After the Second World War, Slovenia became a part of socialist Yugoslavia, which, following the example of the Soviet Union, scrutinised art from an ideological perspective. Previous studies of the ...influence of the new social system on Slovenian music have not discovered any distinct and direct political interventions in musical life, so it is reasonable to enquire whether such influences can be identified in the works of Slovenian composers from the first decade after the end of the Second World War. It turns out that demands and solutions were rather ambivalent and arbitrary; some composers, particularly those who continued traditional musical expression, did not adapt their aesthetic principles, while a change in style is observed especially in those composers who had endorsed the new music before the war.
Matija (Matt) Arko, known to family and friends as Hojer (Hoyer), was born in Slovenia. He emigrated to the States as a teenager, bringing alongside his love for music and the accordion. Music became ...an important part of his life and his Hoyer instrumental trio became extremely popular amongst Slovenians as well as emigrants of other nationalities. By mixing elements of Slovenian traditional music and various popular American genres of the time, he created the foundations of the polka music, the appeal of which crossed ethnic boundaries and later on achieved general popularity. Most of Matija Arko’s tunes have been recorded on gramophone records, which give us insight into his musical activities and the history of Slovenian music in the USA. Very little is known in his homeland about Matija Arko, known in the States as Matt Hoyer, and his musical endeavours. This publication (‘Music From Both Sides. Gramophone Records Made by Matija Arko and the Hoyer Trio’) aims to shed light on his activities and music.
Highlights of an international musicological conference held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, October 19-20, 2006, titled "Functional and Autonomous in Music: Patterns and Meanings," are discussed. The event ...featured presentations and papers on the topic as well as a concert featuring the Slovenian Philharmonic under Tomaz Faganel, performing Slovenian music from the second half of the 19th century.
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