How Gypsies have inspired others

Classical Inspiration

Gypsy music lifestyle and culture have been inspirational for many of the world's greatest classical composers. Notably work by:

Georges Bizet (1838-1875)

Carmen

Bizet Carmen, one of the most popular operas of all time features the music of the Spanish Gypsy. The dazzling orchestration and rhythmic and melodic vitality is shown in the Bohemian dance when Carmen sings an exciting song about the joys of Gypsy life.

Unfortunately when Carmen was first performed it was poorly received. The critics were scandalised by its realism. Audiences were shocked by its "immorality", vitality and originality.

Bizet never recovered from this tragedy and died just three months later.

Bela Bartok (1881-1945)

Roumanian Folk Dances

Bartok Bela Bartok was a great collector of folk tunes and was familiar with the playing of Gypsy musicians throughout Hungary. In his instrumental works there are many elements which have come mainly from the playing of Gypsy Musicians - particularly in his string quartets.

He said that the chief musical talent of the Gypsies lay in their ability to transform any folk music.

Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967)

Dances of Galanta

Kolaly Like his close friend Bartok, Kodaly devoted much of his time to musicology. He was greatly influenced by folk music and the playing of Gypsy musicians.

This is particularly noticeable in the Dances of Galanta and the Dances from Marosszek.

Ferencz Liszt (1811-1886)

Hungarian Rhapsodies

Liszt In 1859 Liszt scandalised the Hungarian public when he wrote a book "Des Bohemiens et de leur Musique en Hongrie". He wrote it both as his explanation of and as an introduction to Gypsy Music in Hungary. It was with these same purposes in Mind that he had composed the Hungarian Rhapsodies.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Hungarian Dances

Brahms Brahms' fascination with Hungarian Gypsy music stemmed from his friendship with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reminyi.

Brahms' described his Hungarian Dances as "genuine Gypsy children which I did not beget but merely brought up with bread and milk.

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Slavonic Dances

Dvorak It was a Brahms' suggestion that his publisher took on Dvorak and asked him to write a set of Slavonic Dances like Brahms' own hugely successful Hungarian Dances.

Dvoraks' Slavonic Dances created a furore throughout Europe and brought him widespread success.

Other composers whose work shows evidence of strong Gypsy influences include:

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) La Gitana
Vittorio Monti (1868-1922) Csardas
Pablo Sarasate (1844-1908) Gypsy Airs
Franz Doppler (1821-1883) Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy
Grigoras Dinicu (1889-1949) Hora Staccato

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Famous Gypsies and Roma

Artists, Writers, Scientists, Actors & Actresses, Musicians & Singers, Nobel Prizes, Pioneers & Adventurers, Presidents of the Republic, Parliament Members, Preachers, War Heroes, Journalists, Fashion Designer, Sport... If you weren't aware of the contributions Gypsy and Roma people have made follow the link below.

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Classical Admiration

With a tradition of such strong musical talent it is hardly surprising that Gypsy musicians have earned the respect, love and admiration of some of the greatest classical composers such as Liszt, Debussy, Delibes, Vaughan Williams and many more.

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