Muzica din Transilvania: separatism etnic sau interculturalism? Fapte și interpretări preliminare
Transylvanian Art Music (1910-2010): Ethnical Separatism or Interculturalism? Facts and Interpretations

Summary/Abstract: As a cultural-geographical term, “Transylvania” includes the intra-Carpathian area as well as the historical surrounding territories of Banat, Crișana, Oaș, Maramureș. The term “traditions” comprises the folkloric heritage of Romanian, Hungarian, Saxon, Jew, Armenian, and Gypsy inhabitants, as well as church music and early art music (Bakfark, Tinódi, Hoffgreff, Căianu etc.). Between 1910 and 2010, aside from national and cosmopolitan art music, it is noticeable a “musical regionalism” with ethnic crossovers, determined by psycho-sociological factors. Conclusions: a. Intercultural adoptions of folkloric traditions were mostly influenced by the assimilation of the dominant Hungarian and (after 1918) Romanian culture. b. Influential inter-ethnic adoptions come from modern writers: Blaga (Eisikovits, Jodál, Terényi), Arghezi (Jodál, Eisikovits, Kurtág), Sorescu (Eisikovits, Vermesy, Türk), respectively Ady (Bretan, Eisikovits, E. Cuteanu, Țăranu), Weöres (Eisikovits, Ligeti). Composers also made settings of lyrics by regional or local poets – e.g., the songs by Bretan represent a veritable anthology of Romanian, Hungarian and Jewish poets from Cluj. c. An influence of modern art, what might be termed the” Brâncuși-effect” on music (works by Ligeti, Olah, Terényi, Fátyol, Iranyi). d. The inspiration of regional early music, also with ethnic crossovers, such as by Toduță (from Bakfark), Terényi (from Honterus, Bakfark). e. Works of Romanian composers dedicated to Bartók (Drăgoi, Țăranu), and one of a Hungarian composers, to Enescu (Olah). f. The two-way exchange (transmitting and receiving) of Romanian, Hungarian, Saxon, Jewish, and Armenian traditions contrast with the purely emissive nature of the Gipsy tradition.

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