Music of Romania
Encyclopedia
Romania
is a Europe
an country with a multicultural music environment which includes active ethnic music scenes. Romania also has thriving scenes in the fields of pop music
, hip hop
, heavy metal
and rock and roll
. During the first decade of the 21st century some Europop
groups/artists, such as Morandi
, Akcent
, Edward Maya
, Alexandra Stan
, Inna
and Yarabi
, achieved success abroad.
Traditional Romanian folk music
remains popular, and some folk musicians have come to national (and even international) fame.
, is famous throughout the world today, and helped popularize a traditional Romanian folk instrument, the panpipes.
The religious musical creation, born under the influence of Byzantine music
adjusted to the intonations of the local folk music, saw a period of glory between the 15th-17th centuries, when reputed schools of liturgical music
developed within Romanian monasteries. Russian and Western influences brought about the introduction of polyphony in religious music in the 18th century, a genre developed by a series of Romanian composers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
, the violin
is the most common folk instrument, now played alongside imported woodwind instrument
s; other instruments include the taragot (today often the saxophone
plays the taragot role in bands), which was imported in the 1920s from Hungary
. Efta Botoca is among the most renowned violinists from Banat.
. Pipes (fluieraş or fluier mare) are also played, usually with accompaniment by a cobza (more recently, the accordion
). Violins and brass instrument
s have been imported in modern times.
has an ancient tradition of using violins, often in duos. This format is also found in Transylvania but is an older tradition. Petrică Paşca has recently helped popularize the taragot in the region.
's population is especially diverse, and there exist elements of traditional Tartar, Ukrainian, Turkish
and Bulgarian music
among those populations. The most popular dance from Dobrogea is the geamparale, which is very different from the other traditional dances of Romania. In fact, Dobrujan music is characterized by Balkan and Turkish rhythms.
is zongora
and violin, often with drums. Taragot, saxophone and accordion have more recently been introduced.
In Oaş
, a violin adapted to be shriller is used, accompanied by the zongora. The singing in this region is also unique, shrill with archaic melodic elements.
are the modern format most common in Moldavia
n dance music
. Prior to the 20th century, however, the violin was usually accompanied by the cobza. Brass ensembles are now found in the central part of the county. Among the most renowned violinists from this region is Ion Drăgoi. There are also many musicians among the Csango
, ethnic Hungarians who live in the Siret Valley. Moldavia
is also known for brass band
s similar to those in Serbia
.
has been historically and culturally more linked to Central European countries than Southeastern Europe, and its music reflects those influences.
Violin
, viola
and double bass
, sometimes with a cimbalom, are the most integral ensemble unit. At the beginning of the 21st century a few bands (such as the Palatka Gypsy Band
) still play these traditional instruments, while most bands use newer instruments such as the clarinet
or accordion
. All these instruments are used to play a wide variety of songs, including numerous kinds of specific wedding song
s.
Drum
, guitar
and violin
make up the typical band in Maramureş
, and virtuoso fiddle
rs are also popular in the area. In the end of the 1990s, the Maramuzical music festival
was organized to draw attention to the indigenous music of the area.
is home to the taraf
bands, which are perhaps the best-known expression of Romanian folk culture. Dances associated with tarafs include brâu, geamparale, sârba
and hora
. The fiddle
leads the music, with the cimbalom and double bass
accompanying it. The cobza, once widespread in the region, has been largely replaced by the cimbalom. Lyrics are often about heroes like the Haidouks. Taraf de Haidouks is an especially famous taraf, and have achieved international attention since their 1988 debut with the label
Ocora
. The Haidouks first attained visibility as lăutari
, traditional entertainers at weddings and other celebratory occasions.
has a diverse set of instrumentation. The flute (fluier in Romanian) and violin are the traditional melodic element, but now clarinet
s and accordions are more often used. Accordionists include the renowned performers Vasile Pandelescu and Ilie Udilă.
's folk music and dance is similar to Muntenia. Violins and pipes are used, as are ţambal and guitar, replacing the cobza as the rhythmic backing for tarafs. The cimpoi
(bagpipe) is also popular in this region.
n folk music
is the doina
. There are other styles of folk music. These include the bocet
("lament"), cântec batrânesc
(traditional epic
ballad
s; literally "song of the elders") and the când ciobanu şi-a pierdut oile ("when the shepherd has lost the sheep").
Doina is poetic and often melancholic, sometimes compared to the blues
for that reason. Doinas are often played with a slow, free rhythm melody against a fast accompaniment pattern in fixed tempo, giving an overall feeling of rhythmic tension. Melodies
are sometimes repeated in differing songs, and typically follow a descending pattern.
Regional styles of doina:
Other styles of doina:
Other
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...
is a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an country with a multicultural music environment which includes active ethnic music scenes. Romania also has thriving scenes in the fields of pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. During the first decade of the 21st century some Europop
Europop
Europop refers to a style of pop music that first developed in today's form in Europe, throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and ’90s...
groups/artists, such as Morandi
Morandi
Morandi can refer to:*Gianni Morandi , Italian pop singer*Giorgio Morandi , Italian painter*Giovanni Maria Morandi , Italian painter*Giovanni Morandi , Italian composer...
, Akcent
Akcent
Akcent is a Romanian dance-pop act.- Biography :Adrian Claudiu Sînă started the group in 1999. At the time, it consisted of him and his female counterpart, Ramona Barta....
, Edward Maya
Edward Maya
Eduard Marian Ilie , better known as Edward Maya, is a Romanian musician, producer, performer, and composer...
, Alexandra Stan
Alexandra Stan
Alexandra Stan is a Romanian singer-songwriter. She released her debut single in late 2009. The song impacted Romanian mainstream radios in early 2010, peaking at number-eighteen. Her sophomore release, "Mr...
, Inna
Inna
Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu , best known as Inna, is a Romanian dance music singer. On November 12, 2008, she released her debut single "Hot", which was produced by Play & Win, a Romanian dance music trio and one of the leading music producers in Romania...
and Yarabi
Yarabi
Yarabi is a Romanian dance-pop and house act of international success. The band has success in its country of origin Romania, in addition to Poland, France, Bulgaria, Turkey, Hungary, Moldova, Italy, Spain and is credited to be one of the most successful Romanian dance bands along with O-Zone,...
, achieved success abroad.
Traditional Romanian folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
remains popular, and some folk musicians have come to national (and even international) fame.
History
Folk music is the oldest form of Romanian musical creation, characterised by great vitality; it is the defining source of the cultured musical creation, both religious and lay. Conservation of Romanian folk music has been aided by a large and enduring audience, and by numerous performers who helped propagate and further develop the folk sound. One of them, Gheorghe ZamfirGheorghe Zamfir
Gheorghe Zamfir is a Romanian pan flute musician.Zamfir is known for playing an expanded version of the traditional Romanian-style pan flute of 20 pipes to 22, 25, 28 and 30 pipes to increase its range, and obtaining as many as eight overtones from each pipe by changing the embouchure.He is...
, is famous throughout the world today, and helped popularize a traditional Romanian folk instrument, the panpipes.
The religious musical creation, born under the influence of Byzantine music
Byzantine music
Byzantine music is the music of the Byzantine Empire composed to Greek texts as ceremonial, festival, or church music. Greek and foreign historians agree that the ecclesiastical tones and in general the whole system of Byzantine music is closely related to the ancient Greek system...
adjusted to the intonations of the local folk music, saw a period of glory between the 15th-17th centuries, when reputed schools of liturgical music
Liturgical music
Liturgical music originated as a part of religious ceremony, and includes a number of traditions, both ancient and modern. Liturgical music is well known as a part of Catholic Mass, the Anglican Holy Communion service , the Lutheran Divine Service, the Orthodox liturgy and other Christian services...
developed within Romanian monasteries. Russian and Western influences brought about the introduction of polyphony in religious music in the 18th century, a genre developed by a series of Romanian composers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Banat
In BanatBanat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
is the most common folk instrument, now played alongside imported woodwind instrument
Woodwind instrument
A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within its resonator to vibrate...
s; other instruments include the taragot (today often the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
plays the taragot role in bands), which was imported in the 1920s from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Efta Botoca is among the most renowned violinists from Banat.
Bucovina
Bucovina is a remote province, and its traditions include some of the most ancient Romanian instruments, including the ţilincă and the cobzaCobza
The cobza is a Romanian and Moldovan folk instrument of the lute family . It is distinct from the Ukrainian kobza, an instrument of a different organology and origin....
. Pipes (fluieraş or fluier mare) are also played, usually with accompaniment by a cobza (more recently, the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
). Violins and brass instrument
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
s have been imported in modern times.
Crişana
CrişanaCrisana
Crișana is a geographical and historical region divided today between Romania and Hungary, named after the Criș River and its three tributaries: the Crișul Alb, Crișul Negru and Crișul Repede....
has an ancient tradition of using violins, often in duos. This format is also found in Transylvania but is an older tradition. Petrică Paşca has recently helped popularize the taragot in the region.
Dobrogea
DobrogeaDobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
's population is especially diverse, and there exist elements of traditional Tartar, Ukrainian, Turkish
Music of Turkey
The music of Turkey includes diverse elements ranging from Central Asian folk music and has many copies and references of Byzantine music, Greek music, Ottoman music, Persian music, Balkan music, as well as more modern European and American popular music influences...
and Bulgarian music
Music of Bulgaria
The music of Bulgaria refers to all forms of music associated with Bulgaria like classical, folk, popular music, etc. Bulgarian music is part of the Balkan tradition, which stretches across Southeastern Europe, and has its own distinctive sound...
among those populations. The most popular dance from Dobrogea is the geamparale, which is very different from the other traditional dances of Romania. In fact, Dobrujan music is characterized by Balkan and Turkish rhythms.
Maramureş and Oaş
The typical folk ensemble from MaramureşMaramures
Maramureș may refer to the following:*Maramureș, a geographical, historical, and ethno-cultural region in present-day Romania and Ukraine, that occupies the Maramureș Depression and Maramureș Mountains, a mountain range in North East Carpathians...
is zongora
Zongora
The zongora is an instrument typical of Maramureş, a region of Romania. It is similar to a guitar, but has fewer strings. In the past it had two strings, but nowadays it has four or even five. When played, the instrument is usually held vertically. The string layout is compressed to the central...
and violin, often with drums. Taragot, saxophone and accordion have more recently been introduced.
In Oaş
OAS
OAS or Oas may refer to:* Organization of American States, an international organization of the Americas.* Ohio Auction School, an auction school in Ohio, USA.* Old Age Security, a social security payment available to most Canadians aged 65 or older....
, a violin adapted to be shriller is used, accompanied by the zongora. The singing in this region is also unique, shrill with archaic melodic elements.
Moldavia (Moldova)
Violin and ţambalCymbalum
The cimbalom is a concert hammered dulcimer: a type of chordophone composed of a large, trapezoidal box with metal strings stretched across its top...
are the modern format most common in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
n dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. Prior to the 20th century, however, the violin was usually accompanied by the cobza. Brass ensembles are now found in the central part of the county. Among the most renowned violinists from this region is Ion Drăgoi. There are also many musicians among the Csango
Csángó
The Csango people are a Hungarian ethnographic group of Roman Catholic faith living mostly in the Romanian region of Moldavia, especially in the Bacău County...
, ethnic Hungarians who live in the Siret Valley. Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
is also known for brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s similar to those in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
Transylvania
TransylvaniaTransylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
has been historically and culturally more linked to Central European countries than Southeastern Europe, and its music reflects those influences.
Violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
and double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, sometimes with a cimbalom, are the most integral ensemble unit. At the beginning of the 21st century a few bands (such as the Palatka Gypsy Band
Palatka Gypsy Band
Palatka Gypsy Band is a folk band formed by five musicians from the Transylvanian village of Pălatca , Cluj County, Romania, led by the first violin Florin Codoba.-Name:...
) still play these traditional instruments, while most bands use newer instruments such as the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
or accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
. All these instruments are used to play a wide variety of songs, including numerous kinds of specific wedding song
Wedding song
Wedding song may refer to* "The Wedding Song ", a song by Paul Stookey, of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame.* "Wedding Song", a song by The Psychedelic Furs.* Wedding Song, a novel by Naguib Mahfouz....
s.
Drum
Davul
The davul or tupan is a large double-headed drum that is played with sticks. It has many names depending on the country and region.-Names:Some names of davuls include:*tupan *davul...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
make up the typical band in Maramureş
Maramures
Maramureș may refer to the following:*Maramureș, a geographical, historical, and ethno-cultural region in present-day Romania and Ukraine, that occupies the Maramureș Depression and Maramureș Mountains, a mountain range in North East Carpathians...
, and virtuoso fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
rs are also popular in the area. In the end of the 1990s, the Maramuzical music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
was organized to draw attention to the indigenous music of the area.
Wallachia
WallachiaWallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
is home to the taraf
Taraf (musical band)
Taraf is a kind of Romanian and Moldovan lăutărească music band....
bands, which are perhaps the best-known expression of Romanian folk culture. Dances associated with tarafs include brâu, geamparale, sârba
Sârba
A Sârba or Sîrba is a Romanian dance normally played in 2/2 or 2/4 time. It can be danced in a circle, line, or couple formations and was historically popular not only among Romanians, but also Ukrainians, Hungarians, East European Jews, and the Poles of the Tatra Mountains...
and hora
Hora
Hora is a type of circle dance originating in the Balkans but also found in other countries. The name is cognate to the Greek χορός : 'dance' which is cognate with the ancient Greek art form of χορεία; see Chorea. The original meaning of the Greek word χορός may have been 'circle'...
. The fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
leads the music, with the cimbalom and double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
accompanying it. The cobza, once widespread in the region, has been largely replaced by the cimbalom. Lyrics are often about heroes like the Haidouks. Taraf de Haidouks is an especially famous taraf, and have achieved international attention since their 1988 debut with the label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Ocora
Ocora
Ocora is a French record label specializing in authentic recordings of world music. It was founded in 1957 by composer, pianist and musicologist Charles Duvelle, alongside musician Pierre Schaeffer. Ocora is part of Radio France....
. The Haidouks first attained visibility as lăutari
Lautari
The Romanian word Lăutar denotes a class of traditional musicians. Most often, and by tradition, Lăutari are members of a professional clan of Romani musicians , also called Ţigani lăutari. The term is derived from Lăută the name of a string instrument...
, traditional entertainers at weddings and other celebratory occasions.
Muntenia
MunteniaMuntenia
Muntenia is a historical province of Romania, usually considered Wallachia-proper . It is situated between the Danube , the Carpathian Mountains and Moldavia , and the Olt River to the west...
has a diverse set of instrumentation. The flute (fluier in Romanian) and violin are the traditional melodic element, but now clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s and accordions are more often used. Accordionists include the renowned performers Vasile Pandelescu and Ilie Udilă.
Oltenia
OlteniaOltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
's folk music and dance is similar to Muntenia. Violins and pipes are used, as are ţambal and guitar, replacing the cobza as the rhythmic backing for tarafs. The cimpoi
Cimpoi
Cimpoi, the Romanian bagpipe, has a single drone and straight bore chanter and is less strident than its Balkan relatives.The number of finger holes varies from five to eight and there are two types of cimpoi with a double chanter. The bag is often covered with embroidered cloth...
(bagpipe) is also popular in this region.
Doina
The most widespread form of RomaniaRomania
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 folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
is the doina
Doina
The Doina is a Romanian musical tune style, with Middle Eastern roots, that can be found in Romanian peasant music, as well as in Lăutărească and Klezmer music.-Origins and characteristics:...
. There are other styles of folk music. These include the bocet
Bocet
Bocet is a form of Romanian folk music.Bocet is a lament in free rhythm. The bocet is sung by one or more people with their eyes in tears or just expressing a deep grief. Encountered throughout Romania, bocet is a part of the traditional mourning observances....
("lament"), cântec batrânesc
Cântec batrânesc
Cântec batrânesc is a traditional form of ballad which originates from Romania. It is similar to an epic poem and it is one of the most typical genres of Romanian literature.- Origin :...
(traditional epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s; literally "song of the elders") and the când ciobanu şi-a pierdut oile ("when the shepherd has lost the sheep").
Doina is poetic and often melancholic, sometimes compared to the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
for that reason. Doinas are often played with a slow, free rhythm melody against a fast accompaniment pattern in fixed tempo, giving an overall feeling of rhythmic tension. Melodies
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
are sometimes repeated in differing songs, and typically follow a descending pattern.
Regional styles of doina:
- Ca pe luncă - found along the southern DanubeDanubeThe Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
- De codru - codru means "forest"
- Hora lungăHora lungaHora lungă , is a Romanian regional folksong style characterized by the union of a lyrical text and improvisational melody....
- means "long dance", from the region of MaramureşMaramuresMaramureș may refer to the following:*Maramureș, a geographical, historical, and ethno-cultural region in present-day Romania and Ukraine, that occupies the Maramureș Depression and Maramureș Mountains, a mountain range in North East Carpathians...
, Transylvania - KlezmerKlezmerKlezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
- originally played by Jewish musicians from BessarabiaBessarabiaBessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
and MoldaviaMoldaviaMoldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river... - OltuluiOltuluiOltului is a type of Romanian folk song, or Doina, sung near the area of the River Olt. Oltului were performed by professional ensembles as part of state-sponsored cultural management efforts during the period of Communist control of Romania....
- found along the River Olt
Other styles of doina:
- Ca din tulnicCa din tulnicCa din tulnic is a unique type of doina in which the melody resembles a type of Alpenhorn called the tulnic....
- unique type in which the melodyMelodyA melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
imitates a type of bugleBugle (instrument)The bugle is one of the simplest brass instruments, having no valves or other pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure, since the bugle has no other mechanism for controlling pitch. Consequently, the bugle is limited to notes within the harmonic series...
called the tulnic - Ciobanul - shepherdShepherdA shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
's doina - De dragosteDe dragosteDe dragoste are Romanian popular love songs and poetic.More specific De dragoste is a special musical category played in the south of Walachia, in the Danube Plain....
- popular form, usually about love; dragoste means "love". - De jale - mellow, mournful doina; jale means "grief".
- De leagănDe leaganCântec de leagăn is a lullaby in Romania which is a free form song performed in personal and unstructured context. There is some debate as to whether or not it may have spawned the doina musical style.-External links:* *...
- a lullabyLullabyA lullaby is a soothing song, usually sung to young children before they go to sleep, with the intention of speeding that process. As a result they are often simple and repetitive. Lullabies can be found in every culture and since the ancient period....
; leagăn means "cradle". - De pahar - drinking song; pahar means "drinking glass".
- Foaie verde - classical form; literally "green leaves".
Music Festivals
Jazz festivals- Bucharest Masters of Jazz Festival - BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
http://www.mastersofjazz.ro/ - EUROPAfestEUROPAfestEUROPAfest is an international music festival held each spring, between 7–13 May, in Bucharest, Romania. The festival is considered a country brand being the only one in Europe which presents 4 music genres in a singular event: jazz, blues, pop and classical music, bringing together top bands and...
, Bucharest - international festival - blues, jazz, pop, classic http://jmevents.ro/2010-Events-s16-en.htm - Gărâna Jazz FestivalGărâna Jazz FestivalGărâna Jazz Festival is a music festival taking place annually in Gărâna, Romania.-2009 lineup:17 July Nik Bärtsch Ronin Terje Rypdal Group Jazz de Necaz Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio18 July ...
- Gărâna, Caraş-Severin (Gărâna Jazz) - Jazzy Spring Festival Bucharest, BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
- Jazz and More, SibiuSibiuSibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
http://www.jazzandmore.ro/ - Sibiu Jazz Festival - SibiuSibiuSibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
http://sibiujazz.ro/site/home - Festivalul Internaţional "Richard Oschanitzky", IaşiIasiIași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
- Timişoara Jazz Festival - TimişoaraTimisoaraTimișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
http://www.timisoara-jazz.ro/ - Transilvania Jazz Festival - Cluj-NapocaCluj-NapocaCluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
http://www.transilvaniajazzfestival.ro/
Other
- Artmania FestivalArtmania FestivalThe ARTmania Festival is an art festival, held in the Romanian town of Sibiu. The festival, one of the most important projects developed by ARTmania, was first organized in the summer of 2006 and it has been held every summer since....
- SibiuSibiuSibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
- Transylvanian Music and Arts Festival - mainly Rock Music Official page - BestFestBestFestBestFest is a music festival taking place annually in Bucharest, Romania. The first edition was scheduled in July 2007, at the Romexpo, lasted 3 days and had an audience of almost 50,000 people.-2011 lineup:July 1 : Skunk Anansie Flogging Molly...
- BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... - Peninsula (Félsziget) Festival - Târgu Mureş - rock, metal, pop, electro
- Transilvania International Guitar FestivalTransilvania International Guitar FestivalThe Transilvania International Guitar Festival is a guitar festival organized by the Transilvania Guitar Association and the Municipal House of Culture Cluj-Napoca in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The Transilvania International Guitar Festival is opened to contestants of all ages and endeavours to promote...
- Cluj-NapocaCluj-NapocaCluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade... - StufstockStufstockStufstock is a music festival that has taken place each year since 2003 in Vama Veche, Dobrogea, Romania, to protest against what some people may consider bad quality music Stufstock (Stuf - Romanian for reed - and stock from Woodstock) is a music festival that has taken place each year since 2003...
- Vama VecheVama VecheVama Veche is a village in Romania on the Black Sea coast, near the border with Bulgaria, at 28.57 E longitude, 43.75 N latitude. It is part of the commune of Limanu and in 2002, it had a population of 178.... - Festivalul PlaiFestivalul PlaiFestivalul Plai is a music festival taking place annually in Timişoara, Romania. The festival is hosted by Muzeul Satului Bănăţean, an outdoors ethnographic museum...
- TimişoaraTimisoaraTimișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the... - Terra Siculorum International Classical Guitar Festival (each year at middle of April)
- Harmonia Cordis International Classical Guitar Festival (each year at ending of August or at beginning of September)
External links
Audio clips: Traditional music of Romania. Musée d'Ethnographie de Genève. Accessed November 25, 2010.- BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Gypsy musicians of Transylvania. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: contrã (brace). Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Vioara cu Goarnã. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Cobzã. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Zongorã. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Tambal. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Ocarinã. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Fluierul Mic. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Caval. Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Traditional music in Romania,
- Romanian music and video clips archive
- Revista METAL on-line, Comunitate Metal, Site oficial in Romania a Iced Earth, Teste metal si multe altele!
- BBC guide to world music: Romania - discography
- Regional ensembles
- LostTrails.com: a commercial site, but has extensive photos and many free download samples of complete recordings of traditional Romanian music
- Play or download traditional music from all regions of Romania