LTMažosios Lietuvos instrumentinio muzikavimo tradicija 2022 m. buvo pripažinta nematerialaus kultūros paveldo vertybe ir įtraukta į nacionalinį sąvadą. XX a. instrumentinis lietuvininkų muzikavimas nebuvo perimtas įprastu folklorui žodiniu būdu ir būtų nutrūkęs, tačiau 7-ajame dešimtmetyje kilęs folkloro gaivinimo judėjimas, instrumentų meistro Antano Butkaus idėja atkurti Mažosios Lietuvos liaudies muzikos instrumentus ir daugelis kitų palankių aplinkybių suteikė impulsą tradicijos rekonstrukcijai ir naujoms plėtros kryptims. Straipsnyje siekiama pristatyti šios folklorinės tradicijos pavidalus ir raidą, apčiuopti veiksnius, turėjusius didžiausią poveikį kaitai ir nykimui, vėlesniam atkūrimui bei tęstinumui. Pagrindiniai žodžiai: Mažoji Lietuva, lietuvininkai, instrumentinio muzikavimo tradicija, Antanas Butkus. [Iš leidinio]
ENThe tradition of instrumental music in Mažoji Lietuva (the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor) was recognised as a part of the intangible cultural heritage in 2022 and included in the national register. This tradition is based on valuable descriptions of Prussian-Lithuanian Lietuvininkai musical instruments and music-making from the 16th to the 20th century. It also includes visual material, dozens of audio recordings of instrumental music, and melodies of songs and dances. In the 20th century, instrumental music in Prussian-Lithuanian culture was not passed down through the usual oral folkloric way, and was at risk of being lost. However, in the 1970s, a folk revival movement emerged, followed by the restoration of Lithuania’s independence and cultural policies focusing on ethnographic regions. These factors, along with the enthusiasm of the local people, provided an impetus for the reconstruction and development of the tradition. The article analyses the folkloric tradition of instrumental music in Lithuania Minor, including its forms, evolution, influencing factors, decline, reconstruction and continuity. The tradition of instrumental music in Lithuania Minor consists of two distinct and almost independent periods. The first documented period of the tradition dates back to the 16th century, and continues until the mid-20th century. In the 1970s and 1980s, with the folk revival movement in Lithuania, the idea of reconstructing Lithuania Minor’s musical instruments gained momentum. This marked the beginning of the second period of instrumental music in the existence of Lithuania Minor. During these periods, various cultural influences interacted in the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor, which for centuries had been a part of Germany.This cultural diversity influenced the musical folklore and the various musical instruments used in the region. In scientific studies of instrumental music that have been carried out so far, part of the source information has remained on the sidelines, or has been interpreted in a rather one-sided manner. The revival of instrumental music in Lithuania Minor in the 20th century, especially in the Klaipėda region, was strongly influenced by the establishment of the State Conservatory’s Klaipėda Faculty. Individuals who were passionate about the culture of the area founded folklore ensembles and trained the leaders of currently active folklore ensembles. The revival also benefited from the work of the instrument maker Antanas Butkus. He reconstructed various PrussianLithuanian musical instruments using available written sources and experimentation. These instruments, such as the kankles-arfa, psalterium, horn-trumpet, drum, flute, the Klaipėda region’s arfa-kankles, the shepherd’s pipe, and Jokūbas Stikliorius’ kankles, were gradually incorporated into the programmes of folklore ensembles in Klaipėda and its region, and became part of the cultural life of the region. For almost four decades, folklore ensembles from Klaipėda, Šilutė, Pagėgiai and Neringa have creatively reconstructed and developed the tradition of instrumental music in Lithuania Minor. Some musical instruments are used by folk groups from other regions of Lithuania, such as Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga, and individuals who perform songs and dance melodies of Lithuania Minor. The lack of authentic material has led to the fact that not only the sources but also the professionalism of the ensemble leaders, the musical experience of members of ensembles, and creativity, are essential for preserving this tradition. Key words: Lithuania Minor, Lietuvininkai, instrumental music-making tradition, Antanas Butkus. [From the publication]