Everybody knows that gypsies possess extraordinary talent when it comes to music. This clip just proves it. The whole composition is a medley of different folk songs. The name of the composition is “Turceaska”, which means Turkey, the country, not the bird.
Because of the regular change in rhythm and dynamics the whole piece feels like it lasts for at least half an hour, although it only lasts eight minutes.
This is a performance by a group of Romanian Gypsy troupe Taraf de Haidouks (Band of Outlaws). The troupe consists of fifteen different musicians, but there are only six of them performing this particular composition. In this setup, there are two violins, two harmonicas, one violoncello, and a cimbalom player.
Cimbalom is a music instrument native to Central-Eastern Europe and the Balkans. It looks like a trapezoidal box with strings stretched across its top, and is played by striking two beaters against the strings that are arranged in groups of three or four and tuned in unison.
If you haven’t had a chance to listen to this kind of music this is a very detailed preview of many kinds of styles you can hear if you visit different parts of the Balkans.
Featured Image Source : Crammed
