Traditional Bulgarian Christmas songs

The traditional Bulgarian carols (Koledar' songs) are diverse in content - mythological, ballad, farmers, lyrical, with best wishes for fertility, health and personal success. These songs magnify the courage, beauty, talents and are created for each family member, or a total for the house and animals.

The Koledar' songs have fresh, vibrant and joyful melody mostly in sizes 2/4, 5/8, 5 / 16,7 / 16, 9/16. Across Bulgaria they share the same style and are performed antiphonal by two groups of singers - one group sings and the other repeats the refrain.

A characteristic feature of these songs is the riff - simple and complex.
Examples
Simple: [BG: "Koledo, le", "Oi, Koledo moi Koledo."][EN: "Christmas, le", "Hey, Christmas, my Christmas."]
Complex: [BG: "Koledo, le, yu gradinka do kalinka, Koledo le. Ei kolade le, bili, bili, Yano le, moi kolade le, bili, bili, Yano le", "trueth Bulgarians le, aylilado, pirolinke, divdolado, malka mome, kolade le".][EN: "Christmas le, Yu Garden, a ladybug, Christmas le", "Hey Christmas le, been, been, Yano le, Christmas le, been, been, Yano le", "Christmas le, aylilado, pirolinke, divdolado, little lass, Christmas le".]

-Krasimira Dubarova - Department "Ethnography" RHM Burgas