The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-06-11
GYPsIEs AS MUSICIANS.
They Are Clever Performers But Are 30
Creators of Music,

They Are Clever Performers But Are Ka
Creators of Music,
Gypsies are clever performers, but 10
creators of music. Provided with an
abnormal amount of initiative power
and very pliable and cunning nature
they became the peoples musical par.
formers in countries whose national
music excels in originality, fantastic
rubatos, and a certain rhapsodieaI
spirit, too free to wear the yoke, Of
Systematically organized score. There
are no French, English, German 81
Italian gypsy musicians known to the
world. In these countries, the respec.
tive national melodies of which stand
any amount of disciplined tlme,and par
Torrance, the gypsies cultivate rather
fortune-telling, tinkering, etc. With
their stupendous gift for imitation and
playing by ear, they know how to seize
and render those subtletias whichresist
pen and ink, and constitute the verY. Ell;
sence of the Moorish-Spanish, the Roa.
manian and Hungarian national music
and accordingly it is in these coun.
tries where they flourish as The
peoples musicians. In Spain-whose
singers and dancers from CordoY
and Cadiz (Gades) excelled above
all others at great festivals Of an
Gent Rome, where music and dance
have an even share in the peoples heart
even to-day as well as in Roumania,the
practical enthusiasm of the gypsies
pilots them in music and dance alike
catering to the popular taste in both
directions with equal energy. In Hun
gary, where the song, with its epic Of
lyrical traditions, takes the lead, the
dance being only incidental, the ggp
sizes never dance, unless when com
manded to perform their buffoon-like
gestures and contortions, or the so
called czigany kevek GYPSY wheelb az
athletic feat in which hands and feet
combine to initiate the revolving Of
wheel, following the carriages along
the roadside, to the merriment Of Che
gay lookers-on, and all that for hum
BILE penny! IN Spain they play the na'
tlonal guitar or mandolin; in Hungary
the string quintet, the clarinet lin iml
tation of the ancient tarogato and the
still surviving tilinko and czimbalom
The long-drawn walls and re-revolv
ing turns and runs of Moorish origin p
Spanish music suit them just as much
as their restless and nervous temper
ament like to overload with unappro
pirate but dazzling lace-works ana
fringes the pathetic or allegro move
ments of Hungarian music.
1t is in this sort of virtuoso aspira
tions, mingled with incorrect BASES ana
harmonies, that their creative genus
finds free vent, not only in hungarian
but in any kind of music they happen
to play. Some of them are undoubtedly
virtuosi-8ui generi8. As for their gen
eral musical aptitude, there is probably
no. other race existing that could rivs
them. Every village in Hungary has o
least one or more gypsy bands; SONS
cities count them by the score. Only
small number of their best leaders
know the notes, and still most OF theh
bands have large repertoire, comprlslng
italian, French and German operau
and all nations dance music, beginning
with Offenbach and Strauss, and Wlne
ing up with Wagner!
The best gypsy bands, as well as ~
ones, are usually trained by sons
stray genius of a non-gypsy musicish'
in some exceptional cases also by y
learned leader himself, from whom eae1
of the band learns by ear y
own part. The detached grinding olg
over, it is the ensemble that takes y
turn to blossom gradually INTO thas y
toxicating, sometimes frantic fire az
swing which turned the head OF nan.
a Hungarian and inspired even 81
foreign musician to such an extend sno'
they deigned to appropriate for tnssa
selves, endorsing with their own nans.
some of the most beautiful Hungaf
melodies. Francis Korbay, in hsEpss'
Magazine.