Yugoslavia Tamburaško Društvo (Part 2)

This was one of the greatest tamburitza orchestras to record in the 1920's! Musicians such as Vaso Bukvić, Ćira Kozarov, and Vlado Marjanović were already legends when they came to the Yugoslavia Tamb. Društvo of Indiana Harbor, Indiana. The Bukvić brothers, Vaso and Mirko, were part of the original Banat Tamburitza Orchestra founded by Zdravko Jezdimir in 1912. Also in 1912, the amazing primaš and tenor Vlado Marjanović was making his famous recordings with Drago Ilkić for the Columbia recording studios. In 1917 Ćira Kozarov joined Vaso Bukvich and Zdravko Jezdimir to make a number of recordings for RCA-Victor with the Srpski muški kvintet, a renowned tamburitza orchestra directed by Sandor Huszar. Some of these incredibly talented musicians would go on to form this group, The Yugoslavia Tamburaško Društvo, in the early 1920's.

Jovan Stojković "Babunski"

About the songs: The first track, Komitska Pesma, an early version of the patriotic song Spremte Se Spremte Četnici (or Srpska mi truba zatrubi ) , dates back to 1908 after guerillas fought valliantly under the command of Serbian Vojvoda Jovan Stojković "Babunski" (pictured at right) against Turkish regulars at the battle of Drenovo, in Macedonia. It was composed shortly after the battle by former Serbian Orthodox monk and četnik soldier Jeremija (Jovan) Grković "Gapon", (born in Orahovac, Prizren, in 1879, he was killed in the fighting at Kumanovo in 1912). This song became very popular in the United States after WWI and tamburitza legend Dušan Jovanović recorded his own version in November of 1925 for the Columbia record label in New York. With the onset of WWII Spremte Se Spremte was popularized again by such greats as Edo Ljubić, who recorded it on July 30, 1942 for RCA-Victor, and Raša Radenković and Mirko Marković who recorded a version for the Sonart label. This track was recorded on July 23, 1924 in Richmond, Indiana and features lead vocals by Vaso Bukvić.

The second track, Prošetaj Lelo (better known as Čini ne čini, or Ne luduj lelo), doesn't need much introduction. Written by Serbian poet and songwriter Milorad Petrović Seljančica, and composed by Stanislav Binički, this song was extremely popular and was performed and recorded by countless orchestras and choirs in Europe and the U.S.A. This track was recorded on July 23, 1924 and features vocals by Ćira Kozarov.

I'm so grateful to my friend Milan Opacich for giving me this rare treasure! Thanks Milan!

Komitska Pesma

Prošetaj Lelo