Sunday, December 11, 2016

A Different Music

It's been an odd season for music.  Odd related thoughts.

"He who sings, prays twice."  I think Augustine remarked.

Is it possible that music is our highest mode of expression?   Even now we have fragments of this in our hymns, gregorian chant, musicals, concerts in which the experience is shared.

All of these have more meaning than just the written or spoken words that they carry.

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This was brought to mind when I came across first "Lachto Drom" or "Happy Journey".  It is a telling of the experience of the Romani.  Please, even if you don't understand the words, listen, watch with compassion.  Learn about this people from their voices.

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Second and related is also Rom related:  the Barcelona Gypsy Klezmer Orchestra.  This is an amazing group that I had never heard before.  It seems a sad that they are no longer playing with their extraordinary original clarinetist,  Robindro Nikolic.  May they none the less continue the fine musical adventure. 

Let me know what you think.

2 comments:

  1. Ooh! My World Music professor used that film to discuss Roma music and what ties all the different flavors of it together. It was easily my favorite part of that class. What in particular reminded you of the Romani and their experience in your musing about music? Is it that their music is so integral to how they experience life?

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  2. I know I have very much enjoyed listening to their music, and "Lachto Drom" was so lovely and bittersweet.

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