Sung poetry

Sung poetry is a term used in Eastern Europe (mainly in Poland and the Baltic States , but also in post-Soviet countries) for a musical style that is characterized by the use of well-known lyrical texts instead of describing the musical character. The term is hardly known in the German-speaking world. The lyrics are most similar to the genre of songwriting , chanson or folk . In contrast to artists of these styles, with whom Sung Poetry is confused, the texts are not created on commission or specifically for use in songs. Instead, artists of this genre use existing poetry or poetry, such as B. Antonina Krzysztoń with a text from the biblical Song of Songs of Love ( 1 Cor 13.1–13  EU ) or Marek Grechuta (1979 Opole, then also Czesław Niemen ) with the poem “Niepewność” (Uncertainty) by Adam Mickiewicz . The music is not limited to the musical styles typical of lyric texts.

Characteristics and representatives of this art direction

In Germany u. a. Czesław Niemen and Marek Grechuta from Poland are known as representatives of this style of music. While Grechuta mainly appeared as a singer-songwriter with his band Anawa in the GDR in the 1970s and here stands for songwriter, progressive rock and classical music , Niemen has been internationally known as a rock singer since the 1960s. But he also succeeded in synthesizing traditional church music and avant-garde rock music . Both artists set their own texts to music, but also classical poetry e.g. B. for ballads , concept albums or political protest songs. Other Polish representatives are Ewa Demarczyk , who performed with chansons all over Europe, and Jacek Kaczmarski , who became known as a protest singer and "Bard of Solidarność ".

In Lithuania, the singer Vytautas Kernagis shaped the concept and style of this form of music. It was melodic bard music at song evenings and other gatherings. The Goethe-Institut receives the art form as a musical form of literature. The Lithuanian Music and Theater Academy has remained an important artist forge to this day.

As a German representative, Georgette Dee comes closest to this art direction. She sets texts by Bertolt Brecht to music in the style of the chanson. An example in the folk rock style is Achim Reichel (album Regenballade ), which was later followed by other settings of different styles.

Texts and forms of expression

Sung poetry is above all word-based or text-based music whose lyrics are based on a ballad or a poem . The music is stylistically not fixed. From classical to chansons and pop to spoken word , jazz and rock , all styles are conceivable. In fact, the style of music used is usually carefully and thoughtfully matched to the texts used. Sometimes a symbiosis of different styles is chosen or on concept albums, sometimes even within the same song, the styles are switched.

The artists are people from various professions, usually with little or no special musical training, as well as actors from the theater sector or, rarely, from cabaret . Most actors work closely with authors, songwriters, singers or actors, both in the background and on stage. Common appearances during the communist era, for example at festivals and other joint concerts, often in connection with a motto. Performances have been and still are today at the student song festival in Krakow, the former festival of political song in the GDR, the still existing and less political Sopot Festival and other festivals across Europe.

Famous artist

Polish artist Michał Bajor Mirosław Czyżykiewicz Ewa Demarczyk Edyta Geppert Marek Grechuta Jacek Kaczmarski Antonina Krzysztoń Czesław Niemen Renata Przemyk Janusz Radek Edward Stachura Grzegorz Turnau Elżbieta Wojnowska Ilona Sojda Jacek Różański

Lithuanian artist Vytautas Kernagis Kostas Smoriginas Saulius Bareikis Olegas Ditkovskis Aidas Giniotis Andrius Kaniava

literature

• IM Karimov: History of PCB Moscow , M., Janus-K, 2004.
• Chanson by the authors , lecture. Compiled by DA Sucharew. Ekaterinburg: U-Faktoriia, 2003. ISBN 5-94799-234-5 .

Web links

• List of artists that are categorized on lastfm.de
• Gabrielė Labanauskaitė: Literature - Poetry is Poetry ( Memento from May 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Goethe-Institut, translated by Daiva Petereit in September 2012

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Piosenka poetycka - keyword in the WIEM encyclopedia at Onet.pl, based on the Słownika Encyklopedycznego - Język polski by Wydawnictwa Europa, 1999. Authors: Elżbieta Olinkiewicz, Katarzyna Radzymińska, Halina Styś. ISBN 83-87977-20-9 .
2. ^ Krzysztof Gajda: Antonina Krzysztoń in the portal Piesniniepokornych (Rebellious Songs) on Polish Radio
3. ↑ Marek Grechuta - Unikaty at Discogs
4. ↑ Romantyzm / Analiza i interpretacja Niepewności Adama Mickiewicza (klp.pl)
5. ↑ cf. Weblink: Goethe-Institut with a list of Lithuanian artists
6. ↑ Irene Bazinger: Brecht's sung poetry - The dream of the Diseuse. Berlinger Zeitung, June 18, 2009
7. ↑ cf. z. B. Concert report Achim Reichel & Band - Deutschlandfunk, July 11, 2007