ABSTRACT
This study traces the development of harmonic vocabulary in Bulgarian music. It analyzes the incorporation of harmony1 into village music from the 1930s to the 1990s, “wedding music” from the 1970s to 1990s, and choral arrangements (obrabotki),2 which were creations of the socialist period (1944-1989).3 This study also explains how terms frequently applied to Bulgarian music, such as “westernization,” “socialist-style arrangements,” or “Middle Eastern influence,” depict sophisticated networks of non-codified rules for harmonization which to date have not been studied. The book classifies different approaches to harmony in the above-mentioned styles and situates them in historical and cultural contexts; examines existing principles for harmonizing and arranging Bulgarian music; and establishes new systems for analysis. It suggests that the harmonic language found in Bulgarian music is based upon systems of rules which can be approached and analyzed using Western music theory. My analysis of harmony in Bulgarian music focuses on representative examples of each style discussed. These selections are taken from the most popular and well-received compositions available in the repertoire.
