Budvanske [будванске]

(from Budva) = specific type of songs

These songs are a part of the Mediterranean-littoral cultural sphere. In the urban environments of the Montenegrin littoral and its hinterlands (Kotor, Prčanj, Herceg Novi, etc), these types of songs still bear the name of Dalmatian songs (see songs Dalmatian, singing homophonic). They are mainly characterized by lyrics about love, in stanzas, with rhymes, which are sung by multiple voices (in two, three or four voices) and diatonic homophony. Most often they are in the major key family, with a harmonic basis made up of tonic, dominant and subdominant chords. The transition from one harmonic function to the next is very important for the singers, for, according to tradition, the chords must flow into each other. The leading voice in these songs performs the largest part and he needs to be technically very skillful (practically in the manner of bel canto), and to have an appropriate vocal tone. The second voice, usually in a harmony of a third, follows the part of the first voice; the third voice, if it is performed by four voices, fills in the chord, and the fourth voice (or the third if there are three voices) most often unquestionably indicates the basic key of the chord.