This blog intends to familiarize you with the true Romanian culture so, aside from some links directing you to Youtube videos, here you will find also some relevant information about the artists and their times. From my point of view all this is necessary because only by analyzing the times you will better understand the evolution. If, for example, I’m traveling in Croatia, I’d certainly want to know why the heck 20.000 people are going to a concert of a local band and, as I don’t know a bit of Croatian, I would very much enjoy if somebody tells me a bit of history about that group.
Romanian music from the beginning of the 20th Century.
The period between the two world wars is commonly regarded in Romania as a period of openness and modernism throughout our society. That was the period when big cities really started to modernize, when Bucharest was commonly referred as the Little Paris, when Romania was truly opened to Western influences.
All these factors mentioned, the cultural boom, the cosmopolitism of Romanian citizens in big cities, the spreading of different audio devices like radios or gramophones where the key for helping the first music stars emerge. From Zavaidoc who was the main exponent for traditional Romanian party music (muzica lautareasca) to Jean Moscopol and Cristian Vasile who integrated in their songs influences from abroad, from foxtrot to tango . These period of flourishing entertainment lasted till the beginning of the Second World War.
Romanian music in the Communist Era.
After 1945, two iron curtains were drawn: one between the West and the East and one between Romania and culture. The new regime changed the direction from a true democracy to a highly centralized structure where every decision was taken from the center. The diversity, was oppressed; the culture took a change of direction, with the main intent being that all artistic endeavors (movies, songs, theater plays) must contain the masses and support the political regime. Every play, song, movie was checked before the launch so that it won’t contain any “politically incorrect” views and the artists that didn’t follow this line where oppressed.
A sample of this kiss ass music can be found bellow:
The main lines are: Ceausescu reelected at the 14th Congress
Starting with the 70s Cenaclul Flacara cultural movement was established. Even at this moment there are split opinions involving this movement: some people considered it a government tool to distract the masses from their daily problems, others saw it like a ray of light, a spot of color in an otherwise bleak life.
No matter where the truth resides, the movement produced some of the best Romanian voices. The best examples are Mircea Vintila, Florian Pittis or Valeriu Sterian. Eventually, they will become the promoters of freedom in the last days of the Communist Era and the first days of our Wild Capitalism.
song about the martirs of the Romanian Revolution
Romanian music after 1989
The first years after the Revolution in 1989, were in many ways, similar to the last years of communism: same faces, same songs as if we gained the freedom of speech but we didn’t know what to do with it. Nevertheless, changes started to appear. First of all, Romanians where finally able to see MTV! To see and interact with western culture and values. This culminated with the titanic Michael Jackson concert in 1992. In my opinion this was the start for the Romanian showbiz and all that involves it: from play writing to album launching to concerts and tours.
After a few years of tasting western dishes Romanian people started developing their own unique tastes and identities through the artistic currents arising: from rock and folk to hip-hop and underground.
The Rock area was covered by Iris – a band started before the fall of the communist regime that was and still is the main attraction for long-haired, leather wearing rockers both young and old. Another important band is Phoenix. As Iris, it was formed before 1989 but they went on a different way both artistically, by experimenting different sub-genres from etno-rock to psychedelic, beat or blues, and politically by fleeing the country in 1977.
Hip Hop and underground genres started developing very rapidly in the 90s, mainly because of the harsh economic times. The main stars were BUG Mafia and Parazitii (still is). Their lyrics spoke about the hard life in the ghettos plagued by guns, drugs and violence.
Romanian music today
Today, as in every part of our society, music is also very segmented.
You will find here
Manele – a pseudo Greek / Turkish junk music.
Rock – from my point of view, here you will find one of the largest communities enjoying this kind of music
Pop / House / Urban – fast developing. Always easy when copying you (our western pals).
Hip Hop
Romanian Heritage.
This is a special chapter about a type of music that remains pretty much unknown to most young people in our country but ravages you when our artists travel abroad: our traditional music. From Grigore Lese to Gheorghe Zamfir (maybe you’ve seen Kill Bill – well, when Uma Thurman receives the sword, Gheorghe Zamfir is playing in the background). Bellow you will find several clips that will help you take a dive in our “forgotten culture”. Hope you will enjoy
Travelling in Romania 