A lyrical, improvised folk song expressing deep sorrow or longing.
Parallel to the urban romance is the "Muzica Lăutărească" and the traditional folklore that Maria Tănase elevated to an art form. Tănase, often called the "Edith Piaf of Romania," possessed a voice that could convey the raw grit of a village lament and the poise of a classical performance simultaneously. Downloading an album of her work or that of Gică Petrescu provides a sensory history of the Romanian spirit—oscillating between the jubilant, wine-soaked party songs (muzica de petrecere) and the introspective, melancholic doină . Download Muzica Romaneasca Veche Album