I just picked up the Asphalt Tango label's Sounds from a Bygone Age Vol. 3 - Dona Dumitru Siminica. Siminica was a gypsy singer apparently of some reputation in Romania, although, according to the liner notes, he was little known to people outside the country and his death in the 80s was barely noticed even at home. Nonetheless, he possesses one of the most unusual and haunting falsetto voices I've ever heard, and the songs here are recorded beautifully and backed by a wonderfully wobbly band of accordion, fiddle, bass, and at least one plucked/strummed string instrument I can't place. This is great, great stuff - a real find.
I'm curious if anyone else has heard this or other stuff in the series, and/or stuff in a similar vein.
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 04:11 (eighteen years ago)
This is so good - how does everyone not know about it already?
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 04:20 (eighteen years ago)
bump
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 19:26 (eighteen years ago)
I actually prefer the first two by a wide margin (the falsetto gets to me after a while). Best is V. 1--Ion Petre Stoican caught a spy and turned down a govt. reward in exchange for the chance to record. His songs are short and peppy and he's got a crazy-fast cymbalom player. The Romica Puceanu disc (V 2) is great too--more in the haunting vein of V 3.
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:06 (eighteen years ago)
I lurv the Cymbalom
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)
Then DEFINITELY check out the Stoican. That cymbalom player is off the rails.
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:12 (eighteen years ago)
I noticed there's a vol. 4 now - Toni Iordache, a Cymbalom player (maybe he's even the guy on one or more of the other volumes?). Samples sound pretty good. I wish there was a bit more info on the players on these sessions, the scene, the recording situation, etc.
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:13 (eighteen years ago)
Yes! Iordache is on the Stoican record. I've got to check that out. Is Vol. 4 out yet?
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:15 (eighteen years ago)
Yeah, saw it in Other Music.
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:16 (eighteen years ago)
-- Hurting 2, Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:09 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
me too!
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:19 (eighteen years ago)
ever hear that muzsikas lost jewish music of transylvania disc?
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:20 (eighteen years ago)
No, but I will have to. My dad used to be a cantor and he has all these old Cantorial music records - I definitely hear a connection between Siminica's vocal style and the cantorial stuff, which is part of why I think I'm taking to it so much.
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:21 (eighteen years ago)
xpost I haven't heard it either, what's it like?
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:22 (eighteen years ago)
it's great! really worth listening to, as is their bartok disc.
it's not cantorial at all. 19th century jewish string music.
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:27 (eighteen years ago)
with some rad cymbalom.
Rad Cymbalom sounds like the name of a fourth level half-elf cleric!
Is there cymbalom on the Bartok too?
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:30 (eighteen years ago)
ya i think so!
it mixes hungarian folk songs, dvorak compositions based on them, and actual dvorak field recordings. pretty wicked.
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:35 (eighteen years ago)
Wait, Dvorak or Bartok?
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:43 (eighteen years ago)
argh bartok
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:47 (eighteen years ago)
you know, noted composer argh bartok.
My favorite Muzsikas album is The Prisoner's Song.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:49 (eighteen years ago)
i saw them play a weekly folk dance class for children in a budapest community centre once. one of my favourite concerts ever.
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:50 (eighteen years ago)
I've got to check that Muzsikas Bartok disc out. I've been listening to lots of gypsy and other eastern european stuff lately and have been curious about Bartok, but I'm all "Yikes! Classical!" so this should be a nice way to ease in.
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:50 (eighteen years ago)
you shan't regret it.
― s1ocki, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:51 (eighteen years ago)
The Stoican is on emusic, if you have a subscription. For some reason, though, that's the only one of the four Bygone Era volumes they have.
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 20:57 (eighteen years ago)
Yeah, I noticed that - I'm going to grab it as soon as my subscription refreshes.
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 21:00 (eighteen years ago)
Hope you like!
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 21:05 (eighteen years ago)
hi I have Dona Dumitru Siminica, I like it.
― admrl, Tuesday, 17 July 2007 21:06 (eighteen years ago)
OMG there are youtube clips:
Siminica:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OOJu8k68cew http://youtube.com/watch?v=dwOjuCkYuik&mode=related&search=
Romica Pucenau:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wb3dAIXu7fs&mode=related&search=
Many more and a bunch of Toni Iordache clips too.
I actually got a bit choked up when I saw the Siminica stuff - I know it sounds corny but I felt a little like I had discovered footage of a grandfather I had previously only heard about.
― Hurting 2, Thursday, 19 July 2007 03:30 (eighteen years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO4Vm12an2E
didnt know where to post this
― RudolfHitlerFtw (Hungry4Ass), Friday, 24 February 2012 04:37 (fourteen years ago)