Croatian Music

The earliest of Croatian music that was composed as church music dates back to the eleventh century.

In fact some of the folk songs that from the period of the twelvth century that were written for the occasion of Christmas are still extremely popular.



It is a highly interesting observation to note that the Croats have more than five hundred Christmas carols. Most of them are Christmas verses that can have a range and a myriad set of different melodies.

Each of these melodies vary considerably from region to region. The number of Christmas carols in the Croatian music scene is a whoppingly large number even when compared to the sum total of the Christian carols composed the world over.

The very first Croatian national opera was composed by Vatroslav Lisinski. This was way back in the year of 1846.

Some of the Operas composed by Ivan Zajc and Jakov Gotovac are performed all across the world in a number of concert halls even today.

The fact cannot be avoided that the most outstanding talent in the Croatian music scene lies with the historians of the Croatian music.

Julije Bajamonti is the most versatile and fertile Croatian composer of that era of Croatian music.

The Croatian national anthem verses were written by the Croatian poet and diplomat Antun Mihanovic.

The music for the Croatian anthem was composed by Josip Runjanin. Many of the Croats who dared to sing the Croatian anthem during the Yugoslav regime risked finding themselves in prison.

They were not allowed to sing the anthem even occasions such as weddings or any other important rituals.

In fact, interestingly, there was a separate jail for this purpose that was nicknamed as "Jail for Singers''.