What's up in Europe? | Page 143

Tradition ROMANIA All about folk: costumes, dances, music By Maria Iulia Before presenting you the information I have chosen, I will ask you to listen to this song or to a part from it: My question will be: What feeling did you get from listening to this type of music? A feature of Romanian culture is the special relationship between folklore and the learned culture, determined by two factors. First, the rural character of the Romanian communities resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. F o l k creations ( the best known is the ballad ‘Miorita’ ) were the m a i n literary genre until the 18th century. They were both a source of inspiration for cultivated creators and a structural model. Second, for a long time learned culture was governed by official and social commands and developed around 6?W'G0??b&??6W2?B&??'2??2vV??2??????7FW&?W2?