Slovenian folk music band and my big surprise discovery

I have something different for you today.

On YouTube I'm subscribed to polkasdu07 who brings many beautiful Slovenian folk melodies to my attention. Thank you polkasdu07!! :)

The video I chose to share with you today - by a group whose members mostly came from the part of Slovenia where I was born, Koroška (Karniola) - has a beautiful melody and the lyrics carry nostalgic memories of the two sweethearts, walking together for the last time in the woods - in fall, when the leaves were falling - just before their quiet paths vanished under the blanket of snow.

The name of the group "Fantje treh dolin" could be translated as "Three Valleys' Boys." They have not been together for many years but I remember them well from my teenage years. They were my favorite folk music group at the time and me and my friends (all members of the performing folklore group "Pastirci") would go to every dance where "Fantje treh dolin" were playing.

Fantje treh dolin - Ko je listje padalo (When the Leaves were Falling)

I've been searching quite some time to find one perfect photo to go with this beautiful waltz. And I finally found it - the kind of path in Slovenian woods that the tune in this video pictures in my eyes. Enjoy! :)

Photo Pathways courtesy of poldezgaga

Funny thing - only a couple of minutes after I completed writing this post, I found another video where some my friends (the very same ones I mentioned in the fourth paragraph) from the folklore group "Pastirci" were dancing to polka, performed by the local, quite popular band Štirje kovači (Four Blacksmiths) in Gostilna Bučinek.

Since I remember them all well , by their names and last names. I'm listing them here: Anton Rogina & Erika Verčkovnik, Matjaž Kontrec & Marida Strmčnik, Roman Hojnik & Cvetka Krenker, Jani Korošec & my oldest best friend - Erika Smolnikar, married Erika Piko. Sending you greetings, Erika - to your home in that small and beautiful tourist village, called Šentanel,  Koroška. Have a wonderful weekend!! :)

Our teacher/dance instructor was Anica Meh, whose life-time devotion was to collect as many traditional songs and dances from that part of Slovenia - as possible. Her name became a synonim for "folklora Podgorje."






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