Cultures of Indebtedness: Displacements of Value in Eastern Europe, New Europe College, Bucharest, January 22-23.

Abstract

In Romania, the lăutari form a distinct category of musicians. They play on command, in events such as weddings, christenings, political fairs, pubs and restaurants, while also recording CDs and video clips. They tend to insist on the professional aspects of their practice, often presenting themselves as craftsmen. What is the ethical and economical model of these professional musicians ? How do they understand the link between musical emotions and money making ? To address these questions, I will focus on the payment through "bakchich" (bacşiş, şpagă), which gives individual listeners the opportunity to inflect the music played by the lăutari in collective settings.