Page 132 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, leto 9, zvezek 18 / Year 9, Issue 18, 2013
P. 132
AN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
Adamiè’s Contribution to Slovenian Big Band Music
Summary
Bojan Adamiè’s pioneering work covers several fields, one of the most important for the
development of music in Slovenia being the area of big band. The founding of the Big
Band of the Ljubljana Radio in 1945 (at first called PORL – a Slovene abbreviation for the
Dance Orchestra of the Ljubljana Radio) was mostly Adamiè’s achievement. He wrote
numerous works for the ensemble, among which his instrumental pieces especially stand
out. Even the titles of his pieces catch the eye, as (unlike nowadays) all of them are
Slovene — and very meaningful: Berda blues (i.e. a blues for the berda — a folk, double
bass-like instrument), Billy May na Dolenjskem (Billy May Visits Dolenjska), Kisli
nasmeh (Wry Smile), Obvestilo (A Notice), Vodmatska ro a (Vodmat Flower — referring
to a part of Ljubljana), Ta je pa bosa! (That is Made Up Out of Whole Cloth!) etc. By far
the most-performed piece of this group is 41° Vroèine (41° of Heat). The main features of
Adamiè’s compositions/arrangements for big band are: inventiveness in terms of genre,
style, orchestration, form and harmony evident from each of his works; the lineup of the
orchestra expanded with bass guitar, vibraphone, electric piano, celesta, organ etc; a
fusion of Slovene folk music and jazz (“Slovene Jazz”); the strong influence of the soloists
(Zoran Komac, Dušan Veble, Ati Soss, Andrej Arnol, Petar Ugrin, Franci Puhar, Pavel
Grašiè, Silvester Štingl etc.); simplicity of form; the use of particular arranging techniques
such as 4 way close, drop 2 and drop 2&4 voicings, and double lead; loyalty towards
traditional, elementary jazz elements (both solo and collective — “Dixieland”
improvisation, call-response, blues, swing, rhythmic displacement, trades etc.), Adamiè
being the pioneer of their use in Slovene orchestral jazz music. In Slovene popular and
jazz music, Bojan Adamiè set standards regarding ensemble playing, sound, rhythm and
groove as well as composing and arranging, paving the way for his successors, such as
Jo e Privšek.9
9 Prevod Aljoša Vršèaj.
132
Adamiè’s Contribution to Slovenian Big Band Music
Summary
Bojan Adamiè’s pioneering work covers several fields, one of the most important for the
development of music in Slovenia being the area of big band. The founding of the Big
Band of the Ljubljana Radio in 1945 (at first called PORL – a Slovene abbreviation for the
Dance Orchestra of the Ljubljana Radio) was mostly Adamiè’s achievement. He wrote
numerous works for the ensemble, among which his instrumental pieces especially stand
out. Even the titles of his pieces catch the eye, as (unlike nowadays) all of them are
Slovene — and very meaningful: Berda blues (i.e. a blues for the berda — a folk, double
bass-like instrument), Billy May na Dolenjskem (Billy May Visits Dolenjska), Kisli
nasmeh (Wry Smile), Obvestilo (A Notice), Vodmatska ro a (Vodmat Flower — referring
to a part of Ljubljana), Ta je pa bosa! (That is Made Up Out of Whole Cloth!) etc. By far
the most-performed piece of this group is 41° Vroèine (41° of Heat). The main features of
Adamiè’s compositions/arrangements for big band are: inventiveness in terms of genre,
style, orchestration, form and harmony evident from each of his works; the lineup of the
orchestra expanded with bass guitar, vibraphone, electric piano, celesta, organ etc; a
fusion of Slovene folk music and jazz (“Slovene Jazz”); the strong influence of the soloists
(Zoran Komac, Dušan Veble, Ati Soss, Andrej Arnol, Petar Ugrin, Franci Puhar, Pavel
Grašiè, Silvester Štingl etc.); simplicity of form; the use of particular arranging techniques
such as 4 way close, drop 2 and drop 2&4 voicings, and double lead; loyalty towards
traditional, elementary jazz elements (both solo and collective — “Dixieland”
improvisation, call-response, blues, swing, rhythmic displacement, trades etc.), Adamiè
being the pioneer of their use in Slovene orchestral jazz music. In Slovene popular and
jazz music, Bojan Adamiè set standards regarding ensemble playing, sound, rhythm and
groove as well as composing and arranging, paving the way for his successors, such as
Jo e Privšek.9
9 Prevod Aljoša Vršèaj.
132
