EU arts
European anthem
The European anthem is based on the
prelude to "The Ode to Joy", 4th movement
of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.
Due to the large number of languages in
Europe, it is an instrumental version only
with the original German lyrics having no
official status. The anthem was announced
on 19 January 1972 by the Council of Europe.
European dances
European dances
A folk costume is not to be admired
statically, but seen on people chained in a
specific dance. The round dance, or hora,
speaks about the grace and richness of the
dancer and his costume, in search of
perfection.
No wonder that tourists, when going abroad,
so much enjoy learning some movements of
the traditional dances of the people visited.
Greek dances
The Syrtos is considered
the national dance of Greece.
It is danced by all Greeks
everywhere in one form or
another. Dancers are in a
broken circle with hands joined
at shoulder height with elbows
bent and down. The hands are
not pushed forward, but are
comfortably back by the
shoulders.
Accordingly, the dance
begins with slower, smoother
actions, gradually transforming
into faster, vivid ones, often
including hops and leaps.
Romanian dances
Hora is a type of circle dance originating in
the Balkans but now found in a number of
countries, most of which use slightly different
spellings. The original meaning of the Greek
word may have been 'circle' and this dance
can be found in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia,
Turkey.
Irish dances
Irish performance dancing is traditionally
referred to as stepdance. Irish stepdance,
popularized in 1994 by the world-famous
show "Riverdance," is notable for its rapid leg
movements, body and arms being kept
largely stationary.
Spanish dances
Flamenco is a Spanish musical genre with
origins in Andalusia and a term that refers
both to a musical genre, known for its intricate
rapid passages, and a dance genre
characterized by its audible footwork
Traditional
European Music
Folk music of England
Folk music of England is a type of
traditionally based music, often contrasted
with courtly, classical and later commercial
music, for which evidence exists from the
later medieval period. It has been preserved
and transmitted orally, through print and later
through recordings. The term is used to refer
to English traditional music and music
composed, or delivered, in a traditional style.
English folk music has produced or
contributed to several important musical
genres, including sea shanties, jigs, hornpipes
and dance music, such as that used for Morris
dancing. It can be seen as having distinct
regional and local variations in content and
style, particularly in areas more removed
from the cultural and political centres of the
English state, as in Northumbria, or the West
German folk music
Germany has many unique regions with
their own folk traditions of music and dance.
In both East and West Germany, folk songs
are very popular. Bavarian folk music is likely
the most well-known outside of Germany.
Spanish folk music
Spain's autonomous regions have their
own distinctive folk traditions.
Flamenco is an Andalusian traditional folk
music. It consists of three forms: the song
(cante), the dance (baile) and the guitar
(guitarra).
Folk music of Romania
Folk music is the oldest form of Romanian
musical creation, characterized by great
vitality; it is the defining source of the
cultured musical creation, both religious and
lay. In the conservation of folk music an
important role has been played by an
enduring audience for the folk music in
Romania. The most common folk instruments
are: the violin, the cobza, the taragot , the
saxophone, the pipes .