Re: Hungarian/Romanian

[Owen Davidson <owend...>]

I find it interesting that while the southern Romanian style of music, as
played by Gypsy musicians, has come to exemplify "Romanian music" as a
national style, it is the northern style, from Moldavia and Besserabia that
seems most closely related to "klezmer" music.  In my band, I often stand
accused of creeping Romanianism: use of patterns in accompaniment, passing
tones (accidentals not in the mode), and harmonic extravagances.  I
explained to Sherry, our clarinetist, that I love to hear the music move
along against a constantly-changing harmonic landscape, as if travelling in
a vurdon.  "It must be the Gypsy in me," said I.  Sherry immediately shot
back, "But we're not Gypsies, we're Jews.  We like to stay in one place, and
only leave when someone kicks us out."  She went on to say that
over-harmonization robs the melody of its tension and thus of its power.
I'll have to confess that she quite convinced me.

Owen

At 12:03 PM 2/18/98 -0500, Paul and Ari wrote:
>>I know that there has been, since the '70s, a reaction to Hungarian 
>>Gypsy Music as "not folk music," etc., and it is not popular with
>>younger people, but this is a unique variety of national music, which
>>has been dominant for many years, and, as I said, klezmorim played a
>>role in its development.  Further, although Transylvanian village 
>>music is the hot thing now, there are obvious similarities between it
>>and urban Gypsy music.  Romanian music has even more varieties, but
>>using the Bucharest style as the benchmark seems to make the most 
>>sense, since it is the type featured on most records available 
>>outside the country.
>
>My observation was not intended to denigrate the authenticity
>or reasons for interest in any form of gypsy music (most of which
>I love), but to point out that most people would not consider it
>entirely synonymous with Hungarian music, even if played by Hungarian
>Gypsies.
>
>But, this all serves to highlight how many different traditions
>mix in the areas now known as Hungary and Romania.
>
>
>Ari Davidow
>ari (at) ivritype(dot)com
>http://www.ivritype.com/
_________________________________________________________________________
        Owen Davidson, Amherst, Mass.
        The Wholesale Klezmer Band

        The Angel that presided o'er my birth
        Said Little creature formd of Joy and Mirth,
        Go love without the help of any King on Earth. 

                                Wm. Blake