Slavko Avsenik
Encyclopedia
Slavko Avsenik is a Slovenian
composer and musician. His career accomplishments place him at the worldwide pinnacle of success among ethnic popular musicians. Over forty years, the Avsenik Ensamble's original "Oberkrainer" sound became the primary vehicle of ethnic musical expression for Slovenia
, Germany
, Austria
, Switzerland
, and the Benelux
countries, spawning hundreds of Alpine
orchestras in the process.
The Ensamble, known as "Ansambel bratov Avsenik" or "Slavko Avsenik und seine Original Oberkrainer" has performed before millions, including heads of state, on radio and television, and in thousands of concerts. Selling over 30 million records, Avsenik has earned thirty-one Gold, two Diamond, and one Platinum record. The "Johann Strauss of the twentieth century," Avsenik collaborated with his brother, Vilko, to produce nearly 1000 original compositions and an integral part of the Cleveland-Style legacy. The Avsenik saga began in 1953 with a band formed in Slovenia, broadcast on the Slovenian Hour from Austria, and dubbed the "Musicians of the Oberkrain
" by a Vienna disc jockey. Growing in popularity, they soon began appearing in broadcasts, movies, and concerts in West Germany.
Landing a recording contract with Telefunken-Decca in 1960, the Ensemble rose to meteoric heights throughout Europe. It appeared regularly on network television, toured relentlessly (logging over 400,000 miles in 1967 alone), and recorded prolifically. Milestones include a 1961 performance before over 80,000 in Berlin
Stadium, tours of the U.S.
and Canada
in 1970 and 1985, and a one-hour German television network special in 1980.
As Slovenia's most popular music band, the group has won countless awards including eight consecutive television competitions, twelve from German network television, eighteen as Germany's most popular band, the recording industry's "European Oscar" in 1975, the Golden Rose Award (most requested on Austrian radio) in 1979, the Linhart plaque (Slovenia), and the "Hermann Löns" award from the German Minister of Culture.
Avsenik's influence over Cleveland-Style music began in 1958 when Johnny Pecon's English lyrics transformed Slavko's "Tam kjer murke cveto" into a Greatest All-Time Cleveland-Style Hit, "Little Fella". Since then, Cleveland-Style orchestras have recorded well over 200 Avsenik songs including nearly sixty by the Hank Haller Ensemble and as many more by Fred Ziwich, Fred Kuhar, the Fairport Ensemble, Al Markic, Roger Bright, Al Tercek, and Cilka Dolgan. Avsenik tribute bands in North America include Duke Marsic and his Happy Slovenians (Cleveland, 1964 to 1990), the Alpine Sextet (Cleveland, 1976 to 1996), Ansambel Veseli Godci (Cleveland, 1996 to present), Marjan Kramer, and Iskre (Canada). Many Slovenian polka/oberkrainer style bands in Europe are also in tribute of Avsenik's music, including Slovenia's Hisni ansambel Avsenik and Gasperji/Die Jungen Oberkrainer. In sheer volume, Avsenik's compositions rank him with Slovenian folk music, Matt Hoyer, and Dr. William J. "Doc" Lausche as the major tributaries feeding the Cleveland-Style repertoire. But the breathtaking beauty pervading his waltzes... "Pastircek/Hirtenlied", "Slovenia/Slovenija, odkod lepote tvoje", "Veter nosi pesem mojo/The wind song", "Čakala bom" ("I shall wait"), "European Waltz", "Na svidenje" ("So long"), "On the Bridge", and "Argentina", to name just a golden few... best characterize the profound nature of his impact.
The most popular song of Avsenik's band is the polka titled "Na Golici
" in Slovenian, or "Trompetenecho" in German, "Trumpet Echoes" in English, which is the most played instrumental songs in the world, being an early trademark and success of the Avsenik Brothers.
Slovenians
The Slovenes, Slovene people, Slovenians, or Slovenian people are a South Slavic people primarily associated with Slovenia and the Slovene language.-Population:Most Slovenes today live within the borders of the independent Slovenia...
composer and musician. His career accomplishments place him at the worldwide pinnacle of success among ethnic popular musicians. Over forty years, the Avsenik Ensamble's original "Oberkrainer" sound became the primary vehicle of ethnic musical expression for Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and the Benelux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
countries, spawning hundreds of Alpine
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
orchestras in the process.
The Ensamble, known as "Ansambel bratov Avsenik" or "Slavko Avsenik und seine Original Oberkrainer" has performed before millions, including heads of state, on radio and television, and in thousands of concerts. Selling over 30 million records, Avsenik has earned thirty-one Gold, two Diamond, and one Platinum record. The "Johann Strauss of the twentieth century," Avsenik collaborated with his brother, Vilko, to produce nearly 1000 original compositions and an integral part of the Cleveland-Style legacy. The Avsenik saga began in 1953 with a band formed in Slovenia, broadcast on the Slovenian Hour from Austria, and dubbed the "Musicians of the Oberkrain
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
" by a Vienna disc jockey. Growing in popularity, they soon began appearing in broadcasts, movies, and concerts in West Germany.
Landing a recording contract with Telefunken-Decca in 1960, the Ensemble rose to meteoric heights throughout Europe. It appeared regularly on network television, toured relentlessly (logging over 400,000 miles in 1967 alone), and recorded prolifically. Milestones include a 1961 performance before over 80,000 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
Stadium, tours of the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1970 and 1985, and a one-hour German television network special in 1980.
As Slovenia's most popular music band, the group has won countless awards including eight consecutive television competitions, twelve from German network television, eighteen as Germany's most popular band, the recording industry's "European Oscar" in 1975, the Golden Rose Award (most requested on Austrian radio) in 1979, the Linhart plaque (Slovenia), and the "Hermann Löns" award from the German Minister of Culture.
Avsenik's influence over Cleveland-Style music began in 1958 when Johnny Pecon's English lyrics transformed Slavko's "Tam kjer murke cveto" into a Greatest All-Time Cleveland-Style Hit, "Little Fella". Since then, Cleveland-Style orchestras have recorded well over 200 Avsenik songs including nearly sixty by the Hank Haller Ensemble and as many more by Fred Ziwich, Fred Kuhar, the Fairport Ensemble, Al Markic, Roger Bright, Al Tercek, and Cilka Dolgan. Avsenik tribute bands in North America include Duke Marsic and his Happy Slovenians (Cleveland, 1964 to 1990), the Alpine Sextet (Cleveland, 1976 to 1996), Ansambel Veseli Godci (Cleveland, 1996 to present), Marjan Kramer, and Iskre (Canada). Many Slovenian polka/oberkrainer style bands in Europe are also in tribute of Avsenik's music, including Slovenia's Hisni ansambel Avsenik and Gasperji/Die Jungen Oberkrainer. In sheer volume, Avsenik's compositions rank him with Slovenian folk music, Matt Hoyer, and Dr. William J. "Doc" Lausche as the major tributaries feeding the Cleveland-Style repertoire. But the breathtaking beauty pervading his waltzes... "Pastircek/Hirtenlied", "Slovenia/Slovenija, odkod lepote tvoje", "Veter nosi pesem mojo/The wind song", "Čakala bom" ("I shall wait"), "European Waltz", "Na svidenje" ("So long"), "On the Bridge", and "Argentina", to name just a golden few... best characterize the profound nature of his impact.
The most popular song of Avsenik's band is the polka titled "Na Golici
Na Golici (Trompeten-Echo)
"Na Golici" is a 1953 slovenian polka song originally performed by Slovenian folk band at time named "Gorenjski kvartet / Oberkrainer Quartett"...
" in Slovenian, or "Trompetenecho" in German, "Trumpet Echoes" in English, which is the most played instrumental songs in the world, being an early trademark and success of the Avsenik Brothers.
Songs
(note that only most known songs are listed with Slovenian titles; Slavko Avsenik wrote around 1000 songs altogether, in Slovenian and German)- Aljažev stolp
- Bele lilije
- Breze v vetru
- Casanova
- Cvetlični valček
- Cvetoče tulpe
- Cvetoči lokvanj
- Čakala bom
- Čar Julijskih alp
- Če prideš nazaj
- Če te Gorenjc povabi
- Če te Gorenjc povabi in malo mešano
- Če vinček govori
- Če zunaj dežuje
- Čevapčiči in ražnjiči in dobra kaplica
- Čez korensko sedlo
- Čez Ljubelj
- Čujte me, čujte, mamca vi
- Dedek mraz prihaja
- Dedek pridi na ples
- Dilece se lomijo
- Dišeče rože
- Dobro jutro striček Janez
- Dolge so noči
- Domače veselje
- Dopust se bliža
- Drija drajsom polka
- Družinski praznik
- Drvarska polka
- Ej, takšni smo vsi
- En, dva in tri
- Enkrat ja, enkrat ne
- Enkrat levo, dvakrat desno
- Enkrat na leto praznujem
- Fant s kitaro
- Fantje, zdaj pa domov
- Fantovsko veselje
- Franc vseved
- Gasilec Franc
- Godrnanje in meketanje
- Gor pa dol
- Gozdarjeva povest
- Gozdovi v mesečini
- Gremo na Gorenjsko
- Gremo na ples
- Gremo na Pokljuko
- Ha, ha, Košir se še ne da
- Harmonika in orglice
- Hodil po gozdu sem
- Holadri holadra
- Hopla-hopla polka
- Hribovski valček
- Igral sem na orglice
- Ivanka
- Iz Bohinja
- Iz Hotemaž v Tupalče
- Iz naših krajev
- Izlet na deželo
- Izlet na Jamnik
- Izlet v Istro
- Jadraj z menoj
- Jadranje nad Gorenjsko
- Jaz pa pojdem k ljub'ci v vas
- Jaz sem pa en Franc Košir
- Je že 35 let
- Je že pač tako
- Jej, jej, k'mam težko glavo
- Jesenska polka
- Jubilejna koračnica
- Juhej, zavriskaj in zapoj
- Jurčki in lisičke
- Jutranja zarja
- Jutranjica na obzorju
- Jutro na deželi
- Južek in Marta
- Kadar bom vandral
- Kadar grem na Rodne
- Kadar na rajžo se podam
- Kadar pridem na planinco
- Kaj da rečem
- Kaj pa reče mamca moja
- Kako bi jo spoznal
- Kakor je tud' res
- Kam tako hitiš
- Kje je sreča
- Klemenčkova
- Klic domovine
- Klic z gora
- Kmalu spet nasvidenje
- Kmetič praznuje
- Ko bom k vojakom šel
- Ko boš tod mimo šel
- Ko lovec na štoru je spal
- Ko mesec sveti
- Ko se zjutraj prebudim
- Koledniška polka
- Komedijanti prihajajo
- Koračnica Julijskih alp
- Koroška polka
- Kraguljčki na saneh
- Krivci mojega klobuka
- Križi in težave
- Lahovška polka
- Le kdo ve
- Le vrni se
- Leo je zaljubljen
- Lep spomin ljubica
- Lepe ste ve Karavanke
- Lepo je biti muzikant
- Lepo je s teboj
- Lisička in Marička
- Ljubezen in hrepenenje
- Ljubici v slovo
- Ljubljanska noč
- Lov na polhe
- Lovci prihajajo
- Lovska koračnica
- Lovska trofeja
- Luštna kelnarca
- Lutka
- Majski valček
- Mavrica čez Gorenjsko
- Med rojaki v Ameriki
- Melodija za tebe
- Mi ne gremo na drugi planet
- Mini-polka
- Miss kaktus
- Moj Floki
- Moj hobi
- Moj očka ima konjička dva
- Moj rodni kraj, moj rodni dom
- Moja zlata Mišika
- Moje sanje
- Moji tašči
- Na avtocesti (Auf der Autobahn)
- Na deželi
- Na festivalu
- Na Golici (Trompeten Echo)
- Na Golici, na pomoč
- Na Gorjušah
- Na Jezerskem
- Na Kranjskem sejmu
- Na Krki sem ribce lovil
- Na Krvavcu
- Na lovski veselici
- Na Martinovo
- Na Menini planini
- Na mostu
- Na oknu slonim
- Na planinski magistrali
- Na podeželju
- Na podstrešju
- Na Poljški planini
- Na promenadi
- Na Robleku
- Na sejmu
- Na smučarskem tečaju
- Na svidenje
- Na Šmarno goro
- Na tebe pa požvižgam se
- Na valovih Jadrana
- Na vrtu mojega očeta
- Na Zbiljskem jezeru
- Na zdravje vsem
- Na zdravje vsem
- Na Zelenici
- Nabrala bom šopek cvetja
- Najin tango
- Najina zvezda
- Najlepše je doma
- Najlepši cvet
- Narodna noša
- Naš pozdrav
- Naša žlahta
- Našim znancem
- Ne maraj za težave
- Ne pozabi me
- Ne sveti zvezda v noč svetleje
- Nedeljski izlet
- Nemirna mlada leta
- Nepozabni dnevi
- Neprespane noči
- Nežno šepetenje
- Ni važno od kod si doma
- Nikar domov
- Nobena ni lepša kot moja
- Nobena žavba ne pomaga več
- Noč diši po pravljici
- Novoletni koledar
- Novoletno voščilo: Zvezde na nebu žare
- O, moj dragi
- O, sveti Florjan
- Ob Dravi
- Ob jezeru
- Ob Ljubljanici
- Ob slapu
- Obisk na Koroškem
- Obisk v Lipici
- Od Ljubljane do Maribora
- Odmev s Triglava
- Oh ta žeja
- Ohcet na Borlu
- Okajeni godci
- Okoli novega leta
- Oleandrov cvet
- Opravljivke
- Otoček sredi jezera
- Otroške želje
- Pa se sliš
- Paradna polka
- Pastirček
- Pesem o divjem petelinu
- Pesem v spomin
- Pijem rad in dobro jem
- Pisani travniki
- Planica, Planica
- Planinski cvet
- Planinski valček
- Ples kurentov
- Po cvetličnih tratah
- Po cvetočih planinah
- Po klančku gor, po klančku dol
- Po trgatvi
- Počitnice na kmetih
- Pod cvetočimi kostanji
- Pod Dobrčo
- Pod lipco
- Pod ljubljanskim gradom
- Pod Špikom
- Pod Vitrancem
- Pod zvezdnatim nebom
- Pogled v dolino
- Pogled z Jalovca
- Pohorski valček
- Pojdi z menoj na planino
- Pokal - polka
- Poleti, pozimi
- Polka na Voglu
- Polka ostane polka
- Polka za harmoniko
- Polka za klarinet
- Polnočni zvonovi
- Pomladi je lepo
- Pomladni nasmeh
- Ponočnjaki
- Popolna zmeda
- Posedam rad pred hišico
- Poskočni klarineti
- Potepanje s harmoniko
- Povej mi, kje pomlad gostuje
- Pozdrav iz Kranjske gore
- Pozdrav s Pohorja
- Pozdrav s trobento
- Pozdrav Selški dolini
- Pozno jeseni
- Praktično je le kolo
- Prav fletno se imamo
- Prava ljubezen
- Praznik Gorenjske
- Praznik na vasi
- Praznik pršuta in terana
- Prehitro mimo je mladost
- Prekmurska polka
- Prelep je svet
- Prelepa Gorenjska
- Prelepa zelena Begunjščica
- Prelepi gorenjski cvet
- Prelepi zimski čas
- Premišljevanje
- Pri Jožovcu
- Pri Matuču
- Pri nas doma
- Pri sankaški koči
- Pri sedmerih jezerih
- Pri Valvazorjevi koči
- Prijateljem harmonike
- Prijatelji, ostanimo prijatelji
- Proti jutru
- Prvi sončni žarek
- Pustni valček
- Pustovanje na Gorenjskem
- Radovedni astronavt Franc
- Rana ura, huda ura
- Resje že cvete
- Rezka
- Romanca za kitaro
- Rosno maldi smo mi junaki bili nekoč
- S čolnom po Ljubljanici
- S harmoniko v hribe
- S kitaro po svetu
- S kočijo v Bodešče
- S pesmijo našo
- S polko v novo leto
- S trobento v svet
- Samo enkrat imaš 50 let
- Samo enkrat se živi
- Samo še en vrček
- Sanjam o domovini
- Sem deklica za vse
- Sem ter tja
- Shujševalna kura
- Shujševalna kura, nevaren pivski napotek
- Silvestrski večer, mali zidarski napotek
- Sinje morje, bela jadra
- Skozi Tuhinjsko dolino
- Slalom polka
- Slovenija, odkod lepote tvoje
- Slovenski pozdravi
- Spomin
- Stara polka
- Tudi ti nekoč boš mamica postala
- Veter nosi pesem mojo
- Za konec tedna
- Za kratek cas (Lustig mit Gitare und Accordeon)
- Zinka, Zefka, Zofka