Department of MusicologyOddelek za muzikologijo |
Aškerčeva 2 |
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HistoryIt was among the mathematical disciplines that music studies occupied an eminent position in the university curricula already in medieval Europe. However, in its reformed contemporary form, the study of music began to gain ground only from the twenties of the 19th century onwards. Unfortunately, in 1919, the newly founded Slovenian university in Ljubljana did not manage to establish a chair of musicology. Although this question was discussed a couple of times at the founding-meetings, and in spite of the fact that some of the professors, such as Izidor Cankar or France Kidrič, advocated the idea, it failed to materialize. Presumably due to financial reasons. History of music just remained an ordinary subject taught at the Conservatory, although in 1920 Dr. Josip Mantuani began with lectures that were based on scholarly research. In 1942, the Philosophical Faculty Council allowed students to take, if they wished, an exam in this "auxiliary" subject ... Which makes it quite understandable that such a state of affairs was counterproductive to the growth and eventual emancipation of musicology. Therefore, between the two world wars, systematic as well as comprehensive musicological endeavours could not be undertaken, let alone the schooling of young scholars. A new period in the development of Slovenian musicology began after World War II in 1945. The situation began to change rapidly, since activities in music history became more and more intensive and systematic. One was beginning to realize that musicology – and therewith history of music – should be placed among national sciences. The first step followed soon, i. e. the organization of relevant studies with the aim of educating future professionals. Thus, already in 1945, within the Academy of Music, a scientific department – consisting of three sections: for music history, pedagogics, and ethnography – was established, only to be reorganized into a Department of Music History in 1949. However, it became gradually obvious that the orientation of a music academy, being by its very nature an artistic institution, was not broad-minded enough as regards research and corresponding scholarly undertakings. Therefore, in 1962 a new Department of Musicology opened its doors at the Philosophical Faculty in Ljubljana. Its first head and full professor became Dr. Dragotin Cvetko, whose unrellenting efforts actually brought about the realization of an old dream. It was his sustained engagement with research that had, by that time, given him international recognition, especially through his pioneering endeavours to lay the foundations of Slovenian music history. Being aware of the fact that the Slovenian musical past had been less researched, and therefore less known than its literature and art, he undertook the enormous task of filling this considerable gap in our cultural history. These aspirations led him to write three extensive volumes of the History of Music in Slovenia (1958-1960), the first Slovenian work of its kind that follows the principles of modern scholarship. Having established itself on a university level, musicology in Slovenia faced the problem of choosing the priorities it should focus on. The newly founded Department, while taking into account curricula of similar institutions abroad, decided upon music history, though as far as possible bearing in mind also other musicological disciplines. This decision appeared to be well grounded, since history of music has always been, and remaines, the leading field of musicological research. At the same time, here was the Slovenian musical past and present that had to be cared for, in keeping with the development of nationally current cultural trends. These and such were the very endeavours that enabled musicology to become one of our founding national sciences. It should be mentioned that the Department of Musicology has been taking active and succesful part in projects of national importance sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as in »basic research projects of the Slovenian musical past«, conceived by the Musicological Institute of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Although the structure of studies has – when possible – experienced necessary complements, one can say that from the very beginning stable foundations were laid for the study of musicology. While taking into consideration further developments of world musicology, its curriculum has been continuingly enriched by the results of research done by the just mentioned Musicological Institute since 1980, when it was founded with the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Needless to say, the efforts of both institutions seem to be happily adjusted, both in issuing periodical publications as well as in organizing public manifestations. The inclusion of musicology into university studies assured it of a new educational basis, offering also broader scholarly perspectives. Among other things, not only postgraduate studies became possible, but also those leading to a Ph.D. Thus, soon after having been founded the new Department of Musicology began to radiate its influence far beyond its Slovenian borders, giving many an incentive for work in other similar institutions throughout the country. Without exaggerating one could say that it was precisely after 1962 when historiographical research in music came into full swing. So ever since, the Department of Musicology of the Ljubljana University can boast of a handsome number of M.A. and doctoral theses dealing with various problems of past and present Slovenian music and, until the dissolution of the Yugoslav federation in 1991, also with those in Croatian and Serbian musical cultures. In this way, highest scientific qualifications have been attained by a number of professionals now working in various academic institutions. Although the musicological curriculum is mainly research-oriented, there is a sufficient presence of pedagogical and practical musical subjects which qualify for teaching activities as well. At first organized only in bi-subject combinations, since 1967 musicology can be chosen also as an independent, one-subject field of studies, i.e. that of "pure" musicology. Scholarly endeavours made an important step forward when, in 1965, the Musicological Annual (Muzikološki zbornik) began to be regularly published. It brings out articles as well as longer scientific papers, written by Slovenian and foreign musicologists, treatises, covering practically all fields of musicology, though most of the contributions have hitherto dealt with historiographic problems, especially in Slovenian music. Therefore, it offers a comprehensive picture of various trends in the development of musicology in Slovenia. At the same time it should be underlined that particularly Slovenian music history, past and present, is growing as regards its presence in foreign periodicals and festschrifts, encyclopedias, proceedings of international congresses and meetings, as well as in lectures given by our musicologists at academic institutions abroad. Progress can be detected also in books by Slovenian authors translated into world languages. Musicology in Slovenia won important recognition through the organization of the Tenth Congress of the International Musicological Society which, by bringing together 600 hundred participants from 32 countries - for the first time in a Slav country, took place at the Philosophical Faculty in Ljubljana from September 3 to 8, 1967. It was the Department of Musicology that played the leading role in organizing the whole meeting and in publishing an over 5oo-pages-embracing Congress Report (1970), comprising over 80 papers and all recorded discussions. This congress still appears to have remained the most significant international breakthrough of Slovenian musical scholarship and culture, let alone that of the Department of Musicology of the University of Ljubljana. Since the attainment of independence of the Republic of Slovenia, it has become clear, to others as well as to ourselves, that current musicology can now count on a scholarly grown-up treat partner who is able to treat a variegated field of problems on an adequate level. A substantial contribution to dealing with (then) topical questions occured in 1971, when the Department organized a symposium with participants arriving from universities in Freiburg i/B, Warsaw, and Ljubljana. There was the tenor theme focusing on the musical opus, with prolonged discussions considering also the problems of tradition and those of quotations in music, all of which brought about new light concerning these matters – a tradition ever since followed both by the Department of Musicology and the Musicological Institute, the latter organizing international musicological meetings biennially, with proceedings being published regularly. The twenty-fifth anniversary of its founding was celebrated by the Department of Musicology in December 1987, with a number of events: an exhibition under the title "Arti musices" (scholarly, journalistic, and other creative work of all those engaged in the departmental teaching process, the presence of Slovenian music in native and foreign encyclopedias, its presence in RILM, the Musicological Annual, the Tenth Congress of the IMS – Ljubljana 1967, master's degree and doctoral theses, etc.), a press conference on the occasion of the XXIIIrd volume of the Musicological Annual, a chamber concert and "concertante reflections" on the musical identity of Slovenian regions (given by former students), a round-table on the "Disintegration of Slovenian Musical Consciousness?" and last but not least, a students' rostrum. At the opening ceremony, the founder of the Department, Academician & Professor Emeritus Dragotin Cvetko, was presented with a special letter of homage. Visible progress in Slovenian historiography can be also seen in its publishing of "musical monuments". Sporadic beginnings in editing and printing old music go back into the sixties. However, their efflorescence in a conceptually well-weighed and scholarly adequate manner – became possible only within the Musicological Institute of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the goal of which was, inter alia, to publish all hitherto known composers from the 16th to the 19th century in a special series under the title Monumenta artis musicae Sloveniae. More than positive results have been already achieved, wherewith the contribution of the Department of Musicology or rather of some of its members should not be overlooked. A connective role between the two institutions, as wall as in general, has since 1992 been played by the Slovenian Musicological Society the headquarters of which are with the Department of Musicology. Its sphere of activity comprises the organization of lectures, the promotion of postgraduate and doctoral theses, it publishes a biannual Bulletin and the Varia musicologica collection. Looking back into the past, into our initial efforts in the field of musicology after the World War II, efforts, that eventually brought about the founding of the Department of Musicology, not to mention the past decades of its ramifying activities, one can establish that much has been achieved, and a good many important things at that. Saplings planted in the past have grown lushly, so that the end, or rather partial, results are generally positive. Above all, it should be mentioned that the Slovenian history of music has undoubtedly achieved the level of a noteworthy national science, standing shoulder to shoulder with kindred fields of research, such as the history of art or that of literary history. Of even greater importance is its definite presence in the international arena. All of which should further musicology in Slovenia in its future plans, as well as in perfecting its methods of research, in continual accord with current scholarly principles. Nevertheless, special attention will have to be given to promoting musical aesthetics, sociology, and psychology, i. e. those disciplines that still leave much that might be desired. A chair of ethnomusicology is another must in the development of the Department, luckily already "in statu nascendi", or rather "crescendi", which could, so one should hope, be taken as a motto that will accompany Slovenian musicology throughout the years to come. Dr. Andrej Rijavec |