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Revision as of 20:52, 29 November 2006 editGreier (talk | contribs)2,160 edits Revert to revision 90736460 dated 2006-11-28 20:42:04 by Greier using popups← Previous edit Revision as of 21:52, 29 November 2006 edit undoRomaniroma (talk | contribs)16 edits the truth is out there.... this word has 2 definitions. Are you denying the existence of a roma clan by this name? are you a racist grier?Next edit →
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{{expert}}
⚫ '''Lăutari''' are ]s performing traditional ]. Lăutari generally live in the countryside and are, to some degree, peasants. Most lăutari are, due to historical factors, ]. As performers, they are usually loosely organized into a group known as a ''taraf'', which often consists largely of the males of an extended family. (There are female ''lăutari'', mostly vocalists, but they are far outnumbered by the men.) Each ''taraf'' is led by a ''primaş'', a primary soloist.


⚫ '''Lăutari''' is both a generic romanian word for musician and a professional clan of Roma musicians probably stemming from other historical Roma clans present in Romania, such as the ], ] and ]. Names of Roma clans in Romania are usually Romanian occupational names: Căldărar (bucket-maker, căldare=bucket; -aş replaces -ar regionally), Lingurar (spoon-makers, lingură=spoon), Florar (flower sellers, floare=flower) etc. As performers, they are usually loosely organized into a group known as a ], which often consists largely of the males of an extended family. (There are female ''lăutari'', mostly vocalists, but they are far outnumbered by the men.) Each ''taraf'' is led by a ''primaş'', a primary soloist.
The name lăutar comes from the Romanian word "lăută", meaning ]. Other terms used to designate traditional musicians in Romania are ''scripcar'', ''plopar'' or ''cobzar''.


==Origins of the lautari==
⚫ The music of the lăutari establishes the structure of the elaborate Romanian peasant ]s, as well as providing entertainment (not only music, but ]s, stories, bear training, etc.) during the less eventful parts of the ritual. The ''lăutari'' also function as guides through the wedding rituals and moderate any conflicts that may arise during what can be a long, alcohol-fueled party. Over a period of nearly 48 hours, this can be very physically strenuous.


we should make a difference between the generic term "Lăutar" and the Roma clan. "Lăutar", according to the DEx ("Dictionarul Explicativ al limbii romane", the most authoritative source on the Romanian language), is formed from "lăută" (meaning lute) and the suffix "-ar", very common in forming occupational names (e.g. morar=miller, from moară=mill + ar). Generally speaking, the -ar suffix originates in the Latin -arius, and expresses a relationship, mainly occupational: last definition (translation: "referring to...", "one who exercises a profession", "one who is qualified".
⚫ Following custom almost certainly dating back at least to the ], most ''lăutari'' rapidly spend the fees from these wedding ceremonies on extended ]s for their friends and families over the days immediately following the wedding.


According to Sir ],"the popular Romani word for musician, Lautar (plural Lautari), may either be the Persian Lútí ]; popularly, a loose fellow, a cad.'], or more probably a deformed offspring of the Arabic ], which gave rise to our '].' Our critic holds that the Gypsy’s music, like his tales and poetry, is his own; whilst the matter of the songs and ballads is borrowed from Hungarians, Rumans , and even the unimaginative Turk: he also points out that many of the legends are cosmopolitan."<ref>Burton 1898, p. 176.</ref>
Since the early nineteenth century, and especially in the days before sound recording, ''lăutari'' kept alive various genres of ] that might otherwise have been lost.


During the centuries of Ottoman rule in Romania, Roma musicians where often employed to provide entertainment in the courts of the Turkish rulers. After the Turks left Romania, most of these musicians settled in the rural areas where they sought new employment at weddings, funerals, and other traditional romanian celebrations. Since the early nineteenth century, and especially in the days before sound recording, Roma musicians kept alive various genres of ] and Jewish ] music that might otherwise have been lost.
⚫ Instruments often played by ''lăutari'' were, or are:

==Music of the lautari==

⚫ The music of the lăutari establishes the structure of the elaborate Romanian peasant ]s, as well as providing entertainment (not only music, but ]s, stories, bear training, etc.) during the less eventful parts of the ritual. The ''lăutari'' also function as guides through the wedding rituals and moderate any conflicts that may arise during what can be a long, alcohol-fueled party. Over a period of nearly 48 hours, this can be very physically strenuous. During celebrations they play popular dances such as ], ], ], ]. Other dances include ], ], ], ], ].

⚫ Following custom almost certainly dating back at least to the ], most ''lăutari'' rapidly spend the fees from these wedding ceremonies on extended ]s for their friends and families over the days immediately following the wedding.

⚫ ==Instruments often played by ''lăutari''==

*] (called "nai" in Romanian)
*] ("fluier")
*]
*]
*] *]
*] *]
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*] (A ]/]-like instrument) *] (A ]/]-like instrument)
*], or later the ] *], or later the ]
*] *]
⚫ *]s
and a little later in history, and a little later in history,
⚫ *]s (an Austrian influence)
*the ] *the ]


They also use other traditional Romanian instruments and pseudo-intruments. They also use other traditional Romanian instruments and pseudo-instruments. Some examples of pseudo-instruments used in Romania are leaves from pear or other kind of trees, birch bark and fish scales. ] can be heard playing a scale of a carp on ]'s ''Les Flûtes Roumaines''

==List of well known Musicians/Bands that play lăutari music==

*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*] (though he also performs a lot of other music)
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

==Notes==
<references/>


==References== ==References==
* Speranţa Rădulescu and Adrian Solomon's liner notes for the album "Outlaws of Yore" by ]. * Speranţa Rădulescu and Adrian Solomon's liner notes for the album "Outlaws of Yore" by ].
* Sir ], "" in ''The Gypsy'', collected in ''The Jew, the Gypsy and El Islam'', Herbert S. Stone & Co. (Chicago and New York, 1898). , on the ] web site JRBooksOnline.


==See also== ==See also==
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* - music of Lautari (on commercial site Lost Trails) * - music of Lautari (on commercial site Lost Trails)
*-opinions and reviews *- opinions and reviews

{{Romanian Roma topics}}


] ]

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Lăutari is both a generic romanian word for musician and a professional clan of Roma musicians probably stemming from other historical Roma clans present in Romania, such as the ursari, lovari and kalderash. Names of Roma clans in Romania are usually Romanian occupational names: Căldărar (bucket-maker, căldare=bucket; -aş replaces -ar regionally), Lingurar (spoon-makers, lingură=spoon), Florar (flower sellers, floare=flower) etc. As performers, they are usually loosely organized into a group known as a taraf, which often consists largely of the males of an extended family. (There are female lăutari, mostly vocalists, but they are far outnumbered by the men.) Each taraf is led by a primaş, a primary soloist.

Origins of the lautari

we should make a difference between the generic term "Lăutar" and the Roma clan. "Lăutar", according to the DEx ("Dictionarul Explicativ al limbii romane", the most authoritative source on the Romanian language), is formed from "lăută" (meaning lute) and the suffix "-ar", very common in forming occupational names (e.g. morar=miller, from moară=mill + ar). Generally speaking, the -ar suffix originates in the Latin -arius, and expresses a relationship, mainly occupational: last definition (translation: "referring to...", "one who exercises a profession", "one who is qualified".

According to Sir Richard Francis Burton,"the popular Romani word for musician, Lautar (plural Lautari), may either be the Persian Lútí , or more probably a deformed offspring of the Arabic El ’Aúd, which gave rise to our 'lute.' Our critic holds that the Gypsy’s music, like his tales and poetry, is his own; whilst the matter of the songs and ballads is borrowed from Hungarians, Rumans , and even the unimaginative Turk: he also points out that many of the legends are cosmopolitan."

During the centuries of Ottoman rule in Romania, Roma musicians where often employed to provide entertainment in the courts of the Turkish rulers. After the Turks left Romania, most of these musicians settled in the rural areas where they sought new employment at weddings, funerals, and other traditional romanian celebrations. Since the early nineteenth century, and especially in the days before sound recording, Roma musicians kept alive various genres of Romanian music and Jewish klezmer music that might otherwise have been lost.

Music of the lautari

The music of the lăutari establishes the structure of the elaborate Romanian peasant weddings, as well as providing entertainment (not only music, but magic tricks, stories, bear training, etc.) during the less eventful parts of the ritual. The lăutari also function as guides through the wedding rituals and moderate any conflicts that may arise during what can be a long, alcohol-fueled party. Over a period of nearly 48 hours, this can be very physically strenuous. During celebrations they play popular dances such as hora, sirba, geampara, briu. Other dances include Rustem, calus, breaza, ardeleana, cadanesca.

Following custom almost certainly dating back at least to the Middle Ages, most lăutari rapidly spend the fees from these wedding ceremonies on extended banquets for their friends and families over the days immediately following the wedding.

Instruments often played by lăutari

and a little later in history,

They also use other traditional Romanian instruments and pseudo-instruments. Some examples of pseudo-instruments used in Romania are leaves from pear or other kind of trees, birch bark and fish scales. Ion Laceanu can be heard playing a scale of a carp on Marcel Cellier's Les Flûtes Roumaines

List of well known Musicians/Bands that play lăutari music

Notes

  1. Burton 1898, p. 176.

References

See also

External links

  • An interview in English with Speranţa Rădulescu, the ethnomusicologist who "discovered" many famous contemporary lăutari: - Part 1 and Part 2
  • A British review of The Alan Lomax Collection; World Library of Folk and Primitive Music. Vol XVII, dedicated to Romanian Gypsy music
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