Bulgaria's history can be clearly divided into two periods, with the decisive turning point occurring in the 1870s. Following Bulgaria's independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878 as a result of the Russo-Turkish War, the country faced political instability as well as economic and military difficulties.[3][5] During the First World War, Bulgaria sided with Germany and was forced to pay reparations after the war. In the Second World War, the country was occupied by German troops for a time but remained neutral before joining the Soviet side in 1944 and fighting against Germany.[1] With the invasion of the Red Army in September 1944, Bulgaria entered a period of communist rule characterized by economic problems and political repression. The communist leader Todor Zhivkov ruled the country until his removal in November 1989, one day after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The political upheavals of 1944 also had consequences for artists such as the architect, pianist, and composer Dimitar Nenov and his contemporary Pancho Vladigerov. Both were viewed critically due to their origins and political views. Vladigerov, whose family came from Ukraine, had studied in Western Europe for an extended period and returned to Bulgaria in 1932. His music exhibits diverse influences from European and Bulgarian traditions. In works such as the "Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar," Vladigerov combined musical elements from his homeland with Western influences. His "6 Exotic Preludes" also demonstrate the successful fusion of folk music traditions and Western art music and reflect his artistic development. Pancho Vladigerov was significant not only as a composer but also as a teacher and cultural ambassador. His commitment contributed significantly to raising the international profile of Bulgarian music. His legacy lives on as a professor at the Academy of Music and at the Pancho Vladigerov Museum in Sofia.
