Performing muzica tiganeasca

Abstract

‘Authenticity’, a laden concept whereof there is no academic consensus on whether it even exists. Despite all of the challenges and questions surrounding this concept within musical discourses, it is still a word that is accepted in its use in daily life. Although ‘authenticity’ is considered a ‘slippery slope’, this thesis will enter into an ongoing debate on ‘authenticity’ and the performance of music, especially when the folk music is performed by musicians who have a different cultural and ethnic background then that of the performed music. Therefore, this thesis will argue to what extent different perspectives of ‘authenticity’ are pertinent to the muzica ţiganeasca performed by the Lăutarii, a Dutch formation that performs muzica ţiganeasca. By reviewing the performance of muzica ţiganeasca, a form of folk music that stems from muzica lăutarească, the music of the ţigani (Romanian Romani people), this thesis will enter the ‘authenticity’ discourse and discuss the ideological problems that are linked to this topic: ‘authenticity’, ‘originality’, ‘cultural appropriation’ and existing power relations.