Narod v Pisni

A Nation in Song

Mr. Barry Malac grew up in Czechoslovakia where he learned many of the beautiful folksongs and ballads of that country.  These songs became a part of him, and he now wants to share them with his fellow dulcimer players here in America.  Even though all these melodies were originally accompanied by a fiddle, bagpipe, or a recorder, they sound great on the Appalachian lap dulcimer.  "All these songs originated during the three centuries of the oppressive Hapsburg rule of the Austria-Hungarian Empire.  During this time the native languages of the Czechs and Slovaks were not allowed, and the people were forced to speak and write in German.  These simple folk songs were the life and soul of the native mother tongue which, despite all of the suppression, survived and emerged strong and sweet to live and thrive again at the end of World War I.  Although the demand for such ethnic songs may be somewhat limited, I feel that the melodies alone are quite beautiful and musically rich.  Many of these simple melodies have ended up in symphonic poems, operas, and concerts of great composers such as Dvorak, Smetana, Janacek and others."  Mr. Malac communicated his desire to me and this book is the culmination of our efforts to preserve the folk songs and make them available to a larger audience.  The songs range from beautiful love songs, Christmas songs to drinking songs.  A wide selection!!!

While they are arranged and tabbed for the dulcimer, they can be played by any melody or chord instrument since the melody line and chords are included.  All the songs are arranged for the mountain dulcimer in D-A-D tuning and range from easy to intermediate.  Also, words are included in both the native tongue and English.