Paradox of Writing Folk Music. National Representation and Song Writers in Russian Karelia

Abstract

The role of folk music song writers is often ambiguous. In Russia, such songwriters have worked as leaders of local choirs. In so doing they have become mediators between local traditions and the present day music scene but they have also been blamed for corrupting authentic traditions. Their role in drawing interest towards national cultures and creating valuable works in local languages has been very important. When identity is considered to be continuously constructed in everyday practices, we can see that musical activities are also an integral part of forming local societies.

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Vloga piscev ljudskih pesmi je pogosto dvoumna. V Rusiji so takšni pesniki delovali kot vodje krajevnih zborov. Krajevna izročila so posredovali na sodobno glasbeno prizorišče, pri čemer pa so bili deležni tudi kritike, da kvarijo avtentično izročilo, čeprav je bil njihov vpliv na spodbujanje zanimanja za narodne kulture in ustvarjanje pomembnih del v lokalnih jezikih zelo pomemben. Če na identiteto gledamo kot nenehno ustvarjano v vsakdanjih praksah, vidimo, da so tudi glasbene aktivnosti integralni del v oblikovanju lokalnih družb.