Gjertruds sigøynerorkester (Gjertrud’s Gypsy Orchestra) has specialised in eastern European Gypsy music, namely from Russia, Romania and Hungary. They have acquired the music through the aural tradition from Gypsy musicians in Budapest, including collaboration with the late László Rácz, the celebrated cimbalist, who was their friend, mentor and co-musician from the group’s inception in 1989. The ensemble has also worked on Yiddish music with Bente Kahan and Norwegian “Tater” (Traveller) music with Elias Akselsen. This has resulted in the CD Jeg er på vandring (I am on my travels). Gjertrud’s Gypsy Orchestra has toured extensively in Norway, performed on radio and television, attended many festivals and released several CDs. The ensemble receives financial support from Arts Council Norway.

About the music

Eastern European Gypsy music suddenly shifts from delicate melancholy to passionate dance rhythms. Elements from art music, 19th century popular music and not least folk music has melded together to create a unique form of music, in which the tonal language of folk music takes on virtuoso performance technique and the timbral ideals of the classical/romantic tradition. Learning the music through the aural tradition, arranging it in real time, and combining this with ‘classical’ virtuoso performance technique makes way for nuanced, playful and sincere musical expression. The wealth of variation in the rhythms, tempi and phrasing of Gypsy music, in which it is expected that the ensemble will consistently take its lead from the primás’s whims and moods, requires extremely tight and flexible communication within an ensemble.

”Travelling music” The fate of the Gypsies, Jews and Norwegian Romani people as ‘wandering peoples’ have important parallels. The ‘wandering’ may be the result of culture and lifestyle, or it may be necessary movement caused by oppression and difficult conditions. In either case the result is rich cultures containing a multitude of impulses which spread cultural expression over huge areas. Music has also provided a livelihood for many in the gypsy community.

Their musical traditions are multifaceted and bear the marks of a wide variety of impulses. They have their own folk music, much of it vocal, related to daily life and their own language and culture. In addition ‘Travellers’ have often been important bearers of local folk music traditions in the areas where they have settled. In a great deal of ‘music for a purpose’, such as dance music or restaurant music, there are traces of folk music, popular music and the European classical music tradition. Gjertrud’s Gypsy Orchestra is committed to communicating this musical diversity, with moods from dark restaurants in Budapest, village feasts, Jewish weddings and Norwegians “tater” bonfires.