Although most people associate the Gypsy with a Hungarian or Russian derivation, the Gypsies are scattered throughout southeastern Europe. Wherever the Gypsies went they added words of the local dialect to their own Romany language. Similarly, the music also shows, in its rhytms and inflections, the influence of the "host" country. The Gypsy performers presented here are from Macedonia and sing primarily in Romany as well as in the Macedonian language (nos. 14 and 16).



The Songs:

Esma's Song - Esma Kiri Gilli
Listen, brothers and sisters, Esma greets you. He who listens to me when I sing, will be joyous at heart. Come, we will all sing together and sorrow and care will be forgotten, for singing cures all pain.
I Curse You Mother - Hajri Mate Diki Daje
A young girl bemoans her lost youth. Her parents have sold her to a ricj man who she does not love.
Beautiful Girl - Chaje Shukarije
Go from my sight, beautiful girl, I cannot look at you, so great is my love for you.
Gypsy Dance - Chochek
(Instrumental) A Gypsy folk dance performed by young and old with lively gestures as they whirl about in a circle.
I Have Seen Much - Buda Dikljum
I have seen much and I have suffered much.
Oh, My God - Ah Devla
This song is about the earthquake in Skopje in 1963. It destroyed the singer's home and killed his wife. His wife died young and pregnant and he himself remained alone without family and house. He expresses his sadness through his violin playing to other Gypsies, singing that he would never again live in Skopje (the capital of Macedonia).
Macedonian Horo - Soborsko Oro
(Instrumental)
Little Gypsy Girl - Meda Sijum Ternori
A little Gypsy Girl, a flower girl, is not happy. She loves a fellow who cannot leave off playing cards. She begs him to give up his card playing and then she will give him all her love.
The Deceitful Shepherd - Jolandji Choban
Oh you lying shepherd, why have you called me? You love someone else and you keep me hidden and lead me out through the small side door. I gave you my love for your love and no so that I should watch over your sheep.
Shiptar Dance - Shote Mashala
(Instrumental) National dance of the Shiptar region, danced at weddings and at holiday festivals.
Dzhulo, Dzhulo
A mother speaks to her little son, born out of wedlock, whose name is Dzhulo, about the love troubles she has had in her life. When Dzhulo grows up he asks his mother where his father is and why he does not live with them.
The Young Bride - Ushtili Chaj Rano Sabajle
A young bride got up early on Sunday morning, the day of her wedding. She hastens to make herself up in order to be more beautiful when the wedding party arrives at her home to take her to her future husband.
Oh, Young One! - Abre Ramche
Young one, my beautiful young one, why do you run away from me? You know that I love you very much. Do not leave me lest my youth withers away. Do not forget our true love. You tell me that I should wait until I am grown upand then we will know happiness.
The Song And The Girl - Pesna i Devojka
(Sung in Macedonian)
Every Night I Wander Around - Save Rat Daje Me Pirava
Mother, I wander through the streets every night looking for my love. But my search is not rewarded. My love has gone away to a foreign land and poor me is left behind to bemoan my fate.
I Won't Get Married - Da Me Molat Ne Se Zhenam
(Sung in Macedonian) a humorous song about a man who does not want to get married. If he takes a young girl she would never be in the house; if she is an older one there would be a lot of quarrels; if he takes a village girl she would call him daddy; if she is a widow she would bring him a number of children; if she is a divorcee she would run away within a few days; if she is a town girl she would make him go away. and, in conclusion, since he has not yet married, he is not going to marry, anyhow!
Look At This Girl, Mother - Oketano nano Odoja Chaja
Dance for me, beautiful girl, I prefer to look only upon you. Then will I sleep peacefully and dream. (A Macedonian Gypsy Song).
Get Up, Father - Ushti, Ushti Baba
A young bride is trying to awaken her father on Sunday morning because this is her wedding day and the wedding party is coming but her father is still sleeping.
Sweet Dreams - Me Suneste Aljan
A young girl has dreamt that her boyfriend had arrived, loved her, whispered sweet words and that she had been happy. When she gets up in the morning she realizes disappointedly that all this had been merely a dream.
Unhappy Loneliness - Achiljum Chorori
This song is about a little girl who found herself alone in the world early in life. When she grows up she is again unhappy in life and love too.
Romany Horo - Romano Oro
Dance, Gypsies! Dance the new Romany Horo, the dance of youth, of passion, the dance of the Oriental heart. Come on, Gypsies, dance and sing the Romany Horo.


The Performers:


Vocals by: Esma Redzhepova Nos.1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21.
________ Usnija Jasharova Nos. 11, 12, 19, 20.
Vocal Duets: Dimitar Dusev & Zhika Nikolic No. 16.
__________ Slavica Pavlovic & Jovanka Ivanovska No. 18.

The Stevo Teodosievski Ensemble Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21.
The Nasko Dzhorlev Ensemble Nos. 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 20.
The Uroshevic Ensemble No. 7.

Maintained by Dusko Koncaliev koncadu@earlham.edu