Hrvoje Hegedušić "45 Godina" Anthology

Double CD compilation that honors career of croatian chanson singer/composer who quietly but steadily worked for decades somewhere in the background.

As a singer Hrvoje Hegedušić fought with the windmills along his pals Arsen Dedić and Zvonko Špišić in often hopeless war against pop junk - together they helped to put on a map so called "school of Zagreb chanson" where poetic lyrics combined with gentle melodies gave dignity and quality to popular music. Perhaps less distinctive vocally than his brothers in arms, Hegedušić was nevertheless known for careful repertoire where his own music was often matched with excellent selection of best of the poets. This kind of music,because of its message and sophistication usually interested selected (mostly urban) cognoscenti who loved art and poetry,but rarely sold well - though it has to be noted that his ballad "Balada iz predgrađa" (based on poem by legendary croatian poet Dobriša Cesarić) is a real gem and true chanson classic that still plays on the radio - it perfectly describes Hegedušić as artist and at the same time made Cesarić more accessible to mass audience who were not familiar with poetry.

Where as a singer Hrvoje Hegedušić self-consciously sacrificed commercial appeal in order to release only occasionally (handful of solo albums,to my knowledge) and to stay true to his integrity as a urban troubadour, he was hugely successful as a composer of hits for others. He was a true hit-maker who worked with almost everybody who was important and his breezy way with memorable melodies shows that Hegedušić instinctively understood what works in pop market place. In fact, his work as a composer could in itself cover the whole CD box, not to mention other aspects of his behind-the-stage work as organizer of pop festivals and such.

First CD is about Hegedušić as a solo artist and it collects interesting selection of poetry in music,what interests and inspires him. He sings about forgotten everyman who "turns the radio up when crying became too loud" and grey lives in the suburbs, old guys in the bistro, lonely Sundays and people who are lonely in the crowd. The most interesting part of this CD is perhaps his new recording of "Na trgu ispod sata" that he wrote decades ago for Višnja Korbar who performed it on late 1960s Zagreb pop festival - she was great as usual,but to hear composer re-adressing this old beautiful song today is a revelation.

Second CD is titled "Hrvoje for Friends" and offers (understandably) only a small,selected list of his work as a composer. Songs are mostly much more upbeat and radio friendly,though it has to be noted that perhaps too much space is focused on songs recorded by his wife Ksenija Erker (why not CD nr.3 "Ksenija sings Hrvoje"?) instead of showing other names he has worked with. Nothing wrong with Erker of course, but this CD could make stronger point by having different artist per each song since Hegedušić left important mark in many other career's besides of his wife. Let's hope there will be a rich CD box in the future.