Traditional Romanian music reflects a confluence of sounds similar to Central European (Hungarian), as well as Balkan traditional music. In Romanian folk music, emphasis is on melody rather than percussion, with frequent use of the violin for melody. The melody itself and especially the melodic embellishments are reminiscent of music in the Balkans. .
Banat In
Banat, the
violin is the most common folk instrument, now played alongside imported
woodwind instruments; other instruments include the
taragot (today often the
saxophone plays the taragot role in bands).
Efta Botoca is among the most renowned violinists from Banat.
Bucovina Bucovina is a remote province and its traditions include some of the most ancient Romanian instruments, including the
țilincă and the
cobza. Pipes (
fluieraș (small pipe) or
fluier mare (large pipe)) are also played, usually with accompaniment by a cobza (more recently, the
accordion). Violins and
brass instruments have been imported in modern times.
Crișana Crișana has an ancient tradition of using violins, often in duos. This format is also found in Transylvania but is an older tradition.
Petrică Pașca has recently helped popularize the
taragot in the region. Also, in
Roșia village are well known two local instruments: Hidede, a type of violin with a trumpet, replacing the resonance box and a type of drum called Dobă.
Northern Dobrogea Dobrujan music is characterized by Balkan and Turkish rhythm and melodicism.
Dobrogea's population is ethnically mixed and the music here has a heavier
Turkish,
Bulgarian,
Tatar and Ukrainian import than in the rest of the country.
Maramureș and Oaș The typical folk ensemble from
Maramureș is
zongora and violin, often with drums.
Maramureș is a remote province (like
Bucovina) and its traditions include some of the most ancient Romanian instruments and
peasant music. Its music shares many features with
Bucovina. Traditional flutes include the
țilincă and
Fluierul Gemanat (similar to the Bulgarian
Dvoyanka). Taragot, saxophones and accordions have more recently been introduced. Traditional singing in this region includes
doina. In
Oaș, a violin adapted to be shriller is used, accompanied by the
zongora. The singing in this region is also unique, shrill with archaic melodic elements.
Moldavia (Moldova) See:
Music of Moldova Violin and
țambal are the modern format most common in
Moldavian
dance music. Prior to the 20th century, however, the violin was usually accompanied by the
cobza, which, although very rare, is still in use today. Brass ensembles are now found in the central part of the county.
Moldavia is also known for
brass bands similar to those in
Serbia.
Transylvania Transylvania has been historically and culturally more linked to Central European countries than
Southeastern Europe, and its music reflects those influences. The province is tied historically to the smaller western regions of
Maramureș,
Criana and
Banat and they are often referred to collectively as
Transylvania.
Violin,
kontra and
double bass, sometimes with a
cimbalom, are the most integral ensemble unit. All these instruments are used to play a wide variety of songs, including numerous kinds of specific
wedding songs.
Drum,
guitar and
violin make up the typical band in
Maramureș and virtuoso
fiddlers are also popular in the area. In the end of the 1990s, the
Maramuzical music festival was organized to draw attention to the indigenous music of the area.
Wallachia Wallachia, consisting of
Muntenia and
Oltenia, is home to the
taraf bands, which are perhaps the best-known expression of Romanian folk culture. Dances associated with tarafs include
brâu,
geamparale,
sârbă and
hora. The
fiddle leads the music, with the
cimbalom and
double bass accompanying it. The cobza, once widespread in the region, has been largely replaced by the cimbalom. Lyrics are often about heroes like the
haidouks.
Taraf de Haïdouks is an especially famous taraf and have achieved international attention since their 1988 debut with the
label Ocora. The Haidouks first attained visibility as
lăutari, traditional entertainers at weddings and other celebratory occasions.
Oltenia Oltenia's folk music and dance are similar to those in Muntenia. Violins and pipes are used, as are țambal and guitar, replacing the cobza as the rhythmic backing for tarafs. The
cimpoi (bagpipe) is also popular in this region.
Muntenia Muntenia has a diverse set of instrumentation. The flute (
fluier in Romanian) and violin are the traditional melodic element, but now
clarinets and accordions are more often used. Accordionists include the performers
Vasile Pandelescu and
Ilie Udilă.
Doina The most widespread form of
Romanian
folk music is the
doina. Other styles of folk music include the
bocet ("lament") and
cântec bătrânesc (traditional
epic ballads; literally "song of the elders"). Doina is poetic and often melancholic, sometimes compared to the
blues for that reason. Doinas are often played with a slow, free rhythm melody against a fast accompaniment pattern in fixed tempo, giving an overall feeling of rhythmic tension.
Melodies are sometimes repeated in differing songs and typically follow a descending pattern. Regional styles of doina: •
Doină cu noduri – an archaic doina with a "knotted" glottal technique (Oltenia, Maramureş, Oaş, Lăpuş) •
Ca pe luncă - found along the southern
Danube •
De codru -
codru means "forest" •
Hore lungă - means "long dance", from the region of
Maramureș, Transylvania •
Klezmer - originally played by
Jewish musicians from
Bessarabia and
Moldavia •
Oltului - found along the
River Olt Other styles of doina: •
Ca din tulnic - unique type in which the
melody imitates a type of
bugle called the
tulnic •
Ciobanul -
shepherd's doina •
De dragoste - popular form, usually about love;
dragoste means "love". •
De jale - mellow, mournful doina;
jale means "grief". •
De leagăn - a
lullaby;
leagăn means "cradle". •
De pahar - drinking song;
pahar means "drinking glass". •
Foaie verde - classical form; literally "green leaves".
Musical poems A syncretic genre exists at the intersection of narrative structure, musical expression, ritual function, and dramatic progression. One of the most well-known examples is the archaic pastoral poem
When the shepherd lost his sheep. == Classical music ==