Page 166 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6
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glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
oldest and most important music libraries in Croatia.1 The Croatian Mu-
sic Institute managed to survive as independent citizens’ association dur-
ing three wars and eight states.2 The biggest danger for its existence was in
1945, when the socialist government of the new state of Yugoslavia banned
activities of many bourgeois societies, especially if those societies were in
possession of valuable properties, i. e. buildings. After only a few months
of uncertainty, in autumn of 1945, the Croatian Music Institute got the per-
mission to continue with its activities. Most recently, another big challenge
appeared: the consequences of the earthquake that hit Zagreb on March 22,
2020, which made great damage to the Institute’s building. Since 2021, the
Croatian Music Institute ceased with almost any activity, and the building
is put under reconstruction, thanks to the funds of the European Union.
Croatian Singing Society “Kolo” (Hrvatsko pjevačko društvo “Kolo”)
– The most important and the most famous Croatian singing society was
“Kolo”, founded in Zagreb in 1862. It was among the first singing socie-
ties in Croatia3 and had been active for more than 80 years. It became one
of the basic factors of the musical life in Zagreb. Besides the concert activ-
ities of the “Kolo” choir in Croatia and abroad, the Society published mu-
sic and built its home in Zagreb. After the Second World War “Kolo” had
the same existential problems like the Croatian Music Institute, and in 1948
lost everything: the government completely stopped its activity and nation-
alized the property, not only the building, but also its valuable library and
documentation.4
Glasbena matica Ljubljana (GM) – Founded in Ljubljana in 1872, the
Glasbena matica achieved great merits for the music and culture in Slove-
nia, especially because of its choir, the conservatory, the Folklore Institute
1 On the history of the Croatian Music Institute see: Ladislav Šaban, 150 godina Hr
vatskog glazbenog zavoda (Zagreb: Hrvatski glazbeni zavod, 1982), with a summary
in German; Marcel Bačić, ed., Hrvatski glazbeni zavod: 1827–2002 (Zagreb: Hrvatski
glazbeni zavod, 2003).
2 The three wars: WWI, WWII and the Croatian Homeland War (1991–1995); the
eight states: the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the State of
Slovenes, Croats and Serbs; the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; the King-
dom of Yugoslavia; the Independent State of Croatia, the Socialist Federative Repub-
lic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia.
3 The most important among the first singing societies was “Zora”, founded in Karlo-
vac in 1858.
4 On the history of the “Kolo” see: Nada Bezić, “Singing as a way of life,” Cantus,
English issue (April 2003): 64–7; Ivana Klajzner, “‘Rasuta bašćina:’ slučaj Hrvatskog
pjevačkog društva ‘Kolo’,” Arti musices 51, no. 1 (2020): 83–94, https://hrcak.srce.
hr/241696.
164
oldest and most important music libraries in Croatia.1 The Croatian Mu-
sic Institute managed to survive as independent citizens’ association dur-
ing three wars and eight states.2 The biggest danger for its existence was in
1945, when the socialist government of the new state of Yugoslavia banned
activities of many bourgeois societies, especially if those societies were in
possession of valuable properties, i. e. buildings. After only a few months
of uncertainty, in autumn of 1945, the Croatian Music Institute got the per-
mission to continue with its activities. Most recently, another big challenge
appeared: the consequences of the earthquake that hit Zagreb on March 22,
2020, which made great damage to the Institute’s building. Since 2021, the
Croatian Music Institute ceased with almost any activity, and the building
is put under reconstruction, thanks to the funds of the European Union.
Croatian Singing Society “Kolo” (Hrvatsko pjevačko društvo “Kolo”)
– The most important and the most famous Croatian singing society was
“Kolo”, founded in Zagreb in 1862. It was among the first singing socie-
ties in Croatia3 and had been active for more than 80 years. It became one
of the basic factors of the musical life in Zagreb. Besides the concert activ-
ities of the “Kolo” choir in Croatia and abroad, the Society published mu-
sic and built its home in Zagreb. After the Second World War “Kolo” had
the same existential problems like the Croatian Music Institute, and in 1948
lost everything: the government completely stopped its activity and nation-
alized the property, not only the building, but also its valuable library and
documentation.4
Glasbena matica Ljubljana (GM) – Founded in Ljubljana in 1872, the
Glasbena matica achieved great merits for the music and culture in Slove-
nia, especially because of its choir, the conservatory, the Folklore Institute
1 On the history of the Croatian Music Institute see: Ladislav Šaban, 150 godina Hr
vatskog glazbenog zavoda (Zagreb: Hrvatski glazbeni zavod, 1982), with a summary
in German; Marcel Bačić, ed., Hrvatski glazbeni zavod: 1827–2002 (Zagreb: Hrvatski
glazbeni zavod, 2003).
2 The three wars: WWI, WWII and the Croatian Homeland War (1991–1995); the
eight states: the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the State of
Slovenes, Croats and Serbs; the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; the King-
dom of Yugoslavia; the Independent State of Croatia, the Socialist Federative Repub-
lic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia.
3 The most important among the first singing societies was “Zora”, founded in Karlo-
vac in 1858.
4 On the history of the “Kolo” see: Nada Bezić, “Singing as a way of life,” Cantus,
English issue (April 2003): 64–7; Ivana Klajzner, “‘Rasuta bašćina:’ slučaj Hrvatskog
pjevačkog društva ‘Kolo’,” Arti musices 51, no. 1 (2020): 83–94, https://hrcak.srce.
hr/241696.
164
