Page 14 - 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. 14
AN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
in 1962, yet, on rare occasions, he still appeared as PORL’s conductor.35 Officially, he was
employed as the conductor of PORL at Ljubljana Radio from the end of August 1962 until
the end of July 1980.36 However, during that period he actually spent more time in
Belgrade and other Yugoslav cities, where he was engaged in a number of activities. He
was also a frequent guest of the big-band scenes in Europe and beyond.
Adamiè had his own show on Ljubljana Radio from as early as 1948. His programme
was based on a musical request format and was a predecessor of the renowned broadcast
“ eleli ste, poslušajte”, which he hosted until 1952 and which is still on air today. He
became an extremely popular figure through his broadcasts and he received numerous
letters of appreciation from his grateful audience. Regular on-air performances by PORL
also met with a wide and gratifying response from audiences in Slovenia, Zagreb, as well
as the wider Croatian area.37 Bojan Adamiè belonged to the group of musicians who could
find nothing sinful or morally deficient in the ascension of popular music of all varieties.
On the contrary, he saw popular music as meeting a common need, bringing with it a host
of benefits. According to him, popular music was “the main cause of sinfulness among the
young […] or maybe it was just forced to play the role of scapegoat, when a more
appropriate cause was not available. With revolt, not only of the followers and defenders,
but above all among the ordinary, who had seen it a life necessity, popular music
gradually ascended to its present level and onto a pedestal, where it reigns upon
somewhat tortuous, proportionless and unstable legs. Many still consider it a public
nuisance, whereas to many others, it is indispensable – it is a part of our life. In some
sections it has risen to an artistic form, while elsewhere it has declined to the level of
composing in the folk spirit; in parts it subsists on the accordion, and in parts it reigns in
festivals, performed by excellent singers and orchestras.” He added that popular music
reached its peak when it managed “to supersede the import of foreign popular songs.
[…]”.38 He was convinced socialist Yugoslavia conatined many gifted pop singers and
other talented individuals. He added that the authorities’ negative attitude made it
impossible for a Slovenian artist to breakthrough or to participate at European or even
global festivals. The recognition of Slovenian popular music also grew with the
contribution of singers like Irma Flis and later Jelka Cvete ar, who was the first performer
of a very popular song by Adamiè Ko boš prišla na Bled (‘When you come to Bled’). The
contribution of visiting performers in Slovenia from the other Yugoslav republics, such as
Ivo Robiè, was equally valuable; the first time Adamiè heard him sing was in Zagreb in
1943 (before he joined the partisans). In Zagreb especially popular music and jazz had
reached a high level of quality even before the war. The first Yugoslav festival of popular
music was organized at the beginning of the 50’s in Belgrade and Bojan Adamiè was the
main conductor and arranger of the festival in three consecutive years. In 1953 the festival
was moved from Belgrade to Opatija, where the upswing in popular music began, again
with the regular participation of Adamiè, who took part in the festival as a member of the
jury, composer, arranger, and conductor. Opatija festival became a model for new and
similar events: in 1962, partly due to Adamiè’s influence, another festival named
35 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#optimist, November 26th, 2012.
36 From the family archive of his daughter, Alenka Adamiè.
37 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pisma [Letters].
38 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, autobiographic note: “Nekaj misli o zabavni glasbi v
Jugoslaviji” [Reflections about popular music in Yugoslavia].
14
in 1962, yet, on rare occasions, he still appeared as PORL’s conductor.35 Officially, he was
employed as the conductor of PORL at Ljubljana Radio from the end of August 1962 until
the end of July 1980.36 However, during that period he actually spent more time in
Belgrade and other Yugoslav cities, where he was engaged in a number of activities. He
was also a frequent guest of the big-band scenes in Europe and beyond.
Adamiè had his own show on Ljubljana Radio from as early as 1948. His programme
was based on a musical request format and was a predecessor of the renowned broadcast
“ eleli ste, poslušajte”, which he hosted until 1952 and which is still on air today. He
became an extremely popular figure through his broadcasts and he received numerous
letters of appreciation from his grateful audience. Regular on-air performances by PORL
also met with a wide and gratifying response from audiences in Slovenia, Zagreb, as well
as the wider Croatian area.37 Bojan Adamiè belonged to the group of musicians who could
find nothing sinful or morally deficient in the ascension of popular music of all varieties.
On the contrary, he saw popular music as meeting a common need, bringing with it a host
of benefits. According to him, popular music was “the main cause of sinfulness among the
young […] or maybe it was just forced to play the role of scapegoat, when a more
appropriate cause was not available. With revolt, not only of the followers and defenders,
but above all among the ordinary, who had seen it a life necessity, popular music
gradually ascended to its present level and onto a pedestal, where it reigns upon
somewhat tortuous, proportionless and unstable legs. Many still consider it a public
nuisance, whereas to many others, it is indispensable – it is a part of our life. In some
sections it has risen to an artistic form, while elsewhere it has declined to the level of
composing in the folk spirit; in parts it subsists on the accordion, and in parts it reigns in
festivals, performed by excellent singers and orchestras.” He added that popular music
reached its peak when it managed “to supersede the import of foreign popular songs.
[…]”.38 He was convinced socialist Yugoslavia conatined many gifted pop singers and
other talented individuals. He added that the authorities’ negative attitude made it
impossible for a Slovenian artist to breakthrough or to participate at European or even
global festivals. The recognition of Slovenian popular music also grew with the
contribution of singers like Irma Flis and later Jelka Cvete ar, who was the first performer
of a very popular song by Adamiè Ko boš prišla na Bled (‘When you come to Bled’). The
contribution of visiting performers in Slovenia from the other Yugoslav republics, such as
Ivo Robiè, was equally valuable; the first time Adamiè heard him sing was in Zagreb in
1943 (before he joined the partisans). In Zagreb especially popular music and jazz had
reached a high level of quality even before the war. The first Yugoslav festival of popular
music was organized at the beginning of the 50’s in Belgrade and Bojan Adamiè was the
main conductor and arranger of the festival in three consecutive years. In 1953 the festival
was moved from Belgrade to Opatija, where the upswing in popular music began, again
with the regular participation of Adamiè, who took part in the festival as a member of the
jury, composer, arranger, and conductor. Opatija festival became a model for new and
similar events: in 1962, partly due to Adamiè’s influence, another festival named
35 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#optimist, November 26th, 2012.
36 From the family archive of his daughter, Alenka Adamiè.
37 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pisma [Letters].
38 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, autobiographic note: “Nekaj misli o zabavni glasbi v
Jugoslaviji” [Reflections about popular music in Yugoslavia].
14
