This study of Polish folk music examines the history and practice of the musical tradition while offering an illuminating view of a culture and its social activities. Anna Czekanowska analyzes the vocal and instrumental traditions of Polish folk music, tracing the background history, the influences of geography, politics, and social events such as the harvest, the solstice, and weddings. Czekanowska also discusses the birth of Polish ethnomusicology as a discipline and details some methodological aspects for research. The book contains numerous illustrations of instruments and cultural events, music examples, maps, a discography, and a bibliography.

Contents
List of illustrations and maps; Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. Basic concepts and notions; 2. Poland's diverse background; Part II. Topics and Trends: 3. The Slavonic world; 4. Polish tradition; 5. Transformation of Polish folk culture and music; Part III. Analysis and Description: 6. Vocal transmission; 7. Instrumental transmission; 8. Musical structure; Part IV. Towards a Concept of Polish Music: Polish and Non-Polish Music in Poland: 9. The function of folk culture in contemporary Poland: ethnic and national identity; 10. The musical culture of non-Polish groups in modern Poland; 11. Polish folk music in the resettled areas and abroad; Discography; Bibliography; Index.