All Romanians are vampires

some of our personal favorites, or what we think would make for interesting first impressions:

Romanian Music

Classical

• George Enescu – the Romanian composer, famous for the Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 and No. 2

• Ciprian Porumbescu – famous especially for The Ballad for Violin.

• Grigoras Dinicu – famous for Hora Staccato

Rock

• Phoenix – Romania’s Jethro Tull. Selected songs with lyrics – here.
• Other old rockers: Iris, Holograf, Timpuri Noi, Sarmalele Reci, Pasărea Colibri (Phoenix softer spin-off)
• Young rockers: Vama Veche, Vank, Viţa de Vie, Voltaj, Bere gratis, Urma, Kumm, Zob
• Special guests from Moldova: Zdob şi Zdub (respect!)

Pop

• What Romanians currently like – Romanian Top 100
• Special guest from Moldova, dedicated to all foreigners: O-zone, Dragostea din tei. Obviously.

Hip-hop

• If you have to choose one band, listen to Paraziţii,
• But probably the best Romanian hiphop song ever written is B.U.G. Mafia’s Poveste fără sfârşit

Folk music & dance

• Căluşarii – mythical dance from Oltenia
• Căpâlna girls’ dance, sort of a female response.
• Spectacular dances and traditional outfits from mountain people in Bistriţa (it takes off around 3:00) and Oaş.
• Gheorghe Zamfir – the Panflute God. Famous for music in “Kill Bill”, “Once upon a time in America”. And for The Lonely Shepherd.
• Taraful Haiducilor (Taraf des Haidouks) – Virtuoso Gypsy band from Clejani. For example. They also had some fun in Latcho Drom.
• Maria Tănase is the “Milady of Romanian folk music”. One of her most emblematic interpretations is of the song “blestem” (“the curse”).
• Fanfares: Ciorcârlia (BBC award), Savale from Zece Prăjini, who also jammed with Phoenix’s drummer Ovidiu Lipan – for example, here.

Other

• Nicu Alifantis – relaxed guitar chansonettes. Like the Dromader Ballad.
• Alexandru Andrieş – equally relaxed guitar chansonettes. For the most beautiful day.
• Nightlosers – intrumental ethnic jazz. Cool Balkan Blue Rumba.
• Marius Mihalache – outstanding cymbalon jazz

Romanian cinematography

“New Wave”

• 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days – Cristian Mungiu’s Palm D’Or 2007 winner
• California Dreamin – “Un Certain Regard” award, Cannes 2007
• Death of Mr. Lazarescu – acclaimed contemporary drama, L.A. Film festival awards
• Hartia va fi albastra (The paper will be blue) – the 1989 Romanian anticommunist Revolution from a “normal people” perspective.
• A fost sau n-a fost (12.08 East of Bucharest)
• E pericoloso sporgersi

“Classics”

• Padurea Spanzuratilor (Palm D’Or 1960)
• Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave) – Romania’s Braveheart
• Morometii
• Cel mai iubit dintre Pamanteni
• Nea Marin miliardar – the Amza Pellea comedy

Romanian art

• Constantin Brâncuşi – “father of modern sculpture” – probably the Romanian artist with greatest influence on international level. Too bad there are no Nobel prizes for art.
• Nicolae Grigorescu – most well-kown Romanian painter

Romanian literature

A good source for translated poems is Romanian Voice.

• Mihai Eminescu – every nation has a “greatest poet”. For us, it’s Mihai Eminescu. Selected works in English here.

• Nichita Stanescu – Herder Prize. Selected works in English here.

• Paul Celan – the hidden gem of post-WWII poetry

Books about Romania:

“Never mind the Balkans. Here’s Romania“, by Mike Ormsby. 

“When cultures collide – Leading across cultures“, by Richard D. Lewis.

Romanian-made advertising

• Check videos in the vodpod widget on the right