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Dona Dumitru Siminica

'Cine are fata mare'

Musicians:
Dona Dumitru Siminica - voice
with:

Label - Electrecord, Romania

Initially Dona Dumitru Siminica started as a violinist but it was his richly warm siniging voice that gained him fame. Born in 1926 (he died sometime in the 1980s) he came from a musical family and sang with Lautaris’ (Gypsy musicians) in many Bucharest bars and cafes.

Extract from CD sleeve notes:
"He was born in Tirgoviste in 1926 and died in the 1980s. ...He learned to play the violin as a child with his father, a brick layer and fiddler player himself.
He formed a folk music hand and began to sing in restaurants in Bucharest in Piata Amzei or Piata Sf. Gheorghe.

Dona Dumitru Siminica is one of the main representatives of traditional Romanian fiddler music of the urban area at the middle of the 20" century. He was a good violin player with a rich repertoire that approached almost any musical genre. His repertoire consisted of high virtuosity dance songs but, above all, he was an excellent vocalist of the fiddler songs or of the slums. He recorded many songs with an instrumental accompaniment by small folk music bands, songs that would highlight his vocal qualities, a warm voice, a high voice register, with lots of melodic ornaments.

Love, longing for the loved one, unshared love are favourite themes usually interpreted in Romanian language, seldom in gypsy language.

The repertoire and interpretation style bear reminiscences of old music. sung in salons or at court during the 18th and the 19th centuries, when the Oriental influence was at its peak in Walachia. Proof for this stand the 'worldly' songs collections published by Anton Pann during 1830-1840.

If we muse on Anton Pann, an unparalleled troubadour of his time, we can say his tunes and powerful social comments were but the message of a peerless instrumentalist. Since then the folk song found its way to the soul of people.

He who heard once 'La Salul eel Negru' (At the black Shawl's) will always identify it with Dona Dumitru Siminica, its interpreter.

'Mosule to-as intreba' (Old man. I would ask you) Siminica sings as if in wonder of how life is and how love feels. Never wavering, never swerving, just yielding to the fire consuming him.
'La Salul eel negru' is the song that burns, as the interpreter burns while burning deep into the heart of the listener, such is the way and message of the song. 'Inel, inel de aur' ...(Ring. of, golden ring), 'Lelita Floare' are no less.

Dona Dumitru Siminica is the descendant of the great instrumentalists of folk music, he is the one who took further the fame and art, so full of the gift and wisdom of his forefathers."

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Dona Dumitru Siminica

'Cine are fata mare'

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. Cine are fata mare (6'34") 2. La Salul cel negru (3'37") 3. Sus pe culmea unui nor (7'00") 4. Lelita Floare (4'03") 5. De trei ani nu dau pe-acasa (4'18") 6. Mai am doua doruri grele (4'09") 7. Intr-o vinere la targ (3'13") 8. De unde vii tu mai lele? (2'43") 9. Niculai, Niculaita (3'22") 10. Spune, Ticuleana, spune (3'23") 11. Cine a lasat oftatul (2'31") 12. Dor de mama (4'34") 13. Ce mi-e drag pe lume (4'58") 14. Dorul de cine se leaga (3'13") 15. Osoreia, osbaro (padure mare) (3'16") 16. Hai muncate cistime (hai la munca cinstita) (2'53")

Duration (62'10")

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