Gypsy Music BBC UK

Subject: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: sian, west wales
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 12:55 PM

I've just bought a Freeview tv box and, prior to grappling with the intricacies of hooking the thing up, I've taken a peek at some of the on-line info re: programmes now available to me. This one looks like a good 'un ... assuming I get the wires sorted by then:

Life with a Hungarian Gypsy Band
Holidays and Workdays

In the far north east of Hungary, there is a small village. It is the home of an authentic gypsy band called Parno Grast. Their music is extraordinary; tuneful, energetic and a rare example of the traditional rural style the Roma play amongst themselves.

The band provide the soundtrack to everyday life. No 'Gypsy' violins, instead a shifting group of up to a dozen musicians and singers including an oral bass and a water can player.

Life in this forgotten corner of Hungary is difficult for everyone. Economic development has passed it by and the gypsies are particularly hard hit, isolated on the edge of the village, subject to 'everyday' racism. As someone wryly observes, everyday racism is alright, it's big racism that's the worry, that's when your house is burnt down.

Music is always a help getting through the bad times, whether it encourages you to dance or makes you weep.

Fri 25 Feb, 22:00-23:00 60mins                  

It seems to be repeated in the wee hours of ... Sat?

siân

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: GUEST,steve benbows protege at work
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 03:17 AM

ah, the boyash tribe. They are exeptionally good musicians! shame i missed it. will have to see if it is repeated at some point.

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 07:52 AM

This sort of programme bears what I often discuss( eg on the current BBC Radio2 Folk Awards thread). basically, foreigners are allowed folk music, and it is worth celebrating. Village bands playing for weddings etc etc. But not in Britain. That lev el of music(what I would call "real" folk music) receives no attention worth speaking of. "Folk awards" tend to go musicians from quite different backgrounds who adapt material of folk origin in various ways. No, I know the Coppers slip into the media from time to time, but broadly speaking that sort of thing is ignored. It is the Rusbys and Carthys now, and The Graingers and Vaughan Williams of an earlier age, who are observable on the radar. It's a pity.I dont grudge people the attention, far from it. Eiza Carhy, for example, is a stunning musician and should be on the telly 24 hours a day. But we could surely fit a bit of real folk into the award ceremonies as well. There are plenty of English(aboriginal) weddding bands too, you know. Nit to mention the Kurdish band in Stoke. These things are seriously interesting, but not praised by the BBC very often.`
    So yes, enjoy this Gypsy music programme. But have a little think when you last saw an in depth look at English Gypsy culture.

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 07:53 AM

If it's on the 25th, looks like you haven't missed it (yet).

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 03:58 AM

what channel is it on?

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: Brakn
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 04:11 AM

BBC 4

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: fat B****rd
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 04:12 AM

I'll keep an ear out for this.

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: greg stephens
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 06:10 PM

Very brilliant programme. Especially the spiritual sounding song the old fellow sang, with the others and a woman doing the backing, and the end bit with the horse.
    If you missed it, it is being repeated sometime.

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 07:41 PM

2.25 am this morning (Saturday) for one thing.

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: Tradsinger
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 10:38 AM

I'd like to echo Greg Stephen's comment that the media shows no interest in English gypsy culture. In England the gypsy culture has been sidelined, and yet these are the people who are among our main current carriers of tradition, by singing, stepdancing and playing music. Compare with Hungarian or Spanish gypsies, whose music fills concert halls.

For those that are interested, I am doing a
workshop on gypsy songs, music and speech in Devon in May and repeating it in Sidmouth Folk Week.

Gwilym

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: greg stephens
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 12:46 PM

Tradsinger(Gwylilym):good for you. I do a lot of work with traditional English music, and over the last five years ago I have also had a certain amoont of financial support doing recording(and other) projects with various immigrant groups. And I have just been asked to work on a Gypsy music project, but this is an amazing offer, in that this area seems to be totally neglected(virtually). Everybody loves a couple of fiddlers with ear-rings in a Hungarian restaurant, but getting people to pay attention to some very very interesting and inspiring culture in England is like getting blood from a stone.

Subject: RE: Gypsy Music BBC UK
From: M.Ted
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 08:51 PM

Without meaning to seem dismissive, I must point out that Hungarian Gypsy music and dance is marketed to the world as agressivesly as Paprikas--most real folk culture doesn't get that kind of support--