Romanian Music: Roma, Traditional. Bucharest

 Romanian Music

Bucharest:

Music -- gypsy fast-fast at the hotel

Dan Widing with Romani musicians, Bucharest, Romania

At this hotel, we joined with another traveler who was on her own. Good times. The Rom, Roma, Romani, or as too-casually known, Gypsies, have a long history, see http://www.eliznik.org.uk/RomaniaHistory/minority-gypsies.htm

The language and culture of Rom groups vary from country to country, but with common roots. See also Gypsies, Roma, Romani  The persecution and killing of Roma during the holocaust has been buried beneath the more publicized persecution and killing of Jews and other groups.

Traditional trades, now diminished with the stopping of the caravans, and warehousing of populations in high-rises, include:  musicians and dancers, tinners and coppersmiths, jewelers, blacksmiths, panners of gold, sieve-makers, horse-dealers.  See the Eliznik site.

Local pubs also provide local music, as well as the sophisticated jazz.  Enjoy the local pub and its music. Even watch a video of a wedding that day. See Romanian music.


I believe Bercuvlahu is the video producer, not the musician. Is that so?

• Transylvania:  Hear traditional, zither sounding instrumentalists at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLig4uePuv8&feature=related

Dance music: This sound was on the car radio - there had not been a supplanting by Western music yet. Good.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDDNC7LZz-c&feature=related.

Songs:  Hear Maria Tanase 1913-1963, at, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79QVepeBrWA&feature=related.  Maria Tanase, a mid-20th Century, highly talented singer, see http://www.hrmusic.com/artists/mtaart.html

Roma, or Gypsy, band, Bucharest, Romania

And the concertina - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOqUnzxLAHI.  Keyboard, accordion, often Roma.  We saw shocking poverty among the Roma. This video of some Roma music is misleading, and highly idealized for the market, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5GjVD2r3-8&feature=related