Gypsy Brass - Fanfara din Cozmesti
[EUCD2001]

CD Information • CD Title: Gypsy Brass • Artist(s): Fanfara Din Cozmesti • CD Code: EUCD2001 • Tracks: 22 • Playing Time: 58:46 min • Booklet Pages: 16 • Booklet Description: Features Band bio, plus   track info and explanation. • Booklet Info in: English, German, Spanish

Fanfara din Cozmesti are one of the best-known Gypsy brass bands from Moldavia, north-east of Romania, bordering on the Ukraine. The group consists of fifteen Gypsy musicians, most of whom related to each other. They play traditional Romanian dances that have been handed down through generations, thus becoming true messengers of folklore and traditional music. They are itinerant musicians and play at parties, births, baptisms, weddings and funerals throughout the region and beyond - they can even be hired to "serenade" beneath the window of one's sweetheart.

Gypsy brass bands emerged at the beginning of the 19th century. They developed out of Turkish military bands (in 1541 Moldavia, Walachia and Transylvania became tributary principalities of the Ottoman Empire up until the Turkish War of 1877-78, when Russian and Romanian armies joined forces and ended the Ottoman occupation. Walachia and Moldavia were then declared fully independent). Gypsy bands soon adopted the new instruments and style of music.

Track Listing:

1. Cantecul miresei (Bride's song) (trad.) - 1:32

2. Batuta (a very vigurous dance)* (trad.) - 1:22

3. La gatitul miresei (Bride preparation) (trad.) - 2:54

4. Hora din Ghermanesti (Hora from Ghermanesti)* (Chiriac) - 3:32

5. Sarba moldoveneasca (Moldavian sarba)* (Costandache) - 2:32

6. Hora din Cozmesti (Hora from Cozmesti)* (trad.) - 2:08

7. Sarba din Cozmesti (Sarba from Cozmesti)* (trad.) - 2:23

8. Hora de la Raducaneni (Hora from Raducaneni)* (Costandache) - 3:21

9. Ciobanasul (The young sheperd)* (trad.) - 1:26

10. Nasule (The Godfather) (trad.) - 2:15

11. Perinita (Little pillow) (trad.) - 1:57

12. Brasoveanca (trad.) - 2:04

13. Poloboc (trad.) - 1:09

14. Plecarea celui drag (The departure of the beloved - funeral march) (trad.) - 4:52

15. Sarba ca la noi (Sarba as we know it)* (Chiriac) - 3:01

16. Dansul (The dance) (trad.) - 1:52

17. Hora de la Valea Mare (Hora from Valea Mare) (trad.) - 2:37

18. Hora lunga (Long hora)* (Costandache) - 3:44

19. Trandafir de la Moldova (Rose from Moldavia) (trad.) - 2:10

20. Sarba lui Costandache (Costandache's sarba)* (Costandache) - 3:46

21. Sarba la colac (La colac sarba) (trad.) - 4:28

22. Sarba verisorilor (Cousin's sarba) (trad.) - 2:35

The tracks marked with * are from the Cozmesti area. All others are from Moldavia.