The Roma Music Culture on the Balkans: Music and Musicians, Instruments and Ensembles, Faces and Images
The Roma Music Culture on the Balkans: Music and Musicians, Instruments and Ensembles, Faces and Images

Summary/Abstract: Elucidating the Roma music and musicians in this paper is exposed on the more general picture of the historical destiny and the current-day situation of the Roma communities in South-eastern Europe. Analyses on the Roma musicians and their music have several aspects. The Roma musical culture on the Balkans is being traced in several directions. One of them leads to the question about the musicianship as a traditional Roma occupation that has developed throughout history in changing social-economic conditions and cultural traditions. Another aspect of reflection is associated with the boundaries and content of the term ”Gypsy/Roma music”. It is emphasised that there is no uniform musical language, style and identity shared by all Roma people throughout the world, but there exist musical similarities which are explained through lineal relationships. Special attention is paid to role of the professional Roma musicians within the Balkan musical traditions. Marking off the significant contribution of the Roma musicians for the development of the local musical cultures on the Balkans, it is emphasised that they have ambivalent role in these processes because, on one hand, they are keepers of the tradition and on the other – instruments of the change. Typical for the musical practice of the Balkan Roma instruments and ensembles are outlined. Several aspects concerning the attitudes towards the Roma via images of the Roma music on the Balkans that stimulate a great deal of associations are examined.

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