Very interesting comments, Alex, and I agree completely; the origins of "taste" can indeed be very elusive. I love ethnic music from that part of the world as well as most ethnic musics. The subject of "soul" comes up frequently here and I think it's important to appreciate that "soul" is not unique to music with roots in the Afro-American experience. I first fully understood this the first time that I travelled to Japan. After years of finding Japanese ethnic music unlistenable, being extremely grating and abrasive to everything that was part of my musical frame of reference, learning a bit about Japanese culture showed me just how soulful that ethnic music is. I feel the same way about music from the Balkans and find much of it very soulful. As far as the feeling of sadness that the clarinet/accordion invokes in you, a couple of thoughts; but, first, I would like to give anyone who will be offended by a bit of "analysis" time to leave the room😔................
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........... is the coast clear? ............................................................OK:
On the assumption that you have heard a fair amount of ethnic music from the Balkans (hence your familiarity with Milosevic) it should be pointed out that much of it features the clarinet, so I am sure that you are considering the very natural feeling of nostalgia that it may invoke in you, just as Cuban folk music does for me. Beyond that, and this is key (pun intended).............. last chance .........................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................OK,
most ethnic music from the Balkans is in a minor key; the "sadness" key, as opposed to a major key, the "happy" key. Music in a minor key is recognized as invoking a feeling of sadness. Almost all blues is in a minor key. Perhaps this contributes to your feeling.
Very good clarinetist Milosevik. I am well aware of his son Milan Milosevik, also a very accomplished and highly respected clarinetist who works in North America (mainly Canada). I knew his father was also a musician, but knew nothing more. Thank you for those clips. He's a fine clarinetist; very expressive. It is interesting to compare his playing to his son's who is more a product of the "internationalization" of the different styles of clarinet playing; a twentieth century phenomenon. Less overtly "ethnic" and individualistic, but more refined and, arguably, even more soulful:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HcFTnxRMbHw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bjv2nAhIbiQ (he plays Tarogato at the end of this)
..........................................................................................................
........... is the coast clear? ............................................................OK:
On the assumption that you have heard a fair amount of ethnic music from the Balkans (hence your familiarity with Milosevic) it should be pointed out that much of it features the clarinet, so I am sure that you are considering the very natural feeling of nostalgia that it may invoke in you, just as Cuban folk music does for me. Beyond that, and this is key (pun intended).............. last chance .........................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................OK,
most ethnic music from the Balkans is in a minor key; the "sadness" key, as opposed to a major key, the "happy" key. Music in a minor key is recognized as invoking a feeling of sadness. Almost all blues is in a minor key. Perhaps this contributes to your feeling.
Very good clarinetist Milosevik. I am well aware of his son Milan Milosevik, also a very accomplished and highly respected clarinetist who works in North America (mainly Canada). I knew his father was also a musician, but knew nothing more. Thank you for those clips. He's a fine clarinetist; very expressive. It is interesting to compare his playing to his son's who is more a product of the "internationalization" of the different styles of clarinet playing; a twentieth century phenomenon. Less overtly "ethnic" and individualistic, but more refined and, arguably, even more soulful:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HcFTnxRMbHw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bjv2nAhIbiQ (he plays Tarogato at the end of this)