Performed by Svetlana Spajic with Dragana Tomic (second voice) and German ensemble Zeitkratzer at the Rex Cultural Center, Beograd on May 14, 2015.

TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS:

Sinoć Đorđe kroz Valjevo prođe/Last night Đorđe went through Valjevo

Song from the village of Vrhpolje in the Drina river area, old two-part singing for males in the “na glas” style. The lyrics are full of sonorous alliteration, the yielding style imitating both shellfire and the drama of two brothers. Published in Dimitrije O. Golemović: Narodna muzika Podrinja, Književna zajednica DRUGARI, Sarajevo 1987.

Oj, sinoć Đorđe kroz Valjevo prođe,
I provede konja šarena,
I na konju brata ranjena,
Ranila ga bugarska granata,
Odbila mu ruke do lakata.
Last night Đorđe went through Valjevo town with his spotted horse,  
And there on the horse was his wounded brother, 
He was wounded by a Bulgarian shell, 
It chopped off his arms up to the elbows.

Mačkov kamen / The battle of Mačkov kamen

Part of the epic song from the village of Uzovnica, in the Drina River area, describing the harsh clashes at Mačkov kamen, strategically a very important point in southwestern Serbia.  One of the most severe battles in Serbia during WWI, it took place between the Serbian 1st and Austro-Hungarian 6th Army over September 19-22, 1914, and ended with the retreat of the Serbian Army. Sung here in the “kantalica” style from the Drina river area; published in Dimitrije O. Golemović: Narodna muzika Podrinja, Književna zajednica DRUGARI, Sarajevo 1987.

Mačkov kamen u plamenu gori,
Princ se Đorđe samrtnički bori,
Dok se začu neka strašna ‘uka,
Iza leđa sedamnajstog puka:
Zarobiše našega majora,
Komandanta trećeg bataljona,
Pa ga vode da bataljon preda,
Al se Srbin robit lako ne da!
Za bombe se momci privatiše,
U redove švapske uletiše.
Biju Srbi Kraljevića Marka,
Tu je mnoga zakukala majka,
Što ostade, Bogu fala zdravo,
To odstupi Kamenici pravo.
Tu se pregla vojska sokolića
U rovove ispod Osladića,
Mitraljezi živo srce kose,
A junake ranjene pronose.
Borba traja tri četiri dana,
Još se ne zna koja gubi strana.
Srpska vojska beše malaksala,
Kamenicu bez otpora dala,
kad pustismo to Valjevo malo,
Svakom borcu srce zakukalo, 
Od vakije našije vojnika,
Mi pustismo divnoga Krušika.
Od Loznice i od vode Drine,
Ponajviše od Ljubovije,
Tužna vojska ostupa jednako,
Nema toga ko ne bi otplako.

Mačkov kamen burns in haze,
While prince Đorđe is fighting to the death
Then a horrible roar was heard
Behind the 17th regiment:
They caught our mayor, the commander of the third battalion
Forcing him to surrender his battalion,
But a Serb doesn’t surrender easily:
The guys grabbed their bombs and jumped into Shvaba’s* trenches.
The Serbs fought like Kraljević Marko**
Many mothers there mourned for their sons.
Those who survived retreated straight to Kamenica.
….
All the  young falcons fought bravely
In the trenches by Osladić
The machine guns tore the living hearts of men
And the wounded were everywhere
The battle lasted three to four days
No one could tell who was going to lose
Тhe Serbs lost their strength
And gave up Kamenica without resistance. 
Every heart was shaken
When we left the dear Valjevo town
How horrible it was to leave Krušik
With such young falcons!
Sorrowful soldiers fled from Loznica, 
the Drina and Ljubovija 
How horrible to leave it all!

*Shvaba -  the mocking name for Austro-Hungarian soldiers
**Kraljević Marko – the most popular hero of epic songs

Svetlana Spajic The Battle On Mackov Kamen from World War I Songs

Musical Sketches for IRON SHOES a New Folk Opera
Original Music and Lyrics by Janet Kutulas
Stage Direction and Choreography by Erika Chong Shuch
Additional Script/Libretto by Michelle Carter
for more information visit: http://www.erikachongshuch.com/erika-chong-shuch-iron-shoes/

Unknown Album (9/20/2013 4:42:16 PM)

1. Dawn in Gold Sandals (Janet Kutulas' IRON SHOES)

Musical Sketches for IRON SHOES a New Folk Opera
Original Music and Lyrics by Janet Kutulas
Stage Direction and Choreography by Erika Chong Shuch
Additional Script/Libretto by Michelle Carter
for more information visit: www.erikachongshuch.com/erika-chong-s…h-iron-shoes/

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