The musical folklore of the urban areas of Elbasan is intertwined with all types of music, ranging from monophonic and polyphonic singing to danced songs and instrumental music.

The city of Elbasan remains an oasis surrounded by all this rich musical folklore. The songs are distinguished by their themes, melodies, and musicality. A primary role is played by the melodies of the leading figures of folk music such as Isuf Myzyri, Mustafa Bodini, Leks Vini, etc. The songs are sung by both men and women. Women sing softly and are accompanied only by the dajre, while men sing like women but also with a louder chest voice. In the first case, the song is sung in the circle of Bektashi dervishes, and many of them have been created and performed in these environments.

However, the songs of Elbasan have also been sung outside the area and regions of origin, which testifies to their moral, civic, and artistic values. The ceremonies and rituals of weddings, summer days, are unique and form part of the cultural heritage of Elbasan’s musical culture. Also of interest are the dances, where a characteristic feature of the city in the dancing of folk dances is that many of them are danced by couples, men and women.

 Elbasan remains an “inexhaustible source” of songs, dances, musical instruments, laments, and dozens of other musical instruments.

There are over 2400 song texts dating back over 300 years, written and sung, over 270 dance choreographies older than Elbasan Castle itself, and hundreds of popular soloists from every village, region, and city geographically included in that county. Elbasan remains the most esteemed county in every Folklore Festival traditionally held in Gjirokastër. First prizes, second prizes, gold medals for famous names and composers of urban songs and not only have been awarded over the years by the Artistic Group of the Folk Songs and Dances Ensemble of Elbasan.

Even today, names such as the Zena brothers, or the passionate conductor and one of the most famous figures in Albanian music like Blerim Narazani and Sulejman Balza, the Great Master Sopot Serica or Edmond Rrapi and Krenar Korça, the wonderful group of folk dances and interpreters of folk songs, are keeping the spirit of the music of the regions alive. “Nothing should be forgotten,” says Narzani. Elbasan is fortunate to have 7 ethnographic zones, with an ensemble of early songs and dances sung and played by soloists and famous names of folk music. In Elbasan, where the tradition of instruments, laments, songs, and folk dances, ancient rites and customs, is constantly nurtured and cultivated by the elders and the young, the inexhaustible folk treasure thrives.

Elbasan remains among the areas rich in the beautiful repertoire of old songs, the beautiful dances played by men and women of the villages and towns of that county. Gramsh or Librazh, Peqin or Belshi, Cerrik or Shmil, and Bradashesh have been and remain inexhaustible sources of folk song texts and centuries-old dances. The great master Sopot Serica, among the famous names of folk music in Elbasan and beyond, speaks with great love for the Zaranika Gorge, which contains the beautiful folk songs and dances within it, remaining a “pillar” of the Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances of Elbasan itself. The residents of those areas have kept the song and dance pure, untouched by anything from the original version, increasing the credibility of both old and new performers.

The musical folklore of the three parts of the city is an asset with national values inherited over the centuries, where many folklorists, composers, ethnographers, musicologists and singers dedicated themselves to it and, doing a huge work, and enriching Elbasan musical folklor.

/k.s/