Ţara Codrului - Maramureş, elemente de tradiţie (I)
Forests Country – Maramureş, Elements of Tradition (I)

Summary/Abstract: In the Codrului area (located at the border of Maramures, Salaj and Satu Mare counties), the carol is a well represented folclorik genre, found in a wide variety. The author is currently living there with his family and he has been enjoying the yearly celebrations together with the local people. The carols are sung in the church during the celebration of Christmas. In fact, the caroling starts from the beginning of the Christmas Lent, it is more frequent during the month of December (after the celebration of Saint Nicholas) and this habit would know its peak season between Christmas and the Saint Basil celebration, continuing until Saint John’s celebration, on the 7th of January. Some details about the caroling customs are being described. The well kept traditional carols or the more recent carols may have a relegious or lay subject. Three examples of this musical genre have been mentioned: ‘’O, ce veste minunata’’, ‘’Coborat-o, coborat-o’’ and ‘’De greu gazda-ai adurnitu’’. An article published by a local teacher is being mentioned (George Popovici, in 1930), in which carols and their preservation are being discussed. Through the caroling rehearsals which are being organized during Christmas Lent, vocal skills and musical sensibility are being highly developed. All these are being done mostly within family.

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