Romania

Ah, the Children ov the Night. The Carpathian Mountains. Transylvania. Romani. You know this slab o’ tunes is gonna be diff-er-ent.

In November of 1996, the Romanian Gypsy singer Romika Puchanu (Romica Puceanu) died in Bucharest as the result of an automobile accident. Greatly admired by those who knew her singing, she nonetheless never received the acclaim which she deserved. Romanian state policy in effect during most of the years during which Romica was in her prime, made it difficult for most artists, particularly Gypsies, to be heard abroad. By the 1960s & 70s she had the unrivaled interpreter of the lăutărească (cintec de pahar), a form of urban Romanian Gypsy song that combines elements of Turkish & Romanian musick in a unique Romani blend. She possessed an exquisite voice & was a singer of great sensitivity, great depth.

Within the country, Gypsy singers in particular & other musicians in general who chose to perform Romanian Gypsy music were never officially accorded the same recognition, recording opportunities, or promotion given to those who performed only the approved music of the state.

 Romica Puceanu ‎– Gipsy Songs, Electrecord ‎– EDC 254, 1998. 

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Tracklist –

Didină, Didina Mea

Pentr-un Cal Şi-o Iapă Sură

Cînd Erai A Mea Iubită

Tot Am Zis Mă Duc, Mă Duc

Puişorul Meu Dorit

Pe Drumul Mănăstiresc

Lume, Lume

Cantec de Dragoste

Toată Lumea Doarme

Cîntă Cucul De Trei Zile

Mergeam Tristă Pe Carare

Nici Nu Ninge, Nici Nu Plouă

Vîntule, Bătaia Ta

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Tomis Junior started in Galati, Romania in 1992. Nicu & Doinita Fluturu where in a band called Tomis2. When they formed their new band, they named it Tomis Junior. (Doinita’s nickname because she began singing in bands at the young age of 16). 

Basically Tomis Junior was a party band. They primarily played parties around Galati. They have an extensive repertoire of party & dance music. After years & after recording more than 30 albums on tape they finally gained some wider recognition. They were invited to play concerts & festivals. They were invited on radio & television productions.

Singer Doinita Fluturu (now married – Carp) became a huge star in Romania. With her popularity & the hard work, experience, & talent of the rest of the band, Tomis Junior became a musical success.

On Cum o wrea viata sa fife, Tomis Junior are: Doinita Fluturu Carp – vocals; Mihaela Sotrocan – vocals; Nicu Fluturu - organ & electronic accordion; &  Gheorghe Iacob – keyboards.

 Tomis Junior & Doinita Fluturu-Carp - Cum o vrea viatasa fie (How Would Life Be?),

Spiro Galati, 2009.

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Tracklist –

E vremea sa ma marit

Satul meu de langa Prut

Cum o vrea viata sa fie

Strugas cu boaba mare

Hai noroc si la mai mare

Sus piciorul mai Ioane

Trece vremea trece si iar trece

Om bogat si om sarac

Unde e butoiul plin

Cine chiuie sib ea

La hora de sarbatoare

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Horațiu Rădulescu was born in Bucharest, where he studied the violin privately with Nina Alexandrescu, a pupil of George Enescu. He later studied composition at the Bucharest Academy of Music, where his teachers included Stefan Niculescu, Tiberiu Olah & Aurel Stroë, some of the leading figures of the newly emerging Romanian avant garde movement.

One of the first works Rădulescu completed was Credo for Nine Cellos, the first work to employ his ‘spectral techniques’. He describes the technique…It "comprises variable distribution of the spectral energy, synthesis of the global sound sources, micro- & macro-form as sound-process, four simultaneous layers of perception & of speed, with spectral scordaturae, i.e. rows of unequal intervals corresponding to harmonic scales"

He continued to develop these techniques considerably in his music of subsequent decades. In the early 1970s he attended classes given by John Cage, GyörgyLigeti, Karlheinz Stockhausen, & Iannis Xenakis at the Darmstadt Summer Courses. Many of Rădulescu’s other later works make use of folk melodies from his native Romania which he integrated into his avant-garde his spectral techniques.

Beginning in the early 1970s Rădulescu's works began to be performed at the leading contemporary music festivals.

He died on September 25, 2008.

 Horațiu Rădulescu -Clepsydra · Astray, Edition RZ 1007, 1990.

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Side A -  Clepsydra Opus 47 (16 Sound Icons [The Sound Icon: a grand piano laying vertically on its side, with the strings played by bowing] – European Lucero Ensemble)

Side B – Astray Opus 50 (Sound Icon – Horatiu Radulescu; sopranino saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, & bass saxophone – Daniel Kientzy)

 Enjoy,

NØ