Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Filip Visnjic, the blind 'gusle' player

Filip Višnjić (VEE-shnyeech) was a popular Bosnian Serb poet and gusle player, known by some as the "Serbian Homer," both because he was blind and for his poetic gift. Last Sunday my son took me for lunch 'abroad,' i.e. in Bijeljina (BEE-yell-yeen-ya) Republika Srpska, the Serbian section of Bosnia-Herzegovina, which lies only 1 1/2 hours from Belgrade. In this town, also incorporated on the town's coat of arms and on one of the country's banknotes, stands this statue of Filip Višnjić. He was a lyric poet, who accompanied his ballads on a gusle. If you go to Youtube and type in gusle, you will hear some samples of contemporary songs/poems accompanied by this instrument.

10 comments:

Louis la Vache said...

«Louis» learned something here today - two things, actually - about the poet and the gusle, both of which are new to him. He's heading to YouTube now...

[Editor to «Louis»: It's about time you learned something. You are the most ignorant vache I've ever seen!

«Louis» to Editor: Well, if YOU weren't so ignorant, you'd know that in French, to call someone une vache is to imply that they are slow-witted, and thus, probably ignorant as well! But one thing I DO know is how to use my horns to bump you into the next century...

Editor: GULP! ]

Lowell said...

I like the sculpture a lot as I think it expresses the soul of a poet and musician...it's interesting how some blind people become such excellent artists. I remember watching the movie "Ray" about Ray Charles - what a great artist he was, too.

Olivier said...

tres belle sculpture et le sculpteur a bien pris l'expression du joueur

dianasfaria.com said...

I like his mustache.

Bill said...

Nice statue.

Suburban Girl said...

Fascinating...thanks for taking us with you!

B SQUARED said...

Why is it that the blind tend to 'see' more than us?

Thérèse said...

Un instrument pour réengistrer le Vol du Bourdon de Korsakov!

Daryl said...

Fabulous shot and I love the header pix

Juliette said...

Such a melancholy sound.

SPRING FASHION

 This is a post that would be better in color, but maybe not. These colors were soooo pale.