The collection “Musique Orientale” by Francois Rouschitzky

17th of October 2024,19:30
Pfarrkirche Reindorf
Reindorfgasse 21
1150 Vienna
Free entrance (open to donations)
The concert is sponsored by the Department of Culture of the city of Vienna (15th district)

Marin Bunea – Violin
Victor Botnaru – Cobza, Fluier
Sofia Labropoulou – Kanun
Marius Malanetchi – Viola da Gamba
Maria Bunea – Lute
The collection “Musique Orientale. 42 Chansons et Danses Moldaves, Valaques, Grecs et Turcs” by Francois Rouschitzky was published in 1834 in Iaşi, today´s Romania.
As carriers of an uninterrupted live tradition and experts in the field of traditional music of Moldova and Romania, Marin Bunea (violin) and Victor Botnaru (fluier, cobza) studied the Rouschitzky collection thoroughly and put together a unique concert program, including not only the melodies of the collection itself, but also other traditional pieces, offering the public a broader understanding of the musical landscape of that time. Some melodic elements, or even entire melodies from the Rouschitzky collection are preserved in the traditional musician’s repertoire until today.
The Greek musician and Kanun virtuoso Sofia Labropoulou will join the concert as a special guest, contributing to the representation of the Moldovan 19th century musical life with Ottoman sonorities and flair.
Marius Malanetchi (viola da gamba) and Maria Bunea (lute), who are both studying the historical performance practice of Western European music will be hosting the concert and providing insights into the history of the cultural relations between Moldova and Austria at that time.