Reflections of an obtuse minded guitar player on Romanian folkloric music

Yesterday I was invited to a folkloric show at the main theater here. I am not a big fan of folkloric music, not at all, but because we were invited by one of the artists in the show, who has sung at my wedding, I couldn’t refuse the invitation.

I the beginning I thought it is going to be a boring show for me, since every time I see this kind of music on TV for ex, I change the channel. Man, I was wrong! I can tell you that I really enjoyed the show! And you know why? Because I have decided to make the best of it and I focused my attention on music, artists, instruments and I was amused of all the thoughts running through my head during the concert.

So, a few basic lines first: in Romanian folkloric music there are no guitars. Period. Doh! This “band” had a double bass (we call it contrabass here), 9 violins, 1 flute, 3 accordions and one cimbalom (is this the word?) plus one bandleader. Imagine the fact that the artists that are really famous here in Romania are also engaged in a collaboration with local theaters, so on stage were some very famous singers that you see on TV everyday (again, if you listen this music). Imagine Johny Cash or Dolly Parton singing in your city every month at the local theater. I don’t think it stands the comparison but you get my point.

Romanian folkloric music usually is a “returning walk”, to call it this way, you end your passages where you start them. You start the passage in C, you walk around, play, sing and, guess what, you go back to the same C! It is a round thing. Also, songs don’t always have choruses, in many cases, songs are made up by lyrics parts followed by a repetitive theme played on violins. And again, the themes are “round” and come back to the starting point.

So, because I am not a fan of this style, I only like about 2 singers, I tried to focus on something else.
And there the show became interesting:

Double bass player - because the double bass was clearly distinguishing from the rest of the instruments, I could easily follow it’s music. I was surprised to recognize in what that guy was playing some …ROCK AND ROLL FORMULAS!!! A bit altered cause Romanian folkloric music doesn’t follow the same chords progressions but it was fun to listen. Songs are mostly 4/4 in C or G major so it fits fine! The only observation was that in folkloric double bass progressions, this “rock and roll” progressions were altered by very interesting chromatic passages. I could also compare this double bass music to a jazz bass music due to the “walking bass” style, the guy never stayed on the same note and only used his bow to produce short notes, not as in cello playing (as less as I know about cello playing, I think of Apocalyptica and I have a reference point!)

Violins - very interesting, considering that I know one of the players as a VERY good player, he played at my wedding and I met him and the singer that invited us many times starting that moment and we became good acquaintances. The singer is very well seen here on this market of wedding singers. He proposed me at one time to start rehearsing with them to join them for playing at weddings, but as much as I was honored by the fact that he asked me, I politely refused, explained him I love my rock music and I love to play rock, pop and everything related to these styles but wedding music is not my “cup of tea”.

So, again about violins, I liked the way they synchronized (and they were 9!) and I loved some passages where some of the violins played the third of the rest, which I didn’t know it is used in this kind of music, but it gave a great effect!

Flute…nothing to say about him, no solo passages, no nothing, so I know he was there but I let him be, no particular interest there.

Well, the guy with the cimbalom (again, is there such word, right?!!). He is, along with the double bass player, the rhythmic section of the band and man, what rhythm he has!! I still wonder how he manages to hit those strings with his sticks. The funny part was that the women lead singers, after receiving flowers, always put them on his cimbalom, on one side. He always looked a bit intrigued: hey, WTF are you doing, hey, can’t you see I need those strings there?!! Damn, woman!! That made me think of a local expression used when you want to cover up a particular situation: “to put the handkerchief on the cimbalom”. I think I understand better now!!

Singers - here it was a very interesting situation. As in any style, there are singers and there are ENTERTAINERS! This last group were always in close contact with the public. I admired the fact that, some of them, for ex, after like 30 years in professional singing, were so sure of themselves and were practically ruling the scene! They were the master of the scene, feeling very secure and this transmitted a good feeling to the audience!

These ENTERTAINERS, of course, had the biggest success, the public kept on clapping and applauding at the end, asking for an other one. I admired them being so secure on stage, proving they know how to handle the crowd (of course, a very targeted public - beside myself).

I also watched the bandleader during the show: there were a couple of singers that were new or had not that much experience and I watched how the band leader stayed close to them, communicating to them, signaling to the band more difficult moments, as in free measures where everything must be “felt” by the band considering the performance of the singer. And then, I watched the bandleader totally relaxing when very experienced singers came on stage, the band leader started to smile, joking with them, and even left the stage for a few moments when one of those artists was singing. It was a proof of confidence and trust, because, anyway, after so much experience everything works by itself in such cases!

I have listen to the voice of the singers: there were 2 that I didn’t hear well, compared to the others. I asked myself if this is a matter of vocal technique or frequencies in their voices against the microphone frequency response. They were both males, one was with less experience, and I have immediately thought about vocal emissions, not being able to project the sound to where he should. But I also ask myself if it wasn’t about frequencies that were not distinguished from the rest of the band.

Anyway, most of the artists there, given his music style, are also wedding musicians. I remember joking with my wife about the cimbalom and double bass players going to a wedding: man, I am no taking this guy into my car?!! Hey, take the damn box out of my car, I have no room anymore!!

After the show we went to a restaurant with Romanian specific, to eat something, cause we were all hungry after the show. Me and my wife also invited my parents in law to this show and to the restaurant so we picked this Romanian specific restaurant so they feel comfortable there. What do you know!? The restaurant is owned by one of the artists in the show and she came after the show to sing in her own restaurant, as it seems she does once a week to keep it successful. So we couldn’t escape it there either!

But after a bottle of wine, everything was fine!

Looking back I consider this a very pleasant musical experience that I recommend to all of you. Listening to an other musical style was a refreshing thing, making me think more of my guitar playing and rock music!

By the way, I was telling you I only like about 2 Romanian folkloric singers. I want to point you here to the greatest Romanian folkloric singer, Maria Tanase. She does not live anymore but her musical talent, in my opinion wasn’t yet equaled by anyone. Here’s a couple of songs that are representative for her music. The first one is kind of a slow curse, “Who loves and leaves, may God give him punishment…”

See also a French version of the same song. She has a record in French, I think.

An other one here:

And also this one, in French, I don’t have anything in English but it may help a bit to catch the spirit.

Enjoy!

Bookmark It