the Balkans, and he is involved in numerous other musical projects. His interests include composition, production, and musical heritage preservation.
Emir's family originates from Orčuša, a small village in southern Kosovo, where he first heard many of these songs. For Emir, this music reveals the spirit and tradition of his rapidly disappearing culture.
About these recordings: Traditional Gorani songs reflect the unique history and cultural influences of these people. But folk music in the Balkans has never been a stagnant form. Rather it has constantly evolved over time, incorporating modern instruments and modern lyrical themes. Similarly, the songs recorded here are adaptations of traditional tunes rather than simple archives of the originals. Emir has adopted these songs for guitar and incorporated his own compositional style, while still attempting to retain the originals' essential emotional meaning. For Emir, adaptations increase the possibility of transmitting these songs to a wider audience, thereby increasing the chance that these songs will not perish with their traditional performers.
Emir Hasani considers this project the beginning of a much wider effort to catalog and adapt traditional Gorani songs. He is actively searching for more funding in order to expand his efforts in the future.
About these songs: All of these songs were adapted for guitar and tambourine. The original authors are unknown.
Orcusa Songs by OrcusaSongs
All recordings were produced by Emir Hasani. This project was administered by Blackbird Books and Anthony Barilla.
About these recordings: Traditional Gorani songs reflect the unique history and cultural influences of these people. But folk music in the Balkans has never been a stagnant form. Rather it has constantly evolved over time, incorporating modern instruments and modern lyrical themes. Similarly, the songs recorded here are adaptations of traditional tunes rather than simple archives of the originals. Emir has adopted these songs for guitar and incorporated his own compositional style, while still attempting to retain the originals' essential emotional meaning. For Emir, adaptations increase the possibility of transmitting these songs to a wider audience, thereby increasing the chance that these songs will not perish with their traditional performers.
Emir Hasani considers this project the beginning of a much wider effort to catalog and adapt traditional Gorani songs. He is actively searching for more funding in order to expand his efforts in the future.
About these songs: All of these songs were adapted for guitar and tambourine. The original authors are unknown.
- "Oj Orcuso": A man speaks to his village about his problems concerning a girl.
- "Azro": A traditional wedding song, also about a girl.
- "Ajde Apapu": A very famous song in which a man confesses his problems to a friend.
- "Ja Som Se Napromenilo": A very old song, usually performed by women, in which a girl sings of not having anyone to recognize her beauty.
Orcusa Songs by OrcusaSongs
All recordings were produced by Emir Hasani. This project was administered by Blackbird Books and Anthony Barilla.
