Music of Romania

Romania contains a multicultural music environment, which includes active ethnic music scenes. Traditional Romanian folk music remains popular, and certain folk musicians have found national, or even

History#

Folk music is the oldest form of Romanian music, characterised by great vitality; it is the primary source of Romanian art music, both sacred and secular. Conservation of Romanian folk music has been aided by a large and enduring audience and by numerous performers who helped preserve and popularize Romanian folk music. One of them, Gheorghe Zamfir, is world-famous today and helped popularize a traditional Romanian folk instrument, the panpipes. Romanian sacred music, which developed under the influence of Byzantine music and adapted to the intonations of indigenous folk music, saw a golden age between the 15th and 17th centuries, when schools of liturgical music developed within Romanian monasteries. Western influence exposed religious music to polyphony in the 18th century, and a series of Romanian composers continued to develop the genre into the 19th and 20th.

Traditional music#

Traditional Romanian music reflects a confluence of sounds similar to the traditional music of Central Europe (that is, primarily, Hungary) and of the Balkans. Romanian folk music fronts melody, frequently carried by the violin, rather than percussion or harmony. The melodies themselves and especially the melodic embellishments are reminiscent of music in the Balkans.

The Banat region#

In Banat, the violin is the most common folk instrument, now played alongside imported woodwinds; also important is the taragot (whose role is now often filled by the saxophone). Efta Botoca is among the most renowned violinists from Banat.

The Bucovina region#

Bucovina is a remote province and its traditions include some of the most ancient Romanian instruments, such as the țilincă and the cobza. Pipes (a small pipe called fluieraș and a larger instrument called fluier mare) are also played, usually with accompaniment by a cobza (or, more recently, the accordion). Violins and brass instruments have been imported in modern times.

The Crișana region#

Crișana has an ancient tradition of using violins, often in duos—an older tradition than the similar format found in Transylvania. Petrică Pașca has recently helped popularize the taragot in the region. Also, in Roșia village are well known two local instruments: hidede, a type of violin with the bell of a trumpet replacing the sound box; and a type of drum called dobă.

Northern Dobrogea#

Dobrujan music is characterized by Balkan and Turkish rhythm and melodicism. Dobrogea’s population is ethnically mixed and the music here has a heavier Turkish, Bulgarian, Tatar and Ukrainian import than in the rest of the country.

Maramureș and Oaș#

The typical folk ensemble from Maramureș is zongora and violin, often with drums. Maramureș is a remote province (like Bucovina) and its traditions include some of the most ancient Romanian instruments and peasant music. Its music shares many features with that of Bucovina. Traditional flutes include the țilincă and fluierul gemanat (similar to the Bulgarian dvoyanka). Taragot, saxophones and accordions have more recently been introduced. Traditional singing in this region includes doina. In Oaș, 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)#

See: Music of Moldova Violin and țambal are the modern format most common in Moldavian dance music. Prior to the 20th century, however, the violin was usually accompanied by the cobza, which, although very rare, is still in use today. Brass ensembles are now found in the central part of the country. Moldavia is also known for brass bands similar to those in Serbia.

Transylvania#

Transylvania has been historically and culturally more linked to Central European countries than to Southeastern Europe, and its music reflects those influences. The province is tied historically to the smaller western regions of Maramureș, Criana and Banat and they are often referred to collectively as Transylvania. Violin, kontra and double bass, sometimes with a cimbalom, are the most integral ensemble unit. All these instruments are used to play a wide variety of songs, including numerous kinds of specific wedding songs. Drum, guitar and violin make up the typical band in Maramureș and virtuoso fiddlers 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.

Wallachia#

Wallachia, consisting of Muntenia and Oltenia, is home to the taraf bands, which are perhaps the best-known expression of Romanian folk culture. Dances associated with tarafs include brâu, geamparale, sârbă 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 Haïdouks 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.

Oltenia#

Oltenia’s folk music and dance are similar to those in Muntenia. Violins and pipes are used, as are țambal and guitar, replacing the cobza as the rhythmic backing for tarafs. The cimpoi (bagpipe) is also popular in this region.

Muntenia#

Muntenia has a diverse set of instrumentation. The flute (fluier in Romanian) and violin are the traditional melodic element, but now clarinets and accordions are more often used. Accordionists include the performers Vasile Pandelescu and Ilie Udilă.

Doina#

The most widespread form of Romanian folk music is the doina. Other styles of folk music include the bocet (“lament”) and cântec bătrânesc (traditional epic ballads; literally “song of the elders”). 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: * Doină cu noduri - an archaic doina with a “knotted” glottal technique (Oltenia, Maramureş, Oaş, Lăpuş) * Ca pe luncă - found along the southern Danube * De codru - means “forest” * Hore lungă - means “long dance”, from the region of Maramureș, Transylvania * Klezmer - originally played by Jewish musicians from Bessarabia and Moldavia * Oltului - found along the River Olt Other styles of doina: *Ca din tulnic - unique type in which the melody imitates a type of bugle called the tulnic *Ciobanul - shepherd’s doina *De dragoste - popular form, usually about love; means “love”. *De jale - mellow, mournful doina; means “grief”. *De leagăn - a lullaby; means “cradle”. *De pahar - drinking song; means “drinking glass”. *Foaie verde - classical form; literally “green leaves”.

Musical poems#

A syncretic genre exists at the intersection of narrative structure, musical expression, ritual function, and dramatic progression. One of the most well-known examples is the archaic pastoral poem When the shepherd lost his sheep.

Classical music#

Notable Romanian composers of the 19th and 20th centuries include Ciprian Porumbescu, Anton Pann, Eduard Caudella, Mihail Jora, Dinu Lipatti and especially George Enescu. Also famous are Sergiu Celibidache and Vladimir Cosma, both of whom are known for both composition and conducting. The Australian composer Julian Cochran wrote a set of Romanian Dances for piano and violin, and another set for chamber orchestra, exemplifying affinity amongst classical composers with the Romanian folk music tradition outside of Romania. . And from the second half of the 20th century by the Romanian spectralism school: Ştefan Niculescu, Horațiu Rădulescu, Iancu Dumitrescu, Octavian Nemescu, Ana-Maria Avram and others.

Jazz#

Jazz has been imported in Romania as early as the interwar period, thanks to musicians such as Sergiu Malagamba. However, jazz music was banned after World War II, with the arrival of the communist regime. The ban was dropped in 1964. Promoted but not limited to Cornel Chiriac, jazz musicians and others such as Eugen Ciceu, helped establish the genre in Romania, initially promoted alongside “easy music”. Vocalist Aura Urziceanu has performed in New York City in 1972 and toured extensively under the name Aura Rully. Although restrained, jazz after 1989 still has cult following, with a number of festivals such as Gărâna International Jazz Festival. Contemporary jazz singers include Johnny Răducanu, Anca Parghel and others. In recent years a few bands have emerged that make use of elements of nu-jazz, trip hop and electronic music: Aievea, Jazzadezz, Norzeatic & Khidja and others.

Rock#

Romanian rock music has a great history with an array of influences. During the 1980s, bands such as Iris, Phoenix, Celelalte Cuvinte, Compact, Holograf or Cargo achieved popularity, with songs about love and friendship. Contemporary popular Romanian rock bands include Vița de Vie, Robin and the Backstabbers, Coma, Alternosfera, Vama, Luna Amară, The Kryptonite Sparks, and Grimus.