Although most people associate the Gypsy with a Hungarian or Russian
derivation, the Gypsies are scattered throughout southeastern Europe.
Wherever the Gypsies went they added words of the local dialect to their
own Romany language. Similarly, the music also shows, in its rhytms and
inflections, the influence of the "host" country. The Gypsy performers
presented here are from Macedonia and sing primarily in Romany as well as
in the Macedonian language (nos. 14 and 16).
The Songs:
Esma's Song - Esma Kiri Gilli
Listen, brothers and sisters, Esma greets you. He who listens to me
when I sing, will be joyous at heart. Come, we will all sing together
and sorrow and care will be forgotten, for singing cures all pain.
I Curse You Mother - Hajri Mate Diki
Daje
A young girl bemoans her lost youth. Her parents have sold her to a
ricj man who she does not love.
Beautiful Girl - Chaje Shukarije
Go from my sight, beautiful girl, I cannot look at you, so great is
my love for you.
Gypsy Dance - Chochek
(Instrumental) A Gypsy folk dance performed by young and old with
lively gestures as they whirl about in a circle.
I Have Seen Much - Buda Dikljum
I have seen much and I have suffered much.
Oh, My God - Ah Devla
This song is about the earthquake in Skopje in 1963. It destroyed
the singer's home and killed his wife. His wife died young and pregnant
and he himself remained alone without family and house. He expresses his
sadness through his violin playing to other Gypsies, singing that he
would never again live in Skopje (the capital of Macedonia).
Macedonian Horo - Soborsko Oro
(Instrumental)
Little Gypsy Girl - Meda Sijum
Ternori
A little Gypsy Girl, a flower girl, is not happy. She loves a fellow
who cannot leave off playing cards. She begs him to give up his card
playing and then she will give him all her love.
The Deceitful Shepherd - Jolandji
Choban
Oh you lying shepherd, why have you called me? You love someone else
and you keep me hidden and lead me out through the small side door. I
gave you my love for your love and no so that I should watch over your
sheep.
Shiptar Dance - Shote Mashala
(Instrumental) National dance of the Shiptar region, danced at
weddings and at holiday festivals.
Dzhulo, Dzhulo
A mother speaks to her little son, born out of wedlock, whose name is
Dzhulo, about the love troubles she has had in her life. When Dzhulo
grows up he asks his mother where his father is and why he does not live
with them.
The Young Bride - Ushtili Chaj Rano
Sabajle
A young bride got up early on Sunday morning, the day of her
wedding. She hastens to make herself up in order to be more beautiful
when the wedding party arrives at her home to take her to her future
husband.
Oh, Young One! - Abre Ramche
Young one, my beautiful young one, why do you run away from me? You
know that I love you very much. Do not leave me lest my youth withers
away. Do not forget our true love. You tell me that I should wait until
I am grown upand then we will know happiness.
The Song And The Girl - Pesna i
Devojka
(Sung in Macedonian)
Every Night I Wander Around - Save
Rat Daje Me Pirava
Mother, I wander through the streets every night looking for my
love. But my search is not rewarded. My love has gone away to a foreign
land and poor me is left behind to bemoan my fate.
I Won't Get Married - Da Me Molat Ne
Se Zhenam
(Sung in Macedonian) a humorous song about a man who does not want to
get married. If he takes a young girl she would never be in the house;
if she is an older one there would be a lot of quarrels; if he takes a
village girl she would call him daddy; if she is a widow she would bring
him a number of children; if she is a divorcee she would run away within
a few days; if she is a town girl she would make him go away. and, in
conclusion, since he has not yet married, he is not going to marry,
anyhow!
Look At This Girl, Mother - Oketano
nano Odoja Chaja
Dance for me, beautiful girl, I prefer to look only upon you. Then
will I sleep peacefully and dream. (A Macedonian Gypsy Song).
Get Up, Father - Ushti, Ushti Baba
A young bride is trying to awaken her father on Sunday morning
because this is her wedding day and the wedding party is coming but her
father is still sleeping.
Sweet Dreams - Me Suneste Aljan
A young girl has dreamt that her boyfriend had arrived, loved her,
whispered sweet words and that she had been happy. When she gets up in
the morning she realizes disappointedly that all this had been merely a
dream.
Unhappy Loneliness - Achiljum Chorori
This song is about a little girl who found herself alone in the world
early in life. When she grows up she is again unhappy in life and love
too.
Romany Horo - Romano Oro
Dance, Gypsies! Dance the new Romany Horo, the dance of youth, of
passion, the dance of the Oriental heart. Come on, Gypsies, dance and
sing the Romany Horo.
The Performers:
Vocals by: Esma Redzhepova Nos.1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9,
13, 14, 15, 17, 21.
________ Usnija
Jasharova Nos. 11, 12, 19, 20.
Vocal Duets: Dimitar Dusev & Zhika Nikolic No. 16.
__________ Slavica Pavlovic &
Jovanka Ivanovska No. 18.
The Stevo Teodosievski Ensemble Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21.
The Nasko Dzhorlev Ensemble Nos. 11, 12, 16, 18,
19, 20.
The Uroshevic Ensemble No. 7.
Maintained by Dusko Koncaliev
koncadu@earlham.edu