Ciocârlia (folk tune)
Encyclopedia
Ciocârlia is a well-known Romania
n lăutaresc tune, composed by the Romani-Romanian
naist (pan flute
player) Angheluş Dinicu in the virtuosic style of the urban lăutaresacă music from late 19th century.
Angheluş Dinicu first presented the tune in 1889 at the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower
where it met with great success. However, the most famous version would become that of his grandson Grigoraş Dinicu
, that adapted the tune for violin. George Enescu
, the Romanian violinist/composer, also quoted Ciocârlia in his popular composition, the Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
for orchestra.
Ciocârlia has been covered
numerous times and is probably the best known Romanian tune, but because it is a piece of lăutarească music and not a piece of Romanian peasant music
it cannot be considered representative for the Romanian peasant spirit.
In the case of the Ciocârlia, like with other famous tunes of lăutarească music, there were attempts to hide the name of the author in order to make it seem anonymous/traditional.
It has also become highly popular in the Jewish Klezmer repertoire.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n lăutaresc tune, composed by the Romani-Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
naist (pan flute
Pan flute
The pan flute or pan pipe is an ancient musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting usually of five or more pipes of gradually increasing length...
player) Angheluş Dinicu in the virtuosic style of the urban lăutaresacă music from late 19th century.
Angheluş Dinicu first presented the tune in 1889 at the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
where it met with great success. However, the most famous version would become that of his grandson Grigoraş Dinicu
Grigoras Dinicu
Grigoraş Ionică Dinicu was a Romanian composer and violinist or violin virtuoso. He is most famous for his often-played virtuoso violin showpiece "Hora staccato" and for making popular the tune Ciocârlia, composed by his grandfather Angheluș Dinicu for "nai"...
, that adapted the tune for violin. George Enescu
George Enescu
George Enescu was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Enescu was born in the village of Liveni , Dorohoi County at the time, today Botoşani County. He showed musical talent from early in his childhood. A child prodigy, Enescu created his first musical...
, the Romanian violinist/composer, also quoted Ciocârlia in his popular composition, the Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
Romanian Rhapsodies (Enescu)
The two Romanian Rhapsodies, Op. 11, for orchestra, are George Enescu's best-known compositions. They were both written in 1901, and first performed together in 1903. The two rhapsodies, and particularly the first, have long held a permanent place in the repertory of every major orchestra. They...
for orchestra.
Ciocârlia has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
numerous times and is probably the best known Romanian tune, but because it is a piece of lăutarească music and not a piece of Romanian peasant music
Romanian peasant music
The Romanian peasant music is the music of the Romanian peasants. The Romanian peasant music has largely disappeared, but it can still be found in isolated villages in regions like Maramureş, Hunedoara, Tulcea or Bucovina....
it cannot be considered representative for the Romanian peasant spirit.
In the case of the Ciocârlia, like with other famous tunes of lăutarească music, there were attempts to hide the name of the author in order to make it seem anonymous/traditional.
It has also become highly popular in the Jewish Klezmer repertoire.