Customer Reviews

Sounds From a Bygone Age 3

5 star:		(4)
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Lovingly produced record as are all in this series (I bought 3 so far), with very good and interesting liner notes. Music is surprizing and unusual even if you are familiar with Rumanian gypsy idiom.I bought it to hear a "male version of Romica Puceanu" and you know what? Dona Dimitru Siminica sings in the same register and style as Romica, using a high falsetto voice, in a countertenor register with unbelievable control and unearthy beauty.
aranos

Take the melodic richness of Romanian folk music, graft onto it the boundless emotional range of the Gypsy soul, and the result is personified by the likes of Romica Puceanu or Dona Dumitru Siminica.

Since references have been made here about the unusual voice of the late Siminica, I will say that he comes across as if were a combination between Nina Simone (voice) and Billie Holiday (pathos).

The CD presentation attempts to be rigorous and inclusive, but due to a rather limited space the reader is left wanting more about undeveloped bits and pieces of information. All in all, it's a good place to start learning more about Siminica's environment--musical and otherwise. The sound quality is decent, especially considering the time and conditions of the original recording.

I wish I were able to say/write more about this CD, but risk doing the reader injustice by saying more than HAPPY LISTENING!

Dona has a romantic and passionate voice I have never heard before. He is outstanding. What a pity that I cannot hear him singing a life. I am so sorry for his early death. I want to find out whether there are musical festivals in Romania.

I have the cd case in front of me to re-read the description of this music recording. You need to read this for yourself. Anyone new to this recording will say (with rapt attention) "who is this, what kind of music is this ??".
Does Amazon.com offer a "listen to a clip" from this cd? I didn't check. You must listen to it. If not at least read the cd case and buy it. You won't regret it. If anything you will go back (as I) to Amazon. com to purchase more of this genre.