Music CD details

Mioara Velicu
with the brass band Zece Prajini

'Bate Toba Maruntel'

(EDC479)

Musicians:
Mioara Velicu - voice


The band Zece Prajini

Label - Electrecord, Romania

'The Brass Band in Zece Prajini ... who hasn't heard of it? With no exaggeration we can say that at present it is the most famous brass band in Romania. The innumerable successes at home but also abroad stand proof.

Zece Prajini continues the tradition of the famous peasants' brass bands that appeared in Moldavia at the beginning of the last century after the model of the town brass bands. The town brass band in its turn took after the traditional model of the two ensembles of brass players, first Turkish, later Romanian and then military, the court music of the 17th and 19th centuries and the Austrian brass band.

The musicians in the countryside, especially those, who had played in soldiers' brass bands during their military service, began replacing their wind instruments such as flutes, long shepherd's pipes, bagpipes, with clarinets, trumpets and bugle-horns. At about the same time, villages started growing and the larger communities needed a stronger, more penetrating music during their holidays.

After 50 years of supremacy, the brass band had to make room for electronic music. But it seems we are now witnessing a revival of the peasants' brass band, a fact proved by the interest of the public. More and more soloists prefer the accompaniment of the brass band rather than that of the usual fiddler's band. Mioara Velicu, a well-known and beloved folk music singer proposes another type of accompaniment, which gives a new touch to her songs.

In the ethnic-folkloric area of Vaslui, the source of Mioara Velicu's songs, the brass band still is the unifying element of village life, a permanent presence in all events, happy or sad, which determined the singer to resort to this accompaniment formula in her last recordings. Well done! The result. was an exceptional recording.

There are new songs as well in this album and well known songs from the singer's repertoire - real hits, in fact. The nice and colorful arrangements, the refined and full of nuances interpretation, the successful. accompaniment provided by the Brass Band of Zece Prajini, comes to emphasize their beauty once more. The beauty of the dance songs interpreted by Mioara Velicu with so much talent is augmented by the presence of the brass band. The dynamism and virtuosity of these songs gets new attributes due to the amplitude given by the brass band.

A special effect is created by the discreet but clear accompaniment of the vocalist that accurately observes the musical score but also makes 'jokes' imitating the trumpet.

The instrumental songs so masterfully interpreted by the Brass band of Zece Prajini stress at the same time the virtuosity and passion of Costica Pantaru, its coordinator. He succeeded in inspiring these simple people not only the desire to take further the tradition of playing brass instruments, a tradition transmitted from father to son in their village, but also an infinite love for the Romanian songs.

l have the conviction that this compact disc produced by the Electrecord Recording Company, consisting of songs interpreted by Mioara Velicu and the Brass Band of Zece Prajini, will draw the public's attention and will be a real success. The satisfaction the audience of this disc will experience while listening will be special, as such music is a source of strength and power, a source of joy.'
Elise Stan
Ethno-musicologist, editor in the Romanian State Television
(the above is a translation of the CD sleeve notes, which are in Romanian)

GBP 8.97

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Mioara Velicu
with the brass band
Zece Prajini

'Bate Toba Maruntel'

(EDC479)

This symbol  indicates an mp3 sound clip for that track. Click on the symbol and wait for the clip to start. For more information click here. Tracks

1. Batuta lui Borona (1'40")

2. Mi-o spus, tata, intr-o seara (1'59")

3. Joaca, fetele cu foc (2'13")

4. Frumoasa-i nunta la tara (2'06")

5. Batuta de laZece Prajini (1'34")

6. Bate toba maruntel! (1'50")

7. Jocu-i din batrani lasat (1'48")

8. Omule, te-as intreba (3'00")

9. Hora lui Tracoru (2'41")

10. Hai la joc, badita! (1'39")

11. Maine, totirecrutii pleaca (2'34")

12. Tare mi-e drag a juca (2'15")

13. Hora de la Zece Prajini (4'40")

14. Cand eram la mama fata (2'11")

15. Hai, sa scoatem dantu-afara! (1'41")

16. Insoara de la lasi (3'13")

17. Sarba de la lasi (2'28")

18. Hora de la Prut (2'06")

19. Astazi am sa cant mai bine (1'56")

20. Ma duc, mandro, la armanta (3'25")

21. Tot pe loc, mai cu foc (2'35")

22. Greu e, Doamne, prin straini (2'29")

23. Sarba lui Costel Sarampel (3'16")

Duration (56'56")

Our mp3 samples are approximately 30 seconds long and of low(ish) quality for a fast download (file size app 300KB)

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