fR316 PAGES 18-19 1/9/09 12:29 Page 1
root salad
f18
London Gypsy Orchestra
Gundula Gruen’s community ensemble has grown into
a 50-piece powerhouse. Garth Cartwright hears how.
learnt from CDs – Brahms’s Hungarian
Dances is one example of that. But even
there I have not stuck with the usual
orchestral arrangement. Other tunes I have
learnt from Gypsies and gone on to make
orchestral arrangements. Caliu of Taraf De
Haïdouks is a master fiddler and he taught
me a few pieces which we perform. I try
and get a good geographical mix into the
orchestra’s repertoire: Romania, Russia,
Macedonia, Georgia, Turkey, Hungary, Bul-
garia, German Sinti, Czech, klezmer.”
W
anting to capture the
powerhouse that the LGO had
developed into, Gundula set up
Gun Records to release their
debut, Ajde Gadje (Come On And Dance
Non-Gypsy). Recorded in two sessions –
“The BBC Orchestra wanted me to play
with them so I traded off my performance
for studio time for the LGO to record as a
chamber orchestra; the second session was
at St Gabriel’s Church, we had to raise the
money for this recording amongst the
LGO and do it quickly but I’m satisfied
with the results” – the album’s 12 tunes
demonstrate how rich and varied the
LGO’s repertoire has become. But, as is
often the case, seeing the LGO perform is
G
undula Gruen is a remarkably busy into more exotic territory. I think it’s the
musician by anyone’s standards. emotional honesty of Gypsy music that
when the music really takes off.
Beyond directing the London captures me so completely. People express “Firstly, we do concerts which are
Gypsy Orchestra, she also plays in their sadness, anger and melancholy freely pretty epic events – 50 musicians on stage
the Balkan quartet ZiG and leads two through it, but also love and happiness.” creating this huge sound! Secondly, we
bands in Ankara, Turkey: Hzdeniz
Basing herself in the UK and teaching
host jam sessions. These started out as a
Orchestra and Balkan International. She
violin, Gundula began hosting monthly
simple way of relaxing new musicians into
also runs a record label, has recently
workshops where she would teach musi-
the music but have now evolved into an
published her first book and gives private
cians how to play East European pieces.
event. I tend to organise them with a
violin lessons. Amazingly, she found time
This planted the seed for what would
dance teacher which makes for a magic
to sit down and talk about her many
become the London Gypsy Orchestra, an
event as the musicians get to understand
activities. As the London Gypsy Orchestra
ensemble that now comprises 50-members
that this music is dance music when they
have recently released their debut album,
and plays major event concerts.
see people dancing while they play. It’s
the excellent Ajde Gadje (Gun Records; see
“I started the London Gypsy Orchestra
great fun and gives a better understand-
Reviews this issue), we focused on that.
in 2004 as I felt that I needed something
ing of Balkan music.”
“I was born and raised in Augsburg,
that could organise a group of musicians
It was through teaching Gypsy music
Bavaria, and grew up studying classical
where they were not only enjoying learn-
that Gundula developed the concept of
violin. I earned a degree in violin perfor-
ing the music but actively involved in a
her book Gypsy Fiddle Collection (Spartan
mance and teaching but by the time I
project that was moving forward. I started
Press; see Publication reviews this issue).
came to the end of my classical studies I
the LGO with 20 musicians and it just kept
This contains 63 transcriptions of music
had got really into Gypsy music. I started growing. The majority of musicians are from East Europe and the Balkans. “I was
first with the work of Bartok and Brahms amateurs but some are professionals. We writing down the music for the workshops
that employed Gypsy melodies but then I are very much a community group and I was hosting and once I had about 30
wanted to get closer to the real thing. One musical dynamic is important – the LGO pieces written it made sense to look at
of the really great things about Gypsy members who don’t have a lot of experi- publishing them. My publisher tells me I
musicians is that they constantly improvise ence play the song’s rhythm while the have a hit so it appears lots of people like
– something that a highly trained classical most experienced musicians take the solos. the idea of learning this music.”
musician finds extremely difficult. That’s Our performances these days are always
Dividing her time between London
why I then did a postgraduate degree in professional while the energy we generate
and Ankara, Turkey, means Gundula is con-
jazz, to gain an understanding of improvi- is exceptional. Simple things come togeth-
stantly in motion and making music with a
sation. I love jazz but it never took over my er and we just take off!”
variety of musicians. It can be, she admits,
heart in the way Gypsy music did.”
“I listen to all kinds of Gypsy music and exhausting but the creative pay-off makes
“Initially I managed to get lessons it’s when I hear a tune that has a special it worth it. “I like to work with a lot of
from a German Gypsy who taught me flavour, something that will lend itself to international musicians and play stuff
some Sinti songs and from there it went orchestration, then I know it’s suitable for from my journeys and musical experi-
across Hungary, Romania and south-east LGO. Some of the tunes we play I have ences.” www.londongypsyorchestra.co.uk
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92