Abstrakt
The first publication of Lithuanian folk songs reached Czech Republic shortly after the collection of songs by L. Rėza's was published.
In terms of quality, the translation by F. Čelakovský was a unique phenomenon, which encouraged great scholarly interest in the Lithuanian language and folklore throughout the Czech Republic. Josef Zubatý was the first among Czech philologists to enter the field of research into the folksong poetics and harmonization of Lithuanian folksongs.
This article analyses J. Zubatý's works in the field of Lithuanian studies, his relations with Lithuanian folklore, reasons for the Lithuanian folksong harmonisation, and creation of musical compositions based on Lithuanian folksongs.
The article is based on sources of various nature and the analysis thereof, i.e. published works by J. Zubatý as well as those published previously, letters addressed to J.
Zubatý from Lithuania Minor, and another relevant material stored in archives of the Czech Republic, which has not been analysed so far. A great deal of attention is paid to the relations of harmonised compositions published by J.
Zubatý in 1895 and his folkloristic study of 1894 dedicated to the alliteration in Baltic folksongs. The conclusion is drawn that specific studies in folklore and harmonisation of Lithuanian folksongs encouraged J.
Zubatý's professional musical activities and interest in metric development of the folk and old literature.