Viorica și Ioniță de la Clejani — Sala Palatului, Bucharest, 2019

Full live concert by Viorica and Ioniță de la Clejani, backed by the Taraful din Clejani, at the Sala Palatului in Bucharest, Romania, in 2019. From the village of Clejani, cradle of the famous lăutari tradition, the two performers carry on the art of Romanian Roma musicians, sprung from the same soil as the legendary Taraf de Haïdouks. On the great Bucharest stage, virtuoso violins, accordion, cimbalom and double bass weave a soundscape of overflowing energy, where ornamented melodies and dizzying tempos accompany the duo’s expressive singing. Between heart-rending ballads, wedding tunes and frenzied dances, the concert unfolds the full richness of a folk repertoire handed down through generations. This filmed live recording captures the fervour of a packed hall and the rapport of a family of musicians at the peak of their art. An ideal document for fans of world music, Balkan music and filmed live concerts, offering a living tradition, at once festive and deeply moving, carried by exceptional performers.