| Avsenik Brothers Ensemble | |
| Genre: | Oberkrain ethnic, polka, waltz, volksmusic |
| Origin: | Begunje na Gorenjskem, PR Slovenia |
| Years Active: | 1953–1990 |
| Label: | Telefunken, Teldec, Jugoton, Helidon |
| Associated Acts: | Sašo Avsenik Ensemble, Gašperji |
| Past Members: | Slavko Avsenik Vilko Ovsenik Lev Ponikvar Franc Košir Albin Rudan Mik Soss Franc Koren Danica Filiplič Ema Prodnik Jožica Svete Alfi Nipič Joži Kališnik Jože Balažic Franci Teržan Franci Ogrizek Borut Finžgar Mitja Butara Igor Podpečan |
Avsenik Brothers Ensemble (Slovenian: Ansambel bratov Avsenik) (German: Slavko Avsenik und seine Original Oberkrainer) were a Slovene Oberkrainer music band formed by the brothers Slavko Avsenik and Vilko Avsenik in 1953 in Begunje na Gorenjskem. The music for their repertoire of about 1000 songs was all written by Slavko and arranged by Vilko, an academic composer. Lyrics for their songs were written by Marjan Stare, Ferry Souvan, Ivan Sivec, Franc Košir, Tone Fornezzi, Vinko Šimek and others.
The band changed the name several times. They started as a trio, then formed a quartet and finally formed a quintet with two or three singers. They were and remain particularly popular in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the Slovene diaspora over the world. The band invented the Oberkrainer music, a new music genre of volksmusik and sold over 32 million records, which makes them the best selling Slovene music artists ever. They performed over 10,000 concerts all over the world, three times in the Berlin Philharmonic. Their biggest hit Na Golici (Trompetenecho), written by Slavko Avsenik and released in 1955, is according to some the most played instrumental piece of music in history.[1] The band disbanded in 1990 due to Slavko's problems with his spine.
| Song | Year | German | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Na Golici" | 1955 | Trompetenecho | On Golica | |
| "Na Robleku" | 1957 | Na Robleku | On Roblek | |
| "Tam, kjer murke cveto" | Tam, kjer murke cveto | Where the European Orchids Flower | ||
| "Na mostu" | Na mostu | On the Bridge | ||
| "Prelepa Gorenjska" | 1959 | Das schöne Land Krain | Beautiful Upper Carniola | |
| "Pastirček" | 1963 | Hirtenlied | The Little Shepherd | |
| "Mi se 'mamo radi" | 1965 | Mi se 'mamo radi | We Love Each Other | |
| "E e k' je luštno" | 1966 | Ja, Ja, Das Ist Lustig | Yes, Yes, it is fun | |
| "Otoček sredi jezera" | 1968 | Small Island in the Middle of the Lake | ||
| "Na avtocesti" | 1970 | Auf der Autobahn | On the Highway | |
| "Prijatelji, ostanimo prijatelji" | 1973 | Freunde Wir Bleiben Freunde | Friends, Let's Stay Friends | |
| "Slovenija, odkod lepote tvoje" | 1974 | Slowenien, Du Mein Heimatland | Slovenia, Where Your Beauties Come From | |
| "Planica, Planica" | 1979 | Planica, Planica | Planica, Planica | |
| "Pod cvetočimi kostanji" | 1980 | Unter Blühenden Kastanien | Under the Flowering Chestnuts | |
| "Samo enkrat imaš 50 let" | 1981 | You're 50 Only Once | ||
| "Prav fletno se imamo" | 1984 | We're Really Groovy | ||
| "Vse moje misli so pri tebi" | 1986 | All My Thoughts Are With You | ||
| "Lepo je biti muzikant" | Es ist so schön ein Musikant zu sein | It's Nice to be a Musician | ||
| "Slovenski pozdravi" | The Slovene Greetings | |||
| "Veter nosi pesem mojo" | The Wind carries my Song | |||
| "Vlak drvi" | Die kleine Eisenbahn | Train is speeding |