Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.

Subject: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 10:10 AM

Having travelled overland from the UK to Romania taking Humanitarian Aid, before they joined the EU, I had the opportunity to listen to some of their haunting string music. I saw this band whilst in Cluj Napoka. Maybe not so good on film but I guess you'll get an idea from it. https://youtu.be/Ia0ErecGkU8

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 10:13 AM

I've seen them too (in Gyimes). They have quite a few recordings and there are books of transcriptions of their arrangements if you want to try to do it yourself. Usually listed as "Magyarpalatka".

That throbbing bass gets a bit much unless you're actually dancing to it.

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: Will Fly
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 10:21 AM

I've been watching this clip - strange ways of holding the violas (I think they're violas) and a very droning feel to the whole thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ4rEmPojbU

I usually associate the cymbalom with this area of music, but perhaps I'm on the wrong track here.

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: Vic Smith
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 11:11 AM

Basically they are violas, Mike, but they put flat bridges on them so that the players can play drone chords. Some of them do the same with flat-bridged cellos. They seem to call them "contras".... and Jack Campin is right; the best place to hear this is in the Gyimes valley region. Fabulous music in a beautiful part of the world. We were there just a few months after the execution of Ceaucescau and the place was one long on-going party when we were there.

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 04:08 PM

They use two different kinds of viola to similar effect: "kontra" has three strings and a dead flat bridge, "bracsa" has four strings and a not-quite-flat bridge.

There is a set of three books edited by Beata Salomon and her collaborators that covers melody playing, viola and bass. I have the whole lot if anybody near Edinburgh wants to form a band. There's also a smaller book of band transcriptions by Laszlo Lajtha, but that's more Danubian style (as played in present-day Hungary rather than Romania).

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: GUEST,ripov
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 06:40 PM

'bracsa' possibly from 'viola da braccio'?

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Feb 19 - 04:24 AM

From German "bratsch", more likely.

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: GUEST,ripov
Date: 09 Feb 19 - 07:31 PM

That was only just a thought.
Yes I'm familiar with 'bratsch' from orchestral parts. But 'wiktionary' says bratsch is
'from Bratschgeige, from Italian viola da braccio'.
Also there was the 'lyra di braccio' which although it had seven? strings, had a much flatter bridge, like the 'kontra'

Subject: RE: Transylvanian traditional Folk Music.
From: GUEST,ripov
Date: 10 Feb 19 - 09:00 PM

And a certain amount of that clip sounds suspiciously like englsh music (or maybe 'european?') played with a thick foreign accent!