ROM MUSICIANSHIP AND THE ETHNOMUSICOLOGICAL STUDY OF ADAPTATION

Hipotezu da romski i ne-romski glazbenici imaju različite pristupe u prilagođavanju stranih skladbi svojim repertoarima podržala je analiza prilagođavanja Lambade lokalnoj uporabi na Kosovu. Praćenje odnosa između originala i verzija po jednog izabranog romskog i ne-romskog ansambla, pokazuje da je ne-romski ansambl nastojao stvoriti verziju što sličniju originalnoj, dočim je romski ansambl original shvatio tek kao ishodište na temelju kojega je modificiranjem odgovarajućih parametara (instrumentacija, oblik, melodija, ritam, harmonija, tempo i tekst) stvorio vlastitu, poosobljenu verziju.Situations in which the ethnomusicologist can designate with certainty the first version of a particular piece of music, which has provided the basis for other versions, are rare, and even quite exceptional. Nevertheless, just such an opportunity arose in Kosovo in 1990, where it was possible to follow the process of adoption of Lambada by Rom and non-Rom ensembles from its performance by the Kaoma ensemble, played many times a day on radio and television. Analysis of the adaptation of individual musical parameters in relation to the original version on the part of a selected Rom and a non-Rom ensemble of similar type showed considerable differences in their approaches. The non-Rom ensemble whose members were ethnic Muslim and Serbian musicians tried to create a version as similar to the original as possible, while the Rom ensemble took the original version only as the raw material, from which, by modifying the corresponding parameters — — instrumentation, form, melody, rhythm, harmony, tempo and lyrics — it created its own personalised version. As the Lambada example shows, when studying Rom music-making, one should take into consideration the entire repertoire since, whatever the origins of any composition whatsoever, it becomes "Rom music" through the manner of adaptation