Music, City and the Roma under Communism

Description

This book highlights the role of Romani musical presence in Central and Eastern Europe, especially from Krakow in the Communist period, and argues that music can and should be treated as one of the main points of relation between Roma and non-Roma. It discusses Romani performers and the complexity of their situation as conditioned by the political situations starkly affected by the Communist regime, and then by its fall. Against this backdrop, the book engages with musician Stefan Dymiter (known as Corroro) as the leader of his own street band: unwelcome in the public space by the authorities, merely tolerated by others, but admired by many passers-by and respected by his peer Romain musicians and international music stars. It emphasizes the role of Romani musicians in Krakow in shaping the soundscape of the city while also demonstrating their collective and individual strategies to adapt to the new circumstances in terms of the preferred performative techniques, repertoire, and overall lifestyle. Cover Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgement Prologue: In the Circle of Official and Personal Memories Part 1 City and Music 1.1 The Tradition of Music-Making in the Streets 1.2 Romani Music-Making in Central and Eastern Europe 1.3 Romani Musicians in the Cities: Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest Part 2 Roma and Communism 2.1 The Roma in Communistic Poland: The Case of Nowa Huta 2.2 Romani Musicians from Nowa Huta: Traditions Versus New Expectations 2.3 Romani State-Supported Ensembles: On the Example of ROMA from Kraków Part 3 The Story of Corroro 3.1 The Situation of Romani Buskers in Kraków: The Significance of the Late 1970s 3.2 The Case of Corroro: A Romani Virtuoso in Communistic Times 3.3 The Myth of a Disabled Genius Epilogue: Post-1989 Reality Bibliography Index