Lăutari

The Romanian word lăutar (pronounced [lə.uˈtar]; plural: lăutari) denotes a class of musicians.

The term was adopted by members of a professional clan of Romani musicians in the late 18th century.

Lăutar, according to the DEX ("Dicționarul Explicativ al Limbii Române" — "The Explanatory Dictionary of the Romanian Language"), is formed from lăută (meaning "lute") and the agent suffix -ar, common for occupational names.

[3] Before the 19th century, Romani musicians were often employed to provide entertainment in the courts of the Princes and Boyars.

In the 19th century, most of these musicians settled in rural areas where they sought new employment at weddings, funerals, and other traditional Romanian celebrations.

[6] As performers, lăutari are usually loosely organized into a group known as a Taraf, which often consists largely of the males of an extended family.

[9] The lăutărească music is complex and elaborated, with dense harmonies and refined ornamentations, and its execution requires a good technique.

The lăutari also function as guides through the wedding rituals and moderate any conflicts that may arise during what can be a long, alcohol-fuelled party.

The repertoire of the lăutari include hora, sârba, brâul (a high tempo hora), doiul, tunes with Turkish derived rhythms (geamparaua, breaza, rustemul, maneaua lăutărească, cadâneasca), doina, de ascultare (roughly "song for listening", it can be considered a more complex form of doina), cântecul bătranesc, călușul, ardeleana, corăgheasca, bătuta.