Lacrimosa by Ivana Stefanović: Mother’s Tears Against War and Exile

This paper analyses the radiophonic work Lacrimosa (1993) by Serbian composer Ivana Stefanović (1948–). More specifically, the work is interpreted from several thematic cores, as it addresses antiwar protests, exile, and motherhood, while echoing the lament as practice of expressing grief and loss. These topics are shaped in the framework of radio art, using various sound sources as building materials, from archive and field recordings to quotations of well-known music pieces. The interpretation of these interpolated materials is framed by the accounts on the creation and reception of the piece.