Projects of a folklore lover

Alexandru Mica studied Korean and Japanese at the Pyongyang University and he was for three years Romania’s ambassador in North Korea. It is a country that he came to know very well.

He even wrote a book where you can find a bit of everything: from descriptions of Mount Pektu or Mount Myohyang to recipes for traditional Korean foods.

He is a doctor in philological sciences and he published compared studies regarding the fantastic plot in romantic literature with a particular view to Gogol’s work and the influence Hoffmann writings exerted over him. He was a teacher at the Ethnology University and he is a member of many international organisations.

Alexandru Mica loves folklore and he has dedicated a lot of time to research in this field. He also sings marvelously – he is an accomplished musician.

Alexandru Mica is deemed as the singer that he has a golden voice. The writer Tudor Octavian said about him “he possesses one of those voices that manages to put passion before sound.”

The ethno-musician Dumitru D. Stancu said about him: “he has the talent to resemble great minds, vibrating like the spirit of the song.”

He has always striven to better know the souls of the Romanian peasant and he even inaugurated at the Athenaeum a series of concerts meant to make people realise the importance of folklore.

The illustrious ethno-musician Harry Brauner and several virtuosos of popular musical instruments supported the concerts and offered their collaboration.

Alexandru Mica was also involved in a project even more ambitious – an anthology called “Five centuries of folkloric Romanian songs (1540-1995)” that included 442 diverse folkloric songs, on 35 audiocassettes. For this particular project, the author had no support from the officials. Nobody wanted to help him out.

Recordings were made in the studios of the Romanian Radio Broadcast Company but as he had little or no money he was forced to record the songs at great intervals of time. Alexandru Mica’s efforts spanned over a few years. It is only due to his persuasion and perseverance that this anthology exists today.

It provides folklore lovers and ethnologists with a great instrument, also offering entertainment. The author has the satisfaction of a thing well done.

Alexandru Mica’s anthology includes the most representative pieces of the Muntenia folklore from the 16th century to Anton Pann’s songs that the singer managed to restore to their true value.

It also includes the Alecsandri collection of songs that he discovered in a copy of one of the poet’s books in a library in Galati.

He is not only a folklore singer. Alexandru Mica is currently involved in a project regarding anthologised songs and poems that will be comprised in an erudite unique masterpiece.

It will present folkloric Romanian songs in a unique and new manner. We are all eagerly expecting the issue of this piece de resistance that will surely satisfy out ethnological curiosity.