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English Table of Contents 2004/1
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Busójárás The mascarade at carnival time in Mohács and how it has changed. According to tradition this custom held in the southern Hungarian town of Mohács began with children's carnival, held on thursday before the Sunday six weeks before Easter Sunday. The children went from house to house dressed up as various characters. On Sunday the adults went out in carved wooden masks, a sheepskin mask covering their entire head, sheepskin clothing, „sokac” trousers, boots, great cow bells hung from sheekskin belt. Nowadays this custom is well-known throughout Hungary and even abroad as a result of television and radio coverage. This fame has given rise to many changes in the tradition. Avar Anna probes the old ways and the changes.
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Muzsikás Ensemble: December 2003 – Releases a new recording / performs at the Academy of Music in Budapest. Their new CD: Muzsikás and Márta Sebestyén Live at Liszt Academy. Guest: Pro Musica Girls Choir Joining the Muzsikás and Sebestyén Márta for the concert in early December were cymbalom player Oláh Dezső from southern Slovakia, Petrás Mária singer from Hungarian Moldavia, Muszka Bene György and Muszka Bene Ilonka dancers from Méra in the Kalotaszeg region of Transylvania. Report by Abkarovits Endre
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Őstánc (ancestral dance) was the name of a concert held at the Pesti Vigadó theatre in Budapest on November 22, 2003. Ökrös Csaba – violin / Kobza Vajk – koboz with members of the Bekecs and Kecskés bands „...Through ancient rhythm and from the heart, the Hungarian spirit charms new growth onto the branches of the Hungarian tree of life (family tree). The ancestral dance is new growth; now after centuries of storms the tree can breathe again.” (statement of Kozma Vajk and fellow musicians) Report by Záhonyi András
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The first national meeting of the Hungarian Regional House (Museum) Association was held in the village of Noszvaj (just northeast of the town of Eger). The meeting was attended by those involved in support and maintence of these regional house museums, folk architecture researchers, professionals in the field of preservation of national landmarks and museologists.
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Rece Fice celebrates 10 + birthday Founded in 1992, this band plays Southern Slav music. In honour of this anniversary they had a show at the „FMH” in Budapest on November 28. This band is involved in, and wholeheartedly enjoys playing traditional music in South Slav communities in Hungary, as well as seeking out events where other South Slav musicians play. Report by founding band member Vitányi Iván (Jr.)
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Beltine. A group of Hungarian musicians interested in Irish and Celtic music formed the band named Beltine in 2000. They give concerts, have a person who teaches dance whenever the need arises and have plans for recording a CD sometime soon.
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Announcement on the formation of „Hangvető – distributor of quality music". Three local record companies (Etnofon Records, FolkEuropa and X-Produkció) involved in production of folk music recordings have joined forces to better handle distribution. Contact information in the Hungarian announcment.
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Mohacsy Albert and Nagy Zsolt announce their recording, ("12 bands – Transylvania"). An unusual plan: these two musicians who play accompaniment (bass and viola), decided to get their favorite fiddlers and fellow musicians together to play their favorite music. A gathering of most of the best musicians and singers of the Hungarian dance house movement today.
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Announcement for the 8th International Legényes (a men’s dance) Competition to be held April 24th, 2004 at the Budapest Cultural Center ("BMK"). The legényes material to be performed by competitors: legényes of Jaskó István „Pitti” from Györgyfalva, Transylvania.
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Magyarpolány opens folk arts retreat The village of Magyarpolány is in Veszprém County in Western Hungary. The folk arts retreat house is supported by Veszprém County Institute of Public Education and the Magyarpolány local government. (Further info: see contact info. in article in Hungarian.) Report by Sipos Tekla
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A critical review by Dreisziger Kálmán (of Montreal, Canada) on two choreographies: Román Sándor's „Ezeregy év” dance theatre production ("..this work uses the Hungarian folk dance language for the service of commercial goals bordering on kitsch...") and Mihályi Gábor's „Veszett világ” (” ...the choreography makes first rate folk dancers into third rate modern dancers...") performed by the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble.
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Response to Bolya Mátyás' critical review of Zurgó Ensemble's 10th anniversary event (Dec. 2003 FolkMAGazin). Demeter László of the Zurgó Ensemble and Fanfare Complexa, clearly insulted by previous article, offers defense.
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Lányi Ágoston In 1964 Lányi began teaching in German national folk dance ensembles in Hungary. He continued teaching, collection, research, choreography and publication on the dances of the Hungarian Germans until his death: thus providing a great deal of inspiration, support and material for these dance groups. Article by Dr. Mrs. Kiss Gábor Eötvös Ella – of the Hungarian German Democratic Association.
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Lányi Ágoston 1923–1986 Remembering Lányi's work throughout the 4 decades of his career as traditional dance notator, researcher, choreographer, author of many publications that have become handbooks in the field. His research concentrated on: circle dances, circle verbunk, Hungarian German dances, Finnish folk dances, collection work in Hungary: Bag, Alap, Sárköz, South Transdanubia, Mátyusföld, Fejér County, Vas County, Nyírség. Pesovár Ernő. First published in Táncszók. 1986. December.
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In memory of Lányi Ágoston In the folk dance notation archive at the Institute of Musicology in Budapest, there are 1300 notations of authentic folk dances that were notated by Lányi Ágoston. This tribute to Lányi's work was written by dance notator Fügedi János, once a student of Lányi's. Fügedi is one who knows Lányi's notation work from the inside. „...he developed a characteristic style, once familiar with his movment assements, one can tell immediately from the partitura, that the notator was none other than Lanyi.” (Speech heard on April 27, 1996 at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Insitute of Musicology)
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Transformation of Gypsy dance tradition. A short study of two dances found amongst Gypsies in the Hungarian language area: the fox dance (rókatánc) and the „mahala". The fox dance being an old tradition which is very rarely done and seen these days, is most likely in the process of dying out and is probably related to fertility ritual customs. The Mahala on the other hand, is a dance that has come into fashion in the last fifteen years or so, is said to have originated in certain Gypsy settlements around Bucharest in Romania. The writer of the article believes that these dances have not gotten enough attention by dance researchers. By Darmos István
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Periferic Records – Part III. Conversation with Böszörményi Gergely record producer. The first 50 recordings released by this record label were Hungarian progressive music, contemporary symphonic rock and some Jazz. Since then they have also produced two records for the Dűvő Ensemble. „...the record label’s task; when the owner hears something he likes, then he simply puts all shyness aside and goes to talk to the musicians...." K.Tóth László
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Szászcsávás Band Interview with Jámbor István „Dumnezu” prímás, and Szánthó Zoltán, band manager. Pávai István made the first recording of this band in 1987, Szánthó was with him. Since then Szánthó has made 4 more recordings and the band has been performing abroad regularly (since Szászcsávás is in Romania, that means Hungary and beyond). There is also information on the members of the band and the character of their Transylvanian village in this article by Abkarovits Endre
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Martin György and the folklore movement. Printed here is Héra Éva’s speech that was published in a volume entitled ("In Memory of Martin György” Hungarian Cultural Institute. Budapest. 1993.). She talks about establishment and development of the Hungarian folk dance movements and the ongoing role, influence and inspiration of Martin’s personality and tireless research work.
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Memories of Martin Interview with Novák Ferenc (Choreographer, longtime director of Honvéd Ensemble) Novák gives us an idea of the alive, intellectual atmosphere there was in the fifties amongst that circle of people that became key figures in Hungarian folk dance research, choreography and education. Novák describes Martin as one of the leading personalities in this group. Also commenting; „He was a wonderful, charismatic dancer, a delight to watch when he got up to dance.” Martin became the intellectual leader of the group of dance researchers/dance ethnographers that is referred to abroad as the Hungarian school. Report by Vasvári Annamária
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Călus Călus is a dance ritual performed only by men, only during Pentecost in villages in the Oltenia and Munténia regions of Romania. Onodi Béla reports on a two week collection trip he and some friends went on to Oltenia at end of May/beg of June, 2003 to research and witness this dance tradition and go to a călus dance festival there, while also providing short summary of the elements and some history on this custom.
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Soós János: Szék Winter stories about the church bell ringer and the field-guard (ranger) in Szék bringing in the New Year. Details about these two individuals and their personal lives both of whom served important functions in the life of this rural Transylvanian community in all of its beauty and hardship. New Year's greeting translated: Another year has passed / In which we had so much sadness / Our sadness brought us / many times to tears // A new time has come / Making us joyful / In our joy we give thanks / To God.
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English Table of Contents 2004/2
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"Out of the dew one day spring blooms.... The Szék person from nature could read the signals for restraint and moderation..... In Szék everything is like a spring treatise: an open secret...." The writer Soós János, native of the village of Szék in Transylvania has a few words on spring in Budapest where he now lives and spring, courtship, Easter and „sprinkling” on Easter Monday in Szék.
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Part I. of Kóka Rozália's account of her trip to Hungarian villages in Moldávia in 1969 to collect information for the Ethnographic Atlas of Hungarians. She tells of her preliminary work here in Hungary talking with the well known expert Domokos Pál Péter and visiting Moldavian Csángó Hungarians living in Southern Hungary and then continues with the first two weeks of her trip, which were spent in the village of Magyarfalu in Moldavia.
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New CD: Békés Banda: Zsok – Joc Romanian music from Eastern Hungary (Etnofon Records ER-CD 073, 2004) On this CD are Romanian dance cycles – from the villages of Elek, Mehkerék and Kétegyháza. This recording is the fruit of the band members' more than 20 year relationships with traditional musicians from those villages.
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New Egyszólam CD: for release in March 2004: Dancing in the Forest Traditional Hungarian music for shepherd's long flute and other instruments. On outlaws, shepherds and prisoners. (Berecz András, Fabián Éva, Juhász Zoltán, Sáringer Kalmán)
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Announcing 2 new CDs from the Folk Europa record label: Zerkula János fiddler from the Gyimes valley of Transylvania plays with Százcsávás Band, Vizeli Balázs and Balogh Kálmán. Magyarpalatka band plays at a wedding in Mezőkeszü – Fekete Antal „Puma’s” original field recording.
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New dance history publication A translation of the title: „Historical layers of our dance tradition – The history of Hungarian folk dance” by Pesovár Ernő. The book (in Hungarian) was published in 2003. Also available are accompanying video cassette and CD-ROM. Hungarian title is: „Tánchagyományunk történeti rétegei". Article by Pálfy Gyula.
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Announcing an exhibition of Vígh Éva's sculptural work. Kelenföld Public Library in Budapest. (see cover) By Benkő András.
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The Székely Műhely (Székely Workshop) released their 2nd CD before Christmas 2003. Poetry by famous Hungarian poets is set to original music composed by the group – who describes their own music as world music based on the music of Hungarian and neighboring ethnic groups, with the addition of latin, rock, jazz, etc
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8th Csángó Ball was held at Petőfi Csárnók in Budapest. This year the performance (directed by Diószegi László and Nagy Bercel) was organized so that the Csángó performers were on stage throughout, but danced alternately with revival groups from Budapest and other parts of Hungary. This event usually happens in late January or early February and the venue is always totally packed. The performance is followed by dance house. Review by Abkarovits Endre
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Darmos István was inspired by a choreography he saw during this year's Folk Dance Anthology, one of the choreographies included the csobántánc – a dance from the christmas custom of Bethlehem plays of the Bukovina Székely people – one of his thoughts; „an example of how our ancient rituals were preserved within catholicism.” The Néptáncantológia – or Folk Dance Anthology is an annual 2 day showcase of some of the best folk dance choreographies performed by amateur folkdance ensembles during the previous year. It is presently held during the month of January in Budapest's Erkel Theatre
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A carnival ball was held in the town of Pomáz (just outside of Budapest more or less in the direction of Szentendre). A community event with guests Berecz András and the Téka Ensemble and dance teaching by Bakonyi Ernő (aka: Savanyú). Report by Záhonyi András
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Listings of Hungarian summer folk dance and music camps
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Photographs by Endrődi Péter: Gyimes (Transylvania). From February 2–21, 2004 there was an exhibition at the French Institiute in Budapest. This issue of FolkMAGazin presents selected pictures from the exhibit and Sándor Ildikó's speech that opened the exhibit.
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Kovács Tivadar – fiddler from the village of Méhkerék. Halmos Béla remembers the first time he met and subsequent visits to visit and learn from this excellent fiddler (and teacher) in the Romanian village of Méhkerék in Eastern Hungary. This story underscores the difference between reading written music as a (classically) trained violin player and going to the source (in this case Kovács in Méhkerék) for first-hand experience in what traditional music is about and how it is really played. By K. Tóth László.
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From East to West This is the name of the Hargita National Székely Folk Ensemble's new choreography as well as the name of Ádám Gyula's exhibition of dance photos that opened on February 11. The new choreography, containing exclusively Transylvanian men's dances, was created by Péter László and Udvari Róbert. Though the report does not mention the location of these events, we can assume that they occured somewhere in Hargita County in Transylvania. By Nyulas Ferenc
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Announcement for 7th Verbunk Competition – to be held in Zalaegerszeg on May 15, 2004. Competitors must dance a total of 4 minutes of Bíró Ágoston „Zsukás” verbunk from the village of Csíkszentdomokos in Eastern Transylvania. Announcement by the Zalai Dance Ensemble Association
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Muzsikás Ensemble: On February 13th, 2004 the Muzsikás Ensemble, Sebestyén Márta and the Takács String Quartet shared a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. „The string quartet didn’t play anything with a concretely recognizable folk melody, thus it couldn’t really be said that the traditional music acted simply as an illustration.....the genres strengthened one another.....” Conversation with Hamár Dániel – Muzsikás’ bass player. By K. Tóth László
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Competition for title of Young Master of Folk Arts. Listed here are the National Cultural Heritage Ministry’s conditions and requirements for those students applying to win this state recognized title. Categories: Performing artists (folk story tellers, musicians, singers, dancers) and various traditional handcrafts. Announcement by Hungarian Heritage House – Folk Arts Workshop.
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Kozák József: A bagpipe from the Hungarian plain. From this article we get information on how the bagpipes of the plains area differ from other Hungarian bagpipes. In the plains, the bagpipe players were not shepherds (as in Northern Hungary for example), but rather middle class merchants, tradesmen who played bagpipe in their spare time.
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Vasil Imre – traditional dancer from the village of Magyarböd (Bidovce) in Southeastern Slovakia near the town of Kassa [Kosice]. Born in 1940, his mother was Slovak, his father Hungarian, he considers himself to be Hungarian. The story here well illustrates the situation of someone from this part of the Hungarian language region: during his schooling he was switched back and forth between Slovak and Hungarian schools. At one time a totally Hungarian village; presently the village has 1700 people – 80 people speak Hungarian, 320 people are Gypsy and the rest Slovak. Also included here is a quote of Vasil Imre’s thoughts on dancing. This gentleman is (or has been?) nominated for the Master of Folk Arts award. By Busai Norbert
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Dűvő Ensemble is 25 years old One of the most popular, well-known and active bands in dance house movement, this band has its home in Northern Hungary in the town of Salgotarján. They are present at every festival, usually accompanying not one but several dance groups, they have travelled abroad to perfom, the youngest member of the band was a student of members of the band. Interview with the band by Paluch Norbert.
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The argument continues... Responding to Demeter László's article in February 2004 issue of „MAG", Bolya Mátyás reiterates many of his critical comments on the Zurgó Ensemble.
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Periferic Records. A record label on the perifery – final (4th) part of conversation with Böszörményi Gergely. Periferic Records produces contemporary popular and alternative Hungarian music, Hungarian folk music, jazz, etc. Their recordings are sold to specialty record distributors and stores all over Europe, North and South America and in Japan. They also import recordings from 44 foreign companies. They are interested, for example, also in making recordings that at one time – under the government prior to 1990 – were not allowed to be released. Böszörményi is also active in local radio, organizing concert events and festivals in Budapest and collaboration with film and television. By K. Tóth László
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Ethnographer Vargyas Lajos is 90 years old. Vargyas's work has concentrated on Hungarian folk ballads, folk music, verse, rhythm in Hungarian verse. Six volumes of his work on these subjects have been published. Article by Varga Lajos Márton – first published in Népszabadság on January 31, 2004.
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"Hungarian Heritage” is a yearly English language journal published each spring by the European Folklore Institute (a UNESCO supported institution) in Budapest. „A journal for those who do not know Hungarian but would like to become more acquainted with Hungarian traditional culture.” Can be purchased at the Ethnographical Museum in Budapest – or for more information, check the websites listed in the article in Hungarian. Review by Abkarovits Endre
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English Table of Contents 2004/3
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Soós János hadn't been outside of his home village of Szék until he was six years old. „...I only started to take the rows of houses, the vegetation, the living things or the open fi elds that resemble the face of a contented person....more seriously when our teacher – within whom not even a tiny bit of coal-black kindness existed – began to talk about the HORIZON....It was from Mrs Pintyika with her eternal garlic sausage breath and thickly applied makeup, that I learned to write...but it is her spirit that may be burdened by the fact that I didn't like going to school...."
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Comments on Children's Ball – organized by for the 10th time this spring as a part of the National Dance House Festival. This enormously well attended event traditionally includes a procession/ performance to open, teaching for childen of dances from all over the Carpathian basin with live music. It is held in a packed 500–600 sq. meter teaching area. This year the event was concluded by a gala childrens performance of folk dance and music students. In Hungary there are nearly 200 childrens dance ensembles registered, involving some 8–10 thousand children. By Darmos István
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New CD: Carmina Danubiana. Etnofon Records ER-CD 080. French musician Claude Flagel and three Hungarian musicians. Old style ballads mainly from French and Hungarian traditions
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New CD: Hungarian Bagpipe Band. The group, formed 15 years ago, presents a selection of their best concert tunes. „We rehearsed for making this recording at Jákótpuszta where of course a goat immediately „broke its leg” and „jumped into” the brick oven....and is still with us today in the form of a bagpipe.” Report by Lányi György
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Announcement for the bagpipe exhibition at the Hunagarian Ethnographic Museum in Budapest. 2004 May 29 through 2005 February 27th. Bagpipes and bagpipers from the Carpathians and beyond
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Announcing release of CD – Anthology of Hungarian Zither Music Edited by Balogh Sándor and Bolya Mátyás. Selections from the archive at the Institute of Musicology – Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Part of a series released by the Óbuda Folk Music School in Budapest. To accompany a book for teaching Hungarian Zither music to be published in three volumes. Report by Bolya Mátyás
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Announcing: Hungarian Anthology of Folk Music Series – number 7: Traditional music of Moldavia and Bukovina – 4 CDs Edited by Domokos Mária and Németh István HCD 18264-67 Budapest, 2004-05-30 Hungaroton Classic MTA– Institute of Musicology Both of these groups of ethnic Hungarians lived outside the borders the so-called „historical Hungary". 2 CDs contain Hungarian Moldavian folk music mainly recorded on location in Moldavia. 1 CD contains traditional folk music from Bukovina –recorded mainly from people who have been resettled in Hungary. The 4th CD has songs from both Moldavia and Bukovina.
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New CD: Istvánfi Balázs – Bagpipe music, Released by Mixolyd Bt.
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New CD: Fonó Band – Mixtura Cultivalis, Mainly tunes from the northern Hungarian language area Review by Sándor Ildikó
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Book review: Salamon Beáta's collection of Hungarian folk music melodies. Samples of Hungarian traditional melodies for violin from all over the Carpathian Basin. Book prepared mainly for those either teaching or learning to play Hungarian folk music. Report by Gombai Tamás
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Folk-Europa Kft – record label Conversation with founders, owners; Liber Endre, Lelkes András. Established in 2000, gradually gathering momentum, the label has produced a variety of CDs of both revival dance house music as well as authentic village music. They also work in cooperation with other local production companies (X-Production, Hangvető) to reinforce possibilities for funding, distribution. By K. Tóth László More info can be found (www.folkeuropa.com)
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Kőketánc – the name of the Moldavian Csángó dance house held Sunday mornings especially for children at the Marcibányi tér Cultural Center in Budapest for fifteen years now. One of the instructors, Sándor Ildikó's thoughts
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Kádár Ferenc announces „Kende"– his series of ethnographic postcards. Anyone or any community can join the series if they have an old family or local photograph with folk tradition subject matter. Motivation: preserving the Hungarian traditional heritage in old photographs. The price for printing 500 postcards is 13,000. HUF.
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Etnofon Kiadó announces release of book by Csoma Gergely – Elveszett szavak (Banished Words). Since 1977, Csoma Gergely has been going to the Hungarian villages in Moldavia. This book (his 5th publiction) is a collection of his photographs documenting remnants of written Hungarian language in these Hungarian communities constantly faced with the problems of assimilation into the Romanian culture that surrounds them.
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Listing of Summer Camps– folk dance, music and craft workshops – continued from 2004/II issue of folkMAGazin
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8th International Legényes Competition – held at Budapest Cultural Center ("BMK") in Budapest's 11th District. Held on Saint George's day, this year there were 27 competitors performing. The compulsory material was the Transylvanian men's dance from the village of Györgyfalva– the dance of Jasko István „Pitti". President of the jury was Zsurafszki Zoltán. First prize was shared by Babinecz Sándor (of Vásarosnamény in Northereastern Hungary) and Sikentáncz Szilveszter (Hungarian State Folk Ensemble).
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8th Martin György International Legényes Competition This year the compulsory men's dance material to be performed by the competitors was the dance of Jaskó István „Pitti” from Györgyfalva in Transylvania. Mr. Jaskó „Pitti bácsi” – was in attendance as guest and member of the jury at the event held in April in Budapest. Pitti bácsi's notes on the dancers and the verse he composed for the occasion of a visit to Martin György's grave, are printed here by Busai Norbert
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Part 2 – Kóka Rozália: Memories of collection trips to Moldavia A Hungarian woman travelling alone in 1969 in Romanian Moldavia searching for Hungarian Csángó villages without a map – taking a map was too risky – is not something that just anyone undertakes. After getting lost for a day she fi nally found the village of Lészped and the woman there that would become her informant and friend and lead her to others that would share their ballads, songs, beliefs, life stories with her for the next few weeks.
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This year (2004) the Kaláka Ensemble celebrates its 35th anniversary, while the Kaláka Folk Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary. The article includes discography, listing the group’s 19 recordings. This reknowned group is Hungary’s most well known group involved in setting famous poetry to folk music. More than two generations of Hungarians have grown up to this music – their music appeals to an audience that extends beyond dance house circles. Over the years, the group has established its own record label and music store, started a music festival, performs at festivals abroad and gives concerts all over the Hungarian language area. They are an institution. Conversation with director of the group, Gryllus Dániel. By K. Tóth László.
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Conversation with Lőrincz Lajos born in 1931 in the village of Korond, Székelyföld, Transylvania. Lőrincz Lajos came from a family of good singers, musicians. This is an account of his very active career as musician, cultural organizer, choreographer, dancer, traditional dance and music collector. The dance archive at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences includes a film of Lőrincz dancing in 1957. One of the founding members of the National Székely Folk Ensemble. „...to be a good dancer, an average ear for music is not enough, it must be above average, because what is dance? I take in the music and convert it into movement. If I am not talented enough for music to create dance in me, then I cannot be a truely good dancer......every dance has its own tempo..... then if I dance it too fast, it's not any better than if I dance it too slow....” Article by Abkarovits Endre (First published in „Nyelvünk és Kultúránk” 2004/1.)
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English Table of Contents 2004/4
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The Kaláka Folk Music Festival celebrates its 25th year. Held each year in the castle ruins in Diósgyőr next to the town of Miskolc. K. Tóth László gives a detailed account of this year’s festival which was held on July 8, 9,10,11 (2004). Festival included performances by: Kaláka Ensemble, Ferenczi György and Herfli Davidson, Muzsikás, Budapest Dance Ensemble, Bulgarian singer – Kraszimira Csurtova, Csik János, Maskaredes, Szilvási Gypsy Folk Band, Palya Bea, Fassing László, Taraful Mociu, Szélkiáltó Ensmeble, Budapest Klezmer Band, Zurgó Ensemble, Andy Irvine, etc.
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18th Festival of Folk Arts and Crafts in the Buda Castle area of Budapest. 2004. Aug.19–22. A celebration of Hungarian living traditional arts and St. Stephens Day. With extensive crafts market, performances of traditional music, dance, market theatre, crafts demonstrations, children’s programs, exhibitions. This outdoor event is attended by 80–100 thousand people each year.
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Folk art exhibitions in the Eger Castle A series of folk art exhibitions focusing on the folk arts of the Eger vicinity, can be seen on Dobó utca leading to the Eger Castle. Report by Abkarovits Endre
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Hargita National Székely Folk Ensemble (a dance ensemble from Transylvania) performed recently in the Káli Basin in Western Hungary at the Káli Days festival. There are further plans for a folk dance camp next year in the village of Kékkút. Report by Nyulas Ferenc
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Mohácsy Albert – Nagy Zsolt: Twelve Bands Mohácsy Albert is the Méta Ensemble’s bass player, Nagy Zsolt is their viola ("kóntra") player. On their new CD, these two musicians form the constant – playing a variety of music with twelve different constellations of their favorite fiddlers, singers and other musician friends. Review by Sándor Ildikó
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Sándor Ildikó reports on statistics compiled from surveys conducted in 1998, 2002 and 2004 at the „Táncháztalálkozó” (National Dance House Fesitval). The goal: to fi nd out who attends the event, who are the participants and performers; which programs were the most interesting for those attending; and how did those people come in contact with folk tradition. The questionnaires were circulated at the event by volunteers from a special committee of the Hungarian Educational Association on Tradition, the information was processed and analysed by the Jel-Társ sociological research workshop.
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Announcement: press conference and celebration – 2004 September 8 upon the long awaited publication of Martin György's monography of the extraordinary legényes dancer from Kalotaszeg region of Transylvania, Mátyás István „Mundruc". Th e event will be held at the Hungarian Heritage House at Corvin tér in Budapest, starting at 10:00am with the press conference, continuing with discussion, film screening, photo exhibition, lectures, dance performance and dance house. Announcement by organizers: Felföldi László, Karácsonyi Zoltán, Szokéné Károlyi Annamária. Selected excerpts from the book are printed here.
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Announcement: FolkMAGazin announces release of CD-Rom containing the first 10 years of the periodical.
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Etnofon announces release of a CD-Rom on traditional music and dances of the area of the Ukraine known in Hungarian as „Karpátalja” – lying east of Hungary’s northeastern border and north of Transylvania’s northwestern border.
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Photograph galery – Stephen Spinder’s photos of Transylvania. Spinder has published two volumes of his photographs; „Budapest Through My Lens” and now his new book, „Ten Years in Transylvania".
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Antal Mária: „The Beliefs of the Csángó Hungarians of the Gyimes Valley". This book provides the reader with slices of the many kinds of knowledge of the Gyimes Csángó people who live in the isolated communities tucked away along the Gyimes creeks on the eastern edge ofTransylvania. Written by a native Gyimesbükk woman and school teacher there for more than 35 years. Recommendation by Forrai Ibolya.
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Journey with a silenced bell Soós János tells the story of a little bell found by his father in a sheep pasture in Szék. In 1990 when he emmigrated from Transylvania to Hungary Soós wasn't permitted to take anything except the clothes on his back, his family and something to eat on the train. He was successful, however in taking that little bell with him by wrapping it in newspaper and hiding it amongst the food for the trip.
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One summer's day – stories from Szék Memories of the mice from the neighbor's courtyard, a childhood friend whose house had collapsed and whose father had been sacked from his job tending the calves at the local producer's cooperative for apparantly „speaking crossly” to a man who had been sent out from the Party. Soós János
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Gázsa band's concert tour in the U.S. Gázsa's band normally spends all of their time accompanying the Budapest Ensemble. This year their tour was a series of well recieved concert performances across the USA – without the dance company. Gazsa's band almost never gives concert performances as such – without the dance company – in Hungary. Report by Abkarovits Endre
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Halmos Béla: memories of Szék fiddler, Ádám István „Icsán” – Part I. Halmos tells about the first time he heard traditional Szék music (in 1971 on Hungarian Radio, part of a special series by Sárosi Bálint), how he started to learn the music, the first time he went to a dance house in Szék (1972) and his first visit to Icsán's home to collect tunes (in 1974). Transcribed by K. Tóth László
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Kóka Rozália – Ethnographer Part III. Memories and people from my ethnographic collection trips to Hungarian Moldavia During the summer of 1970, Kóka Rozália set out with 3 friends for Gyimes and Moldavia. First they stopped in the Gyimes valley for „Magdolna Day” – the patron saint's day celebration. From there they went on to Moldavia, where Rózália wanted to return to some of the people she had visited on her previous trip in '69 – to complete some of her research for the Ethnographic Atlas of Hungarians project. Along with an account of her adventures, she describes also the old style of Hungarian used by this ethnic group, sometimes a mixture of Romanian and Hungarian used, and finally recounts a visit with Lakatos Demeter – considered to be the only Hungarian Moldavian poet. He died in 1974. He wrote his poems in Hungarian using Romanian phonetics; he had never gone to Hungarian school. His gift for writing poetry cost him repeated beatings by the local police, his house was constantly under surveillance and the village people were afraid to associate with him. Any association with him could result in fines, sudden illness, or inability to find employment all imposed by the Romanian officials.
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English Table of Contents 2004/5
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Fodor Sándor – „Neti Sanyi bácsi” prímás, 1922 Gyalu – 2004 October 20. Kisbács, Kalotaszeg, Transylvania. I began to understand „hajnali” – the dawn tunes – playing (bass) next to Neti. Teaching ever since: Forget every every rhythm formula, every contrived asymetry put down in written music; pay attention to the primas! Neti, „Hitler", Cilika Jani bácsi... Seems these days we go to Transylvania only for funerals... Mohácsy Albert
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Gáspár Simon Antal – Master of Folk Arts – tells about his birthplace, the village of Istensegíts in Bukovina – where they always felt that as Hungarians they weren't in their mother country. When still under Austrian rule, they were more accepted, but after the war, when the region fell into Romanian hands and the parties were formed, the „Ironguard” party, that's when life became unbearbable for the Bukovina Hungarians. In 1941 they were able to leave the bad situation that had developed in Bukovina to settle in Hungary. In their „mother country” – a Hungary torn by the war and German occupation – they were not welcomed anywhere, were driven out of places, sent from village to village, then allowed to stay in a house emptied because others had been deported as a result of the war. Refecting on the trials and suff ering that he and his family survived, Gáspár's comment; „One cant really tell about these things, only give some idea. I don't even know how anyone could withstand that much.” Mrs. Illés Imre – singer, Master of Folk Arts from Hadikfalva, Bukovina – at the age of 13, in 1941 she and her family were deported to Hungary along with the other Hungarians from their town. First there were the camps, then a village in northern Serbia, then displacement to several villages in western Hungary. Since 1980, she and her husband have lived in the town of Érd (just south of Budapest). Along the way she was always one of those asked to sing – singing more than once for visiting diplomats and government officials. As told to Kóka Rozália
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Announcement: 2 new video cassettes. Released by Etnofon with the Hungarian Institute of Musicology. Verbunk-s, Csárdás-s. Selections from the folk dance archive of the Hungarian Institute of Musicology. Representative examples provided from all over the Hungarian language area.
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3rd „Héttorony” Festival – 2004 November 13–14, at the Marcibanyi tér Cultural Center in Budapest. Special guest: Técsői Band – Ruthenian traditional music from Ukraine. Performances by Békés Band, Tükrős Band, Kiss Ferenc and friends, Vodku V Glotku Childrens programs, photo exhibit, dance teaching, dance house.
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Bodrog Folk Dance Ensemble celebrates 50th anniversary. Darmos István present director, tells the history of this dance ensemble from the town of Sárospatak in Northeastern Hungary. The ensemble was founded in 1954 by the local Farmers Association. The ensemble and town of Sárospatak now hosts courses on local dance, childrens groups, college level study, dance camps, music camps, presently involving more than 500 young people in the town in their activities.
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The 16th International Bagpipe Festival was held in August of this year in the city of Strakonice in the Czech Republic. The Hungarian Bagpipe Band attended with two dancers, a hurdy-gurdy player and 4 bagpipe players. They perfomed, held dance houses and had the chance to meet other musicians and dancers from Bulgaria, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Austria, England, Scotland, Turkey, and more. Report by Karakas Zoltán
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Hungarian Dance Day – in Pécs For the first time in 20 years, the Nyírség Dance Ensemble performed in the city of Pécs in Southern Hungary. The Nyírség, among the best of the best amatuer dance ensembles in Hungary, gave a full length performance, accompanied by the Szikes Band. The ensemble is from the town of Nyíregyháza in Northeastern Hungary, artistic directors are Demarcsek György, Spisák Krisztina, Kácsor István. Review by Szávai József
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Záhonyi András' comments and critiques on folk dance and music events from this summer: Nagykárolyi days, the dance camp and festival in Jászberény, a Ghymes and Jászság Folk Dance Ensemble concert during the Jászberény camp, folk dance and folk music in the „Müvészetek Völge” (Valley of the Arts) festival in villages in the Kapolcs area of Western Hungary, „Hungarian castle” – a camp in the village of Pomáz just outside of Budapest, several dance camps in Székelyföld (Transylvania), and the camp in Sóvidék (Transylvania).
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Announcement: New Publication Studies in Hungarian Dance Folklore. Volume 1 Publishes a selection the most significant studies in Hungarian dance research/history covering the period up until 1945. Series editor: Hoppal Mihály, Editor: Karácsony Zoltán. Gondolat Kiadó– European Folklore Institute. Budapest. 2004. In Hungarian. Forward from the book. By Karácsony Zoltán
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"Feketetó” – an open air market held once a year in Körösfeketetó (Negreni) in Western Transylvania. Since 1815 this market has been held there on the banks of the Körös River around the first weekend in October. „A centuries old market democracy works here. The common goal; everyone should get a good deal.” Another remark from Kiss Ferenc's account: „poor Fellini, what you missed out on!".
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Photographs of the market at Körösfeketetó (Negreni) in Transylvania. Photographer: Molnár Zoltán
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Listing of dance houses and folk clubs
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Mátyás István „Mundruc” – A character study of a „Kalotaszeg legényes dancer” Printed here is Kósa László's speech that opened the celebration and press conference upon the release of this book of Martin György's life work. Over a of more than twenty years, Martin filmed, interviewed, notated and studied the dancing of an extraordinary traditional dancer from the village of Magyarvista, in Tranyslvania. More than 30 people participated in preparing the posthumous publication of Martin's work: „the most extraordinary character study which has gone to press so far in Hungarian ethnography.” Heard at the Hungarian Heritage House, Budapest September 8., 2004.
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Part II. Report on the 2004 Dance House Festival ("Táncháztalálkozó") – results of a survey conducted and compiled by the Jel-Társ Sociological Research Workshop. Includes some comparison of results from a 2002 survey. Discussion of audience responses regarding: Popularity of certain programs of the event Satisfaction with the programs offered. Are those attending the event religious? Attendance of dance houses during the rest of the year Members of folk dance performing groups.
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"I had to go to the source (Part II)” Halmos Béla remembers Ádám István „Icsán” – master fiddler of Szék. Amongst other things, Halmos talks about his experiences learning from Icsán to play the Szék music. In Szék one learns solely on the basis of listening and watching. Halmos made a series of visits to Szék to visit Icsán from 1974 until Icsán’s death. Information collected from these visits he later wrote up in a monography. As Icsán told it, playing a wedding meant playing continuously for about 30 hours. Especially for the prímás, after such intense use of the musician’s nerves, body and spirit, by the end of the wedding, he can neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep; everything hurts – it takes time to get rested afterwards. Transcribed by K.Tóth László
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Dániel „Our regular guest at breakfast time from spring until the end of grapeharvest – was the „grapeherder” on his way home from his dawn rounds. Some of these morning occsaisions lasted til noon, even though we hadn't glued Dániel down. He returned the favor of these breakfasts with talk. At such times we didn't really relish his visits, but we liked him anyway. We regarded the grapeherder, as the farmer regards the barren, brambly soil; it doesn't promise anything – it gives what it can. My mother sometimes evaluated his lectures: Forgive me God, but most of the time, that person's talk isn't worth more than a chervil on the ground. One day Dániel was quiet. He wasn't stitching one word to the next, he sipped only half of his pálinka. „Zsuzsi! I have been to heaven! Today at dawn the 'beautiful women' kissed me... the dance of the beautiful women, barefooted, they floated undressed down to their cotton underclothes, like feathergrass bouquets in the dewy morning grass...” Dániel finished his story and when he left our place, rather then heading home, he headed out toward the vineyard and I knew that he didn't want to talk to anyone else that day.” Excerpts from this issue's tale of Szék life by Soós János
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Interview with Timár Sándor Timár was born in 1930 on a farm in the Hungarian plain near the town of Szolnok. When he went into Szolnok to attend secondary school, he became a member of the Regös Cserkész group – a sort of scouts group „involved in learning dance, among other things". In that group he met Molnár István – the great dancer, teacher – who was a great inspiration to so many of Timár's generation. In this interview we hear about the SZOT Ensemble, Bartók Ensemble, Budapest Ensemble, Hungarian State Folk Dance Ensemble, Csillagszemű Dance Ensemble, the Molnár technique, Timár's teaching technique, choreography, peers and colleagues and more. Interviewer: Paluch Norbert
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Árendás Péter describes ways the viola is used in traditional village string bands of the Carpathain Basin. Basically there are three possibilities which are referred to as „viola” (using mainly the C-G string), „kontra” (using mainly the G-D strings), „kontra-viola” (also using mainly the G-D strings but using intervals smaller than a fifth). He provides us with examples from his field collection work in Northern Hungary and Transylvania.
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Digitalizing audio materials. Part 1. Ifj. Vitányi Iván provides concrete, technical information (both theoretical and practical) on the process of digitalizing audio materials – useful information for those who perhaps have ’old’ analog field recordings which these days are already becoming difficult to access, etc.
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English Table of Contents 2004/6
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Széki Soós János' tale this time is about foggy, cold Szék in late November, the old carpenter who made the coffins, a funeral on the edge of the village and young couples on the way home from a wedding that were taken into a cellar by the secret police and forced to sign statements saying they'd been singing anti-Romanian songs at the wedding...
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Kóka Rozália's collection trips to Moldavia – final part Late Dec.,1977 – a trip to collect Bethlehem (christmas pagent plays) customs in Moldavia; in the village of Lészped, Kóka and her hosts were arrested, spent a night in jail and then escorted out of town. She was fortunately taken in by a family in the village of Klésze – alive with people going from house to house greeting neighbors and friends for the New Year. Later her Lészped hosts had to pay hefty fines for hosting foreign guests. Upon return to the village to reimburse the family, the people were afraid to speak to her. She was followed by Romanian detectives at home in Hungary, „fear moved into (her) life” – she didn't return to Moldavia for many years.
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Announcement : New CD Hungarian Bagpipers. Archival recordings of traditional Hungarian bagpipers are released by the Téka Foundation as part of the „Our Masters” series. Only one of the bagpipers on the CD is still living: Pál István of Northern Hungary’s Palóc region. Lányi György
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Announcement: new CD Singer, Bárdosi Ildikó is from the Kis-Küküllőmenti region of Transylvania, she now lives in Debrecen. This recording features tunes from her native region; she is accompanied by a host of singers and musicians from Hungary’s táncház movement. Distributed by Hangvető György-Horváth László
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Announcing release of a new CDHodorog András – Traditional flute player from Hungarian Moldavia. CD release party and christmas celebration to be held at Marczibányi Square in Budapest on December 18, 2004. Article includes English summary. By Bolya Mátyás
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Palya Bea –Álom, Álom kitalálom Tales in song. A new recording – Palya Bea in collaboration with Gryllus Samu, Bolya Mátyás, Füri Anna, Sebő Ferenc and more. Recomendation by Bolya Mátyás
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In memorium – Vavrinecz Béla – d. 2004 November 8. Composer, conductor, ethnomusicologist – a summary of his life work – which covered all areas of classical music, scores for films and ballet, arrangements of traditional music. „We hope that the heritage – the work he has left behind – will serve to inspire a next generation in their work, just as he was inspired to continue the work of his grandfather” – music director of the St. Mátyás Church. Olsvai Imre
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Feszty Árpád – Hungarian painter, writer (1856–1914) A painting of peasant theme entitled „Karvallottak” (meaning: the aggrieved) is described here in such a way that one wants to run out and see the painting itself – which is on permanent exhibion at Tüzoltó Museum in Budapest. Benkő András
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The Godfather/mother program makes it possible to sponsor Csángó Hungarian youngsters from Moldavia through school. 30, 000 HUF will support a Hungarian child in Moldavia for a school year in a local school. 120,000 HUF will support a Moldavian Csángó student for a year of study at Hungarian secondary school in Transylvania. See article in Hungarian for contact info. Róka Szilvia – Moldavian Hungarian Csángó Association
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Tabulatúra Band. This band has been together for 4 years now, playing music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque periods on historical instruments, with particular interest in Hungarian musical traditions and history. One Monday a month they host a „club” evening at the Marcibányi tér Cultural Center in Budapest. Announcement by Rossa Levente Bors – band member
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Budai László – traditional dancer This fall Budai László was awarded the title of Master of Folk Arts by Hungary's minister of National Cultural Heritage. Budai, a Hungarian from the town of Jóka (Jelka) in Western Slovakia – born in the neighboring village of Újhelyjóka (Nova Jelka) – where the local dances include: Bertóké verbunk, Bársony verbunk, foursome, padegat, bagpipe csárdás, broom-, bottle-, and storkdance, couple csárdás-es, bőgőtemetés (double bass funeral) and so on. Congratulation by dance researcher, Takács András.
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Children's world of the Bodrogköz region Darmos István's paper on life of children in this area focuses mainly on the time prior toW.W.II, before the „disintegration of traditional culture". At that time in these poor agricultural communities, the children helped with all levels of the household chores and farmwork, leaving actually very little or no time to play. „Play” happened in the winter while shucking corn, they made their own toys, made games out of the work itself, sang, played while tending the grazing stock. On Sundays after the housework, lunch and afternoon mass, there was a short time for taking a walk, talk, games, singing, girl's circle dance.
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Somoska (Somuşca) village week Every year during the first week of August the village of Somoska in Hungarian Moldavia hosts guests from Hungary for several days' of immersion in local culture – with emphasis on the traditional music, dance and crafts. Participants live with local families, the events of the week are organized to include the local people as much as possible – both adults and children alike. Report by Bolya Mátyás
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30 years of the Vujicsics Ensemble Interview with director, Eredics Gábor Everything about the Vujicsics Ensemble, their history, repertoire, their name, their families, various ethnic groups of southern slavs, their recordings and their plans. Abkarovits Endre
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Bubik István – lived 46 years „A rare Hungarian actor” – Novák Ferenc
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Kása Béla – photographer Born in Pécs, Hungary, 1952. At age 13 he moved with his family to West Germany. In 1979 he earned a diploma from Köln School of the Arts – ever since he's been photographing in Transylvania, Hungary, Budapest, Romania, other parts of Eastern Europe, India, China. A recurring theme in his work: traditional village musicians
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In memory of Fodor Neti Sándor (b. 1922 – died Oct. 2004) – prímás – traditional fiddler from Kalotaszeg, Transylvania. „Sanyi bácsi brought us not only music, but a hint of it's cradle too... Sanyi Bácsi brought the secret to us – but he couldn't bring us everything from the villages of Szucság, Bodonkút, Méra where he learned his craft... anyone who wants the whole experience, must go there himself. Life is lived differently there, there are more threads connecting the people to one another... what could be brought over, he brought indeed... May he rest in peace.” Molnár Miklós
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Halmos Béla's memories of Ádám István „Icsán” – prímás fiddler from Szék (part III.) Musicologists and researchers had found indications that the „Shepherd looking for his Sheep” genre had existed at one time in Szék in a stick dance form. By the time Halmos was collecting from Icsán, the custom was no longer practiced in Szék. Halmos asked Icsán on many occaisions if he remembered anything like that. Answer was always no – until once it came to his mind and he began to play a lament in the key of C minor – not a key generally used in Szék. On this occasion both of Icsán's sons were home and playing with him – his favorite band – which may have helped for a tune long forgotten to come to mind. Transcribed by K. Tóth László
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9th Dance House Festival in Hungarian, Voivodina was held in Újvidék (Novi Sad) on October 16th. Performances by traditional musicians, singers, choruses, local dance groups, concert, CD release, film screening, traditional crafts market. Unfortunately was not well attended this year. Report by Szabó Gabriella
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Silladri – 1st Voivodina Hungarian Folk Dance competition. November 6, 2004. Organized for the first time in an effort to raise the artistic level of local Hungarian dance groups, this juried festival was aimed at chamber (max. 8 member) dance groups. Jury 1st prize: Csördöngölő chamber group from Ujvidék (Novi Sad). Organizers are planning the next festival in 2 years. Report by Raj Rozália, Szabadka (Subotica)
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Traditional flute players and singers of Gyimes Text from a radio program: full of information about the music, personalities, dance and music events – from Juhász Zoltán's many, many years of personal experience, collection work, study of this isolated culture residing at the alpine eastern border of Transylvania
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Csíkszereda – Transylvania – October 22–23. 7th Festival of Transylvanian fiddlers Concerts by more than 10 bands, almost 200 hours of studio recordings were made, joint performance by the Harghita National Székely Folk Ensemble and Budapest's Jánosi Ensemble. October 20th death of Fodor Neti Sándor – master fiddler from the Kalotaszeg region, the last of the „old generation” of traditional Transylvanian fiddlers – understandably lent a great note of sadness to this occaision. In tribute candles were lit round stage on Friday night, the day of Neti's funeral. Report by Bodi Ildikó
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Edwin van Schie – a dutch man who first became acquainted with Hungarian culture 25 years ago. He is editor of a magazine on Hungarian culture called Most Magyarul! Hongarije Magazine. The most recent edition includes several articles on traditional Transylvanian musicians. Website mentioned in article in Hungarian. By Abkarovits Endre
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Bagpipe head, bagpipe skin A study on bagpipes – in Hungary and the entire Hungarian language area bagpipes characteristically have carved animal heads.... Kozák József
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Boglya Folk Music Ensemble Celebrate 20th anniversay with release of a new CD This band has been active in Western Hungary since 1983 playing music, making recordings, hosting projects for study/collection, encouraging performance of the local music, teaching, organizing camps, workshops, dance houses. Conversation with bass player, Földesi János – by Molnár Nándor
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Part II. Digitalizing audio materials. A technical discussion of the most common analog „signal sources": Tape recorder, record player. By ifj. Vitányi Iván
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