Soporul de Cîmpie

 

 TARAFUL SOPORUL DE CÎMPIE

Electrecord, 1987, ST-EPE 03228  

 Compared to the previous post this album is more traditional and local. It is one of those numerous string bands in Transylvania with bowed  instruments only, no cymbalum or wind instrument. 
This type of music is the legacy of small string orchestras that emerged in 17th-century Europe among princely courts, particularly in the Habsburg Empire. Very soon Romani musicians were quite dominant especially in Transylvania and this type of formation was widely spread from the 19th century onwards.
This music is shared by Hungarian and Romanian musicians although with some differences which enable knowledgeable enthusiasts to distinguish the origin of performers. Other people like the Jews and Saxons  also left their mark.
It was possible at one stage  to hear some people like Romanian intellectuals say that the Hungarians stole this music. Transylvania is still an area of conflict between Romania and Hungary.
 The musical leader is Zamfir Dejeu but he's not part of the band I think. The musicians are not identified except for the  singer Vasile Soporan on two short tracks. The repertoire is made of long sets starting with slow tunes followed by several dances.
They come from the area called the ''plain'' east of Cluj. 
There is a CD published by the French label Buda Musique in 1992 called ''Roumanie-Quatuor à cordes de Transylvanie'' with probably the same musicians.
Note that tracks 8,9,10 and 11 are in fact track 3 on side B. 

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