“Gorsko jezero” (Slovenian for “Mountain lake”) or “Am gebirggsee” (German for “At the mountain lake”) is an instrumental waltz by Slovenian composer and musician Vinko Štrucl. It was recorded by Slovenski instrumentalni kvintet (Oberkrainer Sextett) in the 1970s, whose albums credited the composition to Štrucl’s pseudonym, Vine Darin. Vinko Štrucl (1933-2006) worked across Slovenian folk (Oberkrainer), brass, and orchestral music, and led the Police Orchestra of Slovenia for several years. He wrote over 500 songs for brass bands, orchestras, and folk music ensembles in Slovenia and abroad. He performed in an early iteration of Slovenian folk ensemble Dobri Znanci, worked closely with Slovenski instrumentalni kvintet (now known as Slovenski Muzikantje, or Oberkrainer Sextett in German) with beautiful compositions and arrangements, and even stepped in for Avsenik’s bass/baritone player, Mik Soss on occasion.
One of my favourite compositions by Štrucl is Želja (Wunschtraum walzer) which I heard on an album by Oberkrainer Sextett, one of the first Oberkrainer style groups I was ever exposed to. Their 1960s and 1970s recordings hold a special place in my heart, and I’ve long admired their accordion player from that era, Vili Kralj, for his style of accordion playing, and Ingrid Brüggeman for her unique compositions, vocals and energetic yodeling. I think “Gorsko jezero” is equally as beautiful as “Želja”, and feel transported to another place and time when I hear this waltz.
Sheet music
📝 Sheet music pdf (D♭ major)
📝 Sheet music pdf (C major)
Thank you for such a nice song! My wife and I are camping in the mountains and took a hike around a lake with the sunshine streaming through the changing colors of the trees reflecting on the water with ever changing rippling patterns of color, so this song is very fitting!
Thanks David, I’m glad you were able to appreciate this song while in the nature!