Are you looking for folk songs from all corners of Czech lands – Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia? Then you’ve come to the right place!

Note: The English version of this portal is a work in progress. At present, only the key web elements have been translated to allow non-Czech-speaking users to search the catalogue. A full translation of all analytical categories will be introduced gradually over the coming years. If you like to give a hand with this challenge, please contact us at pisnovna@pisnovna.cz.

What Can the “Badatelská Písňovna” Do?

The “Badatelská Písňovna” (freely translated from Czech as “Library of Songs for Researchers”) is a portal that provides public access to historical sources of Czech folk songs, music, and dance. It offers access to the digital catalogue through a research interface with a range of advanced features. Below is an overview of the most important ones.

Filter Combinations and Advanced Filtering

The “Badatelská Písňovna” enables users to refine their search results to efficiently reach the desired outcome by combining multiple parameters in a single query. For example, do you want to find all minor-mode songs collected in the Wallachia region? Or songs recorded between 1900 and 1905? Or all songs about cats in 3/4 meter? The Advanced Filtering function introduces logical operators (contains, does NOT contain, equals, does NOT equal, etc.), offering virtually unlimited search possibilities. Try filter combinations and advanced filtering across Collections, Songs, Collectors, Localities nebo Regions – simply click the icon.

Advanced Grouping of Search Results

Sometimes, researchers may find useful to view how results are distributed across different catalogue sections. With one click, you can compare, for instance, how often the name Anna appears in the South Bohemian region versus the Vysočina region; how many tunes begin with a minor third in Erben’s collection compared to Sušil’s; or whether most do kolečka dance songs are notated in 3/4 or 3/8 time. Try grouping results across Songs – simply click the icon.

Advanced Melody Search

The “Badatelská Písňovna,” allows you to search the database based on a melody, which can be entered using an advanced digital keyboard or a microphone. It can search within specific meters and keys, define note durations as well as pitches, and even combine melodic search with full-text and analytical filters mentioned above. Imagine that – in one query – you are able to find all folk songs beginning with a major triad and containing the word “ovčáci” [shepherds]; or only those recorded in the Rokycany district; or all tunes of the same melodic type associated with the minuet dance. Try it in the Song catalogue by entering a melody on the keyboard or sing it by microphone via the icon.

Advanced Localization and Map Layers

The “Badatelská Písňovna” offers a detailed geographical view of Czech folk song sources. Each record is linked to the place where the song was collected, and the system distinguishes between Localities (specific towns and villages) – and broader Regions (which may follow either official administrative divisions or traditional ethnographic areas). Every place is plotted on an interactive map, allowing users to explore the musical landscape of the Czech lands visually. With just a few clicks, you can compare how themes, melodies, or motifs spread across different parts of the country. Try, for example, searching for “pivo” [beer] to see all the places where people once sang about it – then view the results directly on the map by selecting the icon.

Detailed Musical Analyses

Many song records have undergone in-depth musical analysis. ¨ Beyond details such as meter and key, you can explore aspects of musical rhythm (e.g. number of rhythmic figures, or on which beat the final note falls), melody (e.g, pitch range, types and sizes of intervals), and musical form (marked with symbols in the musical score – e.g. dots for melodic segments, double bars for sections, R: for repetition, p: for anacrusis, etc.). Find a typical example of such musical analysis here: Za vodou, za vodou, za vodičkou [EN-0779].

Detailed Linguistic Analyses

Some records include analyses of the relationship between musical meter, rhythm, and text declamation. These analyses provide information such as syllable counts, rhyme schemes, and the degree of alignment between musical accents and textual stress patterns. Typical example of such linguistic analysis can be found here: Bude vojna, bude, kdo tam na ni pude [EN-0055].

Archival referencing

The “Badatelská Písňovna” not only displays each song record but also directs users to the original source, specifying the archive, folder, and page number where the material can be found. f the song comes from a published source, a full bibliographic reference is provided. I n cases where a sound recording exists, users will also find a link to the corresponding audio material.

Bulk Exports and Developer API

The list of advanced features does not end here! Additional tools are available to registered users: The “Badatelská Písňovna” can export selected units into formats suitable for further analysis (XLSX, ABC, MusicXML, etc.). For advanced users, a developer API is available, too. If you are interested in accessing these features, please contact us at pisnovna@pisnovna.cz.

Join Us!

Are you passionate about the folk music of the Czech lands (or indeed folk music of any land)? Do you work with notation software such as MuseScore, Sibelius, or Finale? Can you read and transcribe old prints and manuscripts? We may be looking for you! The Písňovna welcomes volunteers to help us process our rich folk song heritage. Do not hesitate to contact us at pisnovna@pisnovna.cz.

How Did the “Badatelská Písňovna” Come About?

The project evolved from the Lidoveprameny.cz portal, created in 2022 by the Department of Ethnomusicology and Ethnochoreology of the Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, together with its partners. More information about the original portal can be found at its previous web address.