The Rough Guide to Hungarian Music

Artist: Various Artists
Label: World Music Network
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 605633109221
EAN: 0605633109221
ASIN: B00006L3MS

Release Date: 2002-11-28

Related Categories:

Hungary

General

| International | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Listmania:

Diamonds in the Rough: the Very Best of Rough Guides

Tracks:

Páva (Hey, Peacock) - Lászlo Hortobágyi, Irén Lovász
Hajnali Nóta (Morning Song) - Muzsikas
Akasztós
Hungarian Verbunk - Sebö Ensemble
Jumping Dances
Deta Devla (God Bless)
Friss Csárdás (Fast Csárdás)
Hungarian Songs - Ferenc Sánta & His Gypsy Band
Könyörgés (Song for Mercy) - Kalyi Jag Group
Bivaly Hátán (Sitting on the Buffalo) - Kampec Dolores
Pásztornóták Hosszúfurulyán - Zoltán Juhász
Kerekes (Round Dance)
Danses de Lórincréve (Dances from Lórincréve)
Tánc a Hóban (Dance in the Snow)
Petrusevo Kolo - Vujicsics
Szátélé Zsáv - Romano Drom
Numa Romanes
Rábaközi Karéj/Dus/Csárdás És Friss (Dances from Rábaköz)
Rákóczi Induló [The Rákóczi March]

Similar Items:

Music from Hungary
Csardas Hungarian Gypsy Music
Rough Guide to Scandinavia
The Rough Guide to the Music of Brazil: Rio de Janiero
The Rough Guide to the Music of the Balkans

Customer Reviews:

Traditional folk music from Hungary.......2005-06-15

If you are looking for an all-round compilation of Hungarian music, this isn't it. This compilation focuses exclusively on traditional music, which is fine by me (that's what I bought it for) but you must look elsewhere to find contemporary Hungarian music. Like traditional folk music everywhere, the music here is fairly simple but effective, with limited instrumentation, being originally intended for local events such as dances and weddings, or simply for passing the time. Shepherds' songs form an important part of traditional folk music. Overall, there is a fine mix of ballads and up-tempo songs. All the singers sound wonderful even though I don't understand the words.

The geographical area from which this music is selected is not limited to Hungary as we know it today. For example, Transylvania (of Dracula fame) was once a part of Hungary but is now part of Romania. Traditional music has a stronger following there than in contemporary Hungary so some Transylvanian acts have been included, where their music is appropriate. Other countries bordering Hungary, particularly Slovakia and Serbia, have significant Hungarian-speaking areas that once were part of Hungary. There are also minority groups within Hungary whose own music has become part of the Hungarian scene. These include Serbs, Croats and Gypsies. The geographical limits are further stretched by the inclusion of a German group calling themselves the Transylvanians, who comprise mainly expatriate Hungarians. Among the artists based in Hungary are some that perform traditional music influenced by other lands, and not just those nearby. So some artists aren't based in Hungary while some tracks aren't especially Hungarian, but all the music here has a strong connection to Hungary, one way or another.

If some of the tracks here (especially the closing instrumental track) sound like a simplified form of classical music, that shouldn't surprise you - after all, classical music has its roots in European folk music.

While the impressive liner notes are in English, they do not say anything about the lyrics of the various songs. I don't mind hearing people sing in a foreign language but there was a time when I did. If you enjoy traditional folk music in any form, you are likely to enjoy this unless you have to understand the words.

Uneven mish-mash of styles compilation. Not really necessary.......2005-02-19

I misunderstood the title "rough guide", thinking that this would be an introduction which would guide us through the varied styles of traditional Hungarian music throughout the various regions of the country and Transylvania. Instead what it is, is a compilation throwing together simply anything and everything produced by musicians of Hungarian origin, from traditional folk music to Rock to Rap, with all the tracks culled from a multitude of other diverse albums. Thus as an stand-alone album it doesn't really hang together and just gives one a very brief taste of many different artists' styles and work.

I regret buying this and feel that I would have been further ahead just listening to the sound clips from this album and then buying the complete albums from the artists whose songs I did like. Unfortunately no sound clips have been provided here for this album, so instead I would recommend borrowing this from someplace like a library.

Although it does introduce you to a wide range of styles and artists, while there are some tracks on here which I really loved, there are also others I can't stand and will have to annoyingly skip over every time I play this album. And the artists that I really did like only have one track each on here, so I will end up buying their whole albums anyway.

Thus this collection is actually just a wee promo sampler to whet your appetite and lead you on to other albums, and not really something you'll want to keep forever and play over and over. -- At least that's my experience. Yours may be different.

BEST CD!.......2003-12-14

I love this CD! i remembered these songs from other CD's and it was fun to hear them to a more up-beat tune. i especially loved the "hey jancsika" song. i recomend this CD to all ages!

Gypsies, Vamps and great Magyar music!.......2002-11-26

A wide-ranging overview of Hungarian folk and popular music. Marta Sebestyen and Muzsikas, the country's most popular musicians outside of Bela Bartok, lead off this album. Other similarly rich, melodic acoustic material follows, but there are also plenty of odd and unexpected entries, such as several Greek-sounding Mediterranean tunes and some modern techno and rock by bands like Kampec Dolores and Emil Bijarski... An interesting, challenging selection... anyone wishing to dig deeper than the surface will definitely want to check this disc out.

A Rich, Hot & Spicey Musical Journey: Not to be Missed!.......2002-11-04

If you want a musical journey to the rich diversity that Hungarian roots music has to offer: this Rough Guide is your ticket! Here are 72 minutes and 49 seconds of some of the best Hungarian music that money can buy. This CD contains music from current mainland Hungary, as well as former territories, such as Slovakia, Croatia, and Transylvania (Romania). The liner notes are extremely accurate and helpful in describing the origin and individuality of the Hungarians from a musical and historical perspective. The harmonic roots of Hungarian music go as far back as Central Asia, East of the Caucaus and Ural mountains. Furthermore, the liner notes aptly describe Hungary as "the wild and colourful alter ego of Hapsburg Austria" which essentially sums up Hungary's fierce nature to be rid of the political chains and alliances that hampered her freedom in the past ...
Quite often this yearning for freedom was summed up in songs, disguised in verse, the "verbunkos" or recruiting songs at the turn of the century, contained bittersweet prose, laments by conscripted soldiers who expressed sorrow at parting from one's home, one's family, one's sweetheart (to serve the Kaiser), perhaps never to return. Sebo Ensemble play a version from northeast Hungary, which includes the sounds of boots slapping and foot-stomping, as young men are obviously doing the "verbunkos" dance ... included too is the mellow sound of the tarogato (similar to a shawm oboe) with clarinet-like sounds.

Selection #1 sung by Iren Lovasz and played by Laszlo Hortobagyi is an example of ancient music based on the pentatonic scale, a very old folksong about a peacock. #2 is by the ever popular and internationally known Marta Sebestyen and Muzsikas, a "hajnalos" which is a "song to the dawn", meaning the last song sung after an all-night wedding celebration, when the sun was rising. This one is from Kalotaszeg (Transylvania). #3 is a modern version of a Mezosegi song (Transylvanian tune), which contains highly original violin embellishments, with an up-to-date vocal style by Szilvana. A magnificent variety of absolutely astonishing and energetic "tanc-haz" (dance house) music is included: "Round Dances" by Bogyiszlo Orchestra, "Friss Csardas" by Traditional Band from Tura feat. & Tibor Szenasi, the compelling traditional violin embellishments and stylizations by Mihaly Halmagyi from Moldavia is accompanied by his wife on the "gardon", Okros Ensemble, a very popular group, plays a series of dance tunes from the Rabakoz region (Raba is a river in NW Hungary, runs through the city of Gyor), "Dances from Lorincreve" (Transylvania) played by Zsigmond Szekely and the finale "Rakosi Indulo" (march) is played by Tukros Zenekar, who are also accompanied by the village band of Nyirmada. It signals the end of dancing for the night.

This CD contains a very special a capella solo by Juliana Gorbe which is in the old-style pentatonic scale. An instrumental version of the same song, included in a trio of tunes, played by Bogyiszlo Orchestra follows. The famous composer and folklorist Zoltan Kodaly identified this piece as representative of the ancient scale dating back to Turkic and Central Asian times.

There is a beautifully song, "Song of Mercy" ("Konyorges") presented by the Romani group, Kalyi Jag. It is a supplication to God, in essence a leap of faith, despite the misfortunes suffered by the Gypsies. Other Romani groups on this CD are:
Kampec Dolores, who sing about a buffalow ride at night, in a highly original creative verse, while retaining the essential elements of gypsy music. Romano Drom, a recent Vlach Romani group, sing a traditional song, providing the typical vocalizations and percussion that is distinctive to these gypsies. Fekete Vonat, is the most modern gypsy group. They sing about the past, when gypsy workers were brought to Budapest in a train from the East, and lived in hostels during the week. They create a "gypsy rap" that falls into place very nicely with oral percussion that has always been part of their tradition.

Last but not least, Ghymes, from Slovakia, provides the most unexpected and my favorite music on this CD: "Dance in the Snow". It sounds completely Hungarian both in theme and tune, but is played in 7/8 Balkan rhythm, complete with violin instrumentation ... a magnificent eclectic creation, that melds the best of both traditions! Anyone who saw the movie, "The English Patient", and was fascinated by the music, should buy this CD. If you love violin music ... this CD is for you! If international folk dance is your passion: you *MUST* own this CD!
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

What Ails Thee? ~ Greenman

Rock of the 70's, Vol. 5 ~ Various Artists

Another Return to Church Hill ~ Artch

Soh Daiko-Taiko Drum Ensemble ~ Soh Daiko Taiko Drum Ensemble

Photograph It ~ Alamos

Pictures Letters & Memories ~ Last Years

Tomorrow Night ~ Atomic Rooster

Day the Earth Stood Still (Score) ~ Bernard Herrmann

Neapolitan Songs ~ Ennio Morricone

Angela/Hey Yo My Man ~ Saian Supa Crew