Lăutari

The Romanian word Lăutar denotes a class of traditional musicians. Most often, and by tradition, lăutari are members of a professional clan of Romani musicians (or the local term, Gypsies), also called țigani lăutari. The term is derived from lăută, the Romanian word for lute. Lăutari usually perform in bands, called taraf.

Lăutar, according to the DEX ("Dicționarul Explicativ al Limbii Române" — "The Explanatory Dictionary of the Romanian Language"), is formed from lăută (meaning "lute") and the agent suffix -ar, common for occupational names. A distinction should be made between the generic Romanian-language word lăutar and the Romani clan. Originally, the word was used only for those that played the lăută. The others were named for their instruments, too, e.g.: scripcar (violin player), cobzar (cobza player), and naigiu (nai/panflute player). From the 17th century, the word lăutar was used regardless of the instrument that was played.

Another distinction should be made between the lăutărească music played by lăutari and the Romanian peasant music. A more proper term for someone who plays peasant music, i.e., a folk musician, is rapsod.

The lăutari clan probably stems from other historical Romani clans present in Romania, such as the ursari, lovari and kalderash. Names of Romani clans in Romania are usually Romanian occupational names: Căldărar (bucket-maker, căldare=bucket; -aș replaces -ar regionally), Lingurar (spoon-makers, lingură=spoon), Florar (flower sellers, floare=flower) etc.

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