Just a few thoughts-Music

Music.   The love of music is obvious here in Moldova.  It is not unusual to hear the country’s traditional music being played on the radio.  Indeed, there are channels dedicated strictly to this traditional music.  On the radio, there is Radio Noroc, a station which allows people to phone in dedications of good wishes to others and request a favorite tune.  On TV there are stations such as Favorite which have video recordings of group after group of folk music ensembles performing traditional Moldovan music.  In some time spots you can actually call in and vote for your favorite group on the Favorite station.  This style of music is what is normally part of any public celebration and especially personal celebrations such as a wedding.  One can often hear traditional Moldovan music blaring from a neighbor’s house as you walk by in the summertime.  The themes of Moldovan music often express joy about the wonders of nature, the goodness of the family, the closeness to friends and blessings of everyday life.

The composition of a Moldovan music group will usually include a heavy number of violin players.  Giving the beat and melodic background is a hammer dulcimer called the cimbalom which is very essential to a Moldovan music group.  Besides these two key elements you will see any number of other instruments, usually horns, clarinets, saxophones, accordions, electric key board, drum set, bass fiddle.

Musical tastes are influenced by modern musical tastes as well.   There’s easy listening, hip-hop, rock, and pop.  The bi-lingual nature of Moldovan life certainly brings Russian music both traditional and modern into the mix.  American rock and hip hop are often heard as well.  I was amazed watching the TV music contest, Vocea Romanei, most of the music chosen by the contestants to perform was in the English language.  There are two or three TV stations that play just music videos all day.  One of them is exclusively for Russian pop music.

 

The singer in Romanian is called an “interpreter”.  Many TV interview shows have guest “interpreters”.  Chisinau has quite a few live performance venues for the arts.  Entertainers from Romania and Russia are perhaps the most frequent out of town acts.  The large number of Moldovan groups and musician entertainers produce a constant flow of performances in Chisinau, not so often in other parts of the country.