»Šmarijski šomašter«

Abstract

The subject is a song composed by the organist and teacher Matevž Kračman at Šmarje near Ljubljana and sung by him in church during the requiem for the anniversary of the death of his son and daughter. There is a short account of Kračman and of the circumstances in which the song was written and sung. A survey follows of the different versions surviving to-day among folk-singers. An attempt is made by textual and melodic comparison to elucidate the original text and tune which have not survived. The authoress concludes that Kračman did not make use of a folk-tune but that his tune was so close to folk-melodies (as is proved by related melodies from areas where Kračman's songs are unknown ) that in spite of the unimportant and essentially personal text it has been adopted by the people, has spread far and wide and has survived as a folksong until the present day.