Petar Perunovic
Encyclopedia
Petar Perunović (1880–June 10, 1952), nicknamed Perun, was a famous Montenegrin
and Serbia
n gusle
player.
Petar Perunovic was born in 1880 at Drenovštica in Pješivci
, Princedom of Montenegro, and at an early age displayed an exceptional skill for the gusle
, an ancient Balkan instrument. He began taking lessons, given by his mentor Ilija Kontić, at the same time that he was attending grammar school in his native village. In 1900 he left Montenegro for Šabac, Serbia, where his music instructor was R. Tolinger. He brought himself into notice in Belgrade in 1908 by performing before a colossal monument to Prince Mihailo
in protest against the Bosnian crisis
. In Negotin
he graduated from Teacher's College in 1910. His teaching career was interrupted by the two Balkan wars and World War I
in which he took active part. After the wars, he began to teach for a short period before leaving for the United States
on a prolonged tour of Serbian communities there. In New York
, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago
, he entertained the early Serbian immigrants with patriotic songs and recorded many albums under the "Serb Gusle" label founded by Serb emigrants from Serbia, Vojvodina, Romanian Banat, Slavonia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, South Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro to America.
He died in his native Montenegro in 1952.
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n gusle
Gusle
The Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans ....
player.
Petar Perunovic was born in 1880 at Drenovštica in Pješivci
Pješivci
Pješivci are a Montenegrin tribe from Montenegro consisting of numerous fraternities of mutual origin.Pjesivci are firstly mentioned in 1455 in the contract between Stefan Crnojevic and the people from Gornja Zeta with the Venetians...
, Princedom of Montenegro, and at an early age displayed an exceptional skill for the gusle
Gusle
The Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans ....
, an ancient Balkan instrument. He began taking lessons, given by his mentor Ilija Kontić, at the same time that he was attending grammar school in his native village. In 1900 he left Montenegro for Šabac, Serbia, where his music instructor was R. Tolinger. He brought himself into notice in Belgrade in 1908 by performing before a colossal monument to Prince Mihailo
Prince Mihailo Monument
Prince Mihailo Monument is a important monument of Prince Mihailo located in the main Republic Square in Belgrade, Serbia. Monument was declared Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.- History :...
in protest against the Bosnian crisis
Bosnian crisis
The Bosnian Crisis of 1908–1909, also known as the Annexation crisis, or the First Balkan Crisis, erupted into public view when on 6 October 1908, Austria-Hungary announced the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Germany and France...
. In Negotin
Negotin
Negotin is a town and municipality in the Bor District of north-eastern Central Serbia. It is situated near the borders between Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. It is the judicial center of the Bor District. The population of the town is 16,716 while municipality has 36,879.-Name:The etymology of the...
he graduated from Teacher's College in 1910. His teaching career was interrupted by the two Balkan wars and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in which he took active part. After the wars, he began to teach for a short period before leaving for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on a prolonged tour of Serbian communities there. In New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, he entertained the early Serbian immigrants with patriotic songs and recorded many albums under the "Serb Gusle" label founded by Serb emigrants from Serbia, Vojvodina, Romanian Banat, Slavonia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, South Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro to America.
He died in his native Montenegro in 1952.
Discography
Serb epic Rebellion against the Dahijas/Turkish Officers, Serb Gusle label founded by Serb emigrants in the U.S., recorded by Marsh Laboratories, Chicago, 1920s.Further reading
- J. Vukmanovic, Smrt guslara P. Perunovica, Pobjeda, 1952.
- M. Murko, Tragom srpsko-hrvatske narodne epike, Zagreb, 1951, pp. 144–149