1850sDalmatia, Croatia

Klapa Multipart Singing

Also known as Klapa singing, Dalmatian Klapa, Klapsko pjevanje, Dalmatian Klapa singing

Dalmatia's close-harmony singing tradition turns small groups of voices into a rich, resonant expression of love, community and coastal life.

Origins and context

Klapa developed as a form of social singing in Dalmatian towns, villages and islands, with repertoire shaped by local life, love, the sea and community relationships. The recognizable modern form emerged gradually rather than through a single founding event.

Dalmatia, Croatia

The sound

Characteristics

A cappella voices
First tenor lead
Second tenor voices
Baritone voices
Bass voices
Three-part and four-part harmony
Homophonic texture
Close vocal blending

History

Klapa singing developed in the coastal and island communities of Dalmatia during the nineteenth century. Croatia's Ministry of Culture dates the recognizable modern tradition to roughly the middle of that century, when informal groups of singers became associated with the term klapa. Its development was influenced by older local singing practices, church music, organized urban music-making and wider Mediterranean melodic traditions. Traditional klapa was primarily an informal and orally transmitted practice, often heard in streets, taverns, courtyards and social gatherings. During the twentieth century it became increasingly organized through ensembles, arrangements and competitions, particularly following the establishment of the Festival of Dalmatian Klapas in Omiš in 1967. Modern klapa now includes male, female and mixed ensembles, as well as crossover performances with instrumental accompaniment. UNESCO inscribed Klapa multipart singing of Dalmatia on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.