04/07/2026
On Tuesday, June 30, 'An Alternative History of Music' culminated with a Romanian episode featuring Dragoș Rusu — DJ, sound researcher, and The Attic co-founder and editor-in-chief.
Drawing from his keen interest in the anthropology of sound and applying the seminal concept of "deep listening" pioneered by Pauline Oliveros alongside Holger Schulze’s concept of "thick listening," Dragoș examined the tulnic (a woodwind instrument unique to Romania's Apuseni Mountains and historically used as a communication tool) to argue that "cultural practices are in constant motion and can be continuously transformed through technological means."
Keeping this idea in mind, the presentation was followed by an immersive listening session of obscure local (Romanian, Aromanian, and Roma) folk records. Deftly layered with the iconic voice of Maria Tănase, the avant-garde works of Octavian Nemescu, and other 'darkish' contemporary tracks unknown to me, the set merged into a trance-like state that offered a profoundly singular approach to the past — what was originally billed as "Deconstructing Romanian folklore" ultimately felt like a much-needed, enriching reconstruction.
Thank you, Dragoș Rusu!
I am also incredibly grateful to our audience, to Andrei Raicu for managing the audio setup for this event, to Petre Fall (photo & video & sound recordings), and to our supportive host Goethe-Institut Bucuresti .
(Elena Dobîndă , curator of 'An Alternative History of Music' series)
Photos (2): Petre Fall
