Can you suggest a very well known Hungarian tune I can surprise a (now regular) Hungarian visitor to our Session in The Royal Oak in Fishguard West Wales? I don't think he's lurking here!
You sure you're on the right website ? Sorry, I can't help you, but one of my work colleagues is from Hungary - I'll ask her. How much time have we got ?
I don't know the name of any, but research Verbunkos. This is a very standard type of dance music that starts with a slow dance followed by a fast dance. The music contains elemenst of gypsy violin playing, so if you're a fiddler even better. The music can be very haunting. Janos Bihari is a well-known composer of verbunkos, so any of his compositions would be appropriate I'm sure.
That's about all I know. I've heard the music, but don't know any more than that.
Hungarians aren't the same as Bulgarians or Macedonians (whichever lot produced Mominsko Horo...).
Their origins and language are even more outlandish.
The music may overlap with Romanian music, as there is or was a Hungarian minority there and Romania was at least partly in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Meddyg, if you can get hold of the Bartok Violin Duets Op 44, which is based mostly on Hungarian folk music, try #32 in the set. It is called Maramarosi Tanc (Dance from Maramaros), not too difficult, in 4/4, quite fast, and all in the first position. There's some good syncopation, and in typical Bartok style, the two fiddles sometimes play in different keys together. It can also be played as a solo by the 1st violin. In fact, I think I'll post a (very) slightly modified solo version in Tunes. It's got a bit of double stopping and is great fun to play.
Maramaros is a county of Hungary, about as far east as you can get in Hungary. I think part of Maramaros has now been ceded to Rumania, even further to the east.
The Muzikas recommendation is excellent, but it might even be too obtuse.
"Czardas" by Monti... It is to Hungarian music what the Irish Washerwoman is to Irish music. Incredibly popular (especially with violinists). Here's a clip of what looks like a Hungarian playing it:
While I do love Taraf de Haidouks, they are definitely Romanian, not Hungarian--a distinction similar to the difference between "Irish" and "English"; it might not seem significant unless you were one or the other... In which case it might make all the difference in the world.
Maybe somewhere in the great cybernetic ether there’s a Trad Hungarian Music Forum on which someone has requested a well known but token Irish piece to impress an Irish musician attendee at his Hungarian live music playing session and the Hungarian BOB HIMSELF has posted: just fake some random diddley diddley phrases in D mixolydian and they’ll never know the difference.
There's a song - Tavaszi Szel - which Freddie Mercury sang to his audience in Budapest in the 80s, to which they all sang along. (I know it's not cool, but I was a big Queen fan in my early teens.)
I know we're not supposed to post abcs here, but this one's very short:
“Maybe somewhere in the great cybernetic ether there’s a Trad Hungarian Music Forum on which someone has requested a well known but token Irish piece to impress an Irish musician attendee at his Hungarian live music playing session and the Hungarian BOB HIMSELF has posted: just fake some random diddley diddley phrases in D mixolydian and they’ll never know the difference.”
Wow, this has to be one of the weirdest yella board threads of all time.
Illenyi's right hand work is beautiful to watch (and listen to), and exactly matches the advice I've heard from top fiddlers everywhere: the smallest motions come from "as close to the stick" as possible, meaning the fingertips themselves.
There's nothing in your 'details' here so I don't know what instrument you play. A nice czardas wouldn't go amiss. One of our favourite groups is Teka, but there are some lovely tunes associated with their take on a simple 6-hole woodwind, along the lines of a whistle, called a furulya. Taking in Moldavia too, here are some select 'whistle' players, which you'll also find on U-Tube ~
Kádár Ferenc
Szántó Ferenc
Legedi László Istvan
Hodorog András
Oops! I got confused about the title of the Bartok violin duets. I should have written "Bartok 44 Duos for 2 violins, BB 104" (BB is the equivalent of opus number for Bartok's compositions).
Must have been dozing at the back of the class again.
I see you're new to here, croeso / failte / welcome... While things sometimes get carried away here, most folks are happy to help others, if we can, or to at least give some direction that might get you a positive result. As with any large population, we have all sorts. I hope you can skip over the rough bits and benefit from the pearls. I step in it now and then, but have mostly enjoyed my involvements here, chasing up music and recommendations, the constructive ones. The help I've had here is appreciated and valued...
Iechyd dda / good health
~ to you and yours and your music too ~ 'c'
Illenyi's bowing control is easily among the best I've seen on YouTube - the camera work is so good. There are several other videos by her on YouTube. There's a Wikipedia article about her that's worth reading.
Have a look on YouTube at Ilenyi playing the Bartok Romanian Dances. From some camera angles you can a big lump of kit attached to the violin on the bass side, almost under her left ear. I can only assume it's a combined mic and radio transmitter - I thought I could see what looked like an antenna.
Mighty fine, but it ain't 'Gypsy' or 'Hungarian trad... Like with the dot vs. ears debate, Bartok's recordings, his sources, have it better than his dots or inspirations ever did...
Try the Csango tune "Az ordog utja", "The Devil's Road" ("Drumul dracului" in Romanian). It's the first tune most people learning Csango will do, and evrybody who's ever been to a tanchaz in Budapest will know it. There are zillions of versions on YouTube for many different instruments, some of them showing the dance steps (which are not exactly rocket science and it would make a good impression to dance it as well).
The Magyaroska (Sereny magyaros) is in ABC in the modes tutorial on my website. Here's a YouTube of it:
Typical Hungarian tune
Typical Hungarian tune
Can you suggest a very well known Hungarian tune I can surprise a (now regular) Hungarian visitor to our Session in The Royal Oak in Fishguard West Wales? I don't think he's lurking here!
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by meddyg
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Hungary like the Wolf
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by HK
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
You sure you're on the right website ? Sorry, I can't help you, but one of my work colleagues is from Hungary - I'll ask her. How much time have we got ?
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by Kenny
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
"Czardas" ?
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by Kenny
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
I don't know the name of any, but research Verbunkos. This is a very standard type of dance music that starts with a slow dance followed by a fast dance. The music contains elemenst of gypsy violin playing, so if you're a fiddler even better. The music can be very haunting. Janos Bihari is a well-known composer of verbunkos, so any of his compositions would be appropriate I'm sure.
That's about all I know. I've heard the music, but don't know any more than that.
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by Jimmy B
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
How about Mominsko Horo?
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4660
Best of luck with it!
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by Toppish
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Oh, just fake some fast trilly stuff in 7/8 and they'll never know the difference.
!
# Posted on February 4th 2010 by Bob himself
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Try learning this set by ear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IE&hl=en-GB&v=GFmEkXSdRF0
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by mcknowall
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Hungarians aren't the same as Bulgarians or Macedonians (whichever lot produced Mominsko Horo...).
Their origins and language are even more outlandish.
The music may overlap with Romanian music, as there is or was a Hungarian minority there and Romania was at least partly in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by nicholas
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
More constructively - look up Muzsikas on YouTube. They are probably the best known folk / trad Hungarian band in the wider world.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by nicholas
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Maybe this one ...
http://www.nationalanthems.info/hu.htm
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Meddyg, if you can get hold of the Bartok Violin Duets Op 44, which is based mostly on Hungarian folk music, try #32 in the set. It is called Maramarosi Tanc (Dance from Maramaros), not too difficult, in 4/4, quite fast, and all in the first position. There's some good syncopation, and in typical Bartok style, the two fiddles sometimes play in different keys together. It can also be played as a solo by the 1st violin. In fact, I think I'll post a (very) slightly modified solo version in Tunes. It's got a bit of double stopping and is great fun to play.
Maramaros is a county of Hungary, about as far east as you can get in Hungary. I think part of Maramaros has now been ceded to Rumania, even further to the east.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IE&hl=en-GB&v=GFmEkXSdRF0
- a lesson in how the fiddle can be played (as it always used to be) perfectly efficiently without chin rest and shoulder rest.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
The Muzikas recommendation is excellent, but it might even be too obtuse.
"Czardas" by Monti... It is to Hungarian music what the Irish Washerwoman is to Irish music. Incredibly popular (especially with violinists). Here's a clip of what looks like a Hungarian playing it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF9uQI-SRv4&feature=related
While I do love Taraf de Haidouks, they are definitely Romanian, not Hungarian--a distinction similar to the difference between "Irish" and "English"; it might not seem significant unless you were one or the other... In which case it might make all the difference in the world.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Georgi
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
I have now posted a solo version of Maramarosi Tanc in the Tunes section (I checked the ABC first with ABCMus and Tune-o-Tron).
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
The Hungarian Bob himself?
Maybe somewhere in the great cybernetic ether there’s a Trad Hungarian Music Forum on which someone has requested a well known but token Irish piece to impress an Irish musician attendee at his Hungarian live music playing session and the Hungarian BOB HIMSELF has posted: just fake some random diddley diddley phrases in D mixolydian and they’ll never know the difference.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by yhaalhouse
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
try "Smeceno Horo". It is in the session tunes. Good luck with the tempos!
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by fiddlemax
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
There's a song - Tavaszi Szel - which Freddie Mercury sang to his audience in Budapest in the 80s, to which they all sang along. (I know it's not cool, but I was a big Queen fan in my early teens.)
I know we're not supposed to post abcs here, but this one's very short:
T: Tavaszi Szel
X:1
K:G
L:1/8
M:4/4
G2A2 B2B | AGAB G2D2 | BB3 A2B2 | G4 D4 |
G2A2 B2B | AGAB GFE2 | AA2B G2F2 | E4 E4 ||
That's how I remember it. If a stadium full of Budapesters know it, then your friend ought to.
"Smeceno Horo"
No. That's another Bulgarian one. Hungary is a different country, with a different landscape, different history and different music.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Correction ('A' at end of bar 2):
G2A2 B2B | AGAB G2A2 | BB3 A2B2 | G4 D4 |
G2A2 B2B | AGAB GFE2 | AA2B G2F2 | E4 E4 ||
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqouPRe_9I4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-86rlhy1oU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM6Z0Lu2z3o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smSxWPqzc3o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLpTX2a-JqM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaupSCyQync
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
I once saw a Hungarian defined as someone who could enter a revolving door behind you and come out in front of you.
But there are rather a lot of people like that.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by nicholas
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
“Maybe somewhere in the great cybernetic ether there’s a Trad Hungarian Music Forum on which someone has requested a well known but token Irish piece to impress an Irish musician attendee at his Hungarian live music playing session and the Hungarian BOB HIMSELF has posted: just fake some random diddley diddley phrases in D mixolydian and they’ll never know the difference.”
I certainly hope so. I would find that amusing.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Bob himself
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF9uQI-SRv4&feature=related Fiddle players will find Katica Illenyi's bowing technique instructive, especially her right hand (mostly finger movement only!) in the very fast bits.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
BTW, are Muzikas still playing? I have three of their albums in my Hungarian stack, but I think they’re all decades old. Great stuff.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Bob himself
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Wow, this has to be one of the weirdest yella board threads of all time.
Illenyi's right hand work is beautiful to watch (and listen to), and exactly matches the advice I've heard from top fiddlers everywhere: the smallest motions come from "as close to the stick" as possible, meaning the fingertips themselves.
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
meddyg ~ heal thyself
It's always going to be the ears, but here's a great source for those of us who share this island ~
Passion Music
http://www.passiondiscs.co.uk/
http://www.passiondiscs.co.uk/hungarian_music01.htm
There's nothing in your 'details' here so I don't know what instrument you play. A nice czardas wouldn't go amiss. One of our favourite groups is Teka, but there are some lovely tunes associated with their take on a simple 6-hole woodwind, along the lines of a whistle, called a furulya. Taking in Moldavia too, here are some select 'whistle' players, which you'll also find on U-Tube ~
Kádár Ferenc
Szántó Ferenc
Legedi László Istvan
Hodorog András
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
For a simple melody ~ an Oláhos, dance music...
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by ceolachan
"Oláhos" ~ one, more will be given in the comments...
Submitted on February 5th 2010 by ceolachan.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/10240
# Posted on February 5th 2010 by ceolachan
"Oláhos"
I've added two more in the comments...
# Posted on February 6th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Oops! I got confused about the title of the Bartok violin duets. I should have written "Bartok 44 Duos for 2 violins, BB 104" (BB is the equivalent of opus number for Bartok's compositions).
Must have been dozing at the back of the class again.
# Posted on February 6th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
meddyg ~ croeso i'r sesiwn yma
I see you're new to here, croeso / failte / welcome... While things sometimes get carried away here, most folks are happy to help others, if we can, or to at least give some direction that might get you a positive result. As with any large population, we have all sorts. I hope you can skip over the rough bits and benefit from the pearls. I step in it now and then, but have mostly enjoyed my involvements here, chasing up music and recommendations, the constructive ones. The help I've had here is appreciated and valued...
Iechyd dda / good health
~ to you and yours and your music too ~ 'c'
# Posted on February 6th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Illenyi's bowing control is easily among the best I've seen on YouTube - the camera work is so good. There are several other videos by her on YouTube. There's a Wikipedia article about her that's worth reading.
# Posted on February 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Have a look on YouTube at Ilenyi playing the Bartok Romanian Dances. From some camera angles you can a big lump of kit attached to the violin on the bass side, almost under her left ear. I can only assume it's a combined mic and radio transmitter - I thought I could see what looked like an antenna.
# Posted on February 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Katica Illényi
http://www.illenyikatica.hu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katica_Ill%C3%A9nyi
Romanian Folk Dances & 'the kit'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTBC734Lljk
I Got Rhythm ~ something else
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh-N67koGcc
Mighty fine, but it ain't 'Gypsy' or 'Hungarian trad... Like with the dot vs. ears debate, Bartok's recordings, his sources, have it better than his dots or inspirations ever did...
# Posted on February 7th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
http://www.fiddlingaround.co.uk/
http://www.fiddlingaround.co.uk/hungary/index.html
There is also a 'Táncház' video link on this page worth viewing and hearing... Think of it as a Hungarian ceili(dh)...
A few more YouTubes
& a source, for starters ~ Oldboy96
http://www.youtube.com/user/Oldboy96
Hungarian Folk Festival ~ with food ~ MMMMMM!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BI7hh78E4w
Folk Dance House Music - Hungary (6) ~ you'll find links for more ~ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ~ etc..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOoGZHH60dw
Folk Dance House Music - Hungary (9)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njuXfGdUMIE
Palatkai banda: Újév a Fonóban 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_P5Sfvn7dI
Hungarian Music from Szatmár
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfLXNdcc4FI
Méta - Karádi katonadalok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouy0ullKvs8
Salamon Beáta & MÉTA - Bonchida - táncház - Élő Népzene - DunaTV - részlet - 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl0aTMdWz88
BARA - Hungarian Folk Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N11b3Y6IWvU
Hungarian folk music - Szatmar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0UUJyRx0Do
& ~ Romanian dances from Bonchida ~ a Verbunk to start with...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePzuzsczvv8
# Posted on February 7th 2010 by ceolachan
Táncház / Hungarian Folk Dance House Music - brilliant stuff
~ & the set from Oldboy,
with some amazing playing and dancing and instruments too...
Hungarian folk dance house
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUI8QRputu4
1.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bjqZ6U-lDQ
2.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRLuBItu7Dk
3.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct77WE7LTQI ~ check out the brass!!!
4.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VMWSofQJd4
5.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2ZAyD4ZaOw
6.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOoGZHH60dw
7.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az078R4RCkY
8.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e6bDPbXwK0
9.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njuXfGdUMIE
10.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__tF-XZBQcE
11.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vphxg2vD_U8
12.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBAvOh7keXc
13.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiKySAcD6YU
14.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONBafbwNOvY
15.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZWoCY_LPTY
& more ~
Szeret - Fonó Music House - Budapest Hungary 16/09/2009
1.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuGPEXRlY-s
2.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V22t5ln_Y4c
3.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HjSwgzqb-0
4.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eE4Nj9nbfw
5.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQXj8ECh-Y0
Hungarian Folk Dance in London
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-N2zoSDHGw
http://www.palinka.co.uk/
# Posted on February 7th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Try the Csango tune "Az ordog utja", "The Devil's Road" ("Drumul dracului" in Romanian). It's the first tune most people learning Csango will do, and evrybody who's ever been to a tanchaz in Budapest will know it. There are zillions of versions on YouTube for many different instruments, some of them showing the dance steps (which are not exactly rocket science and it would make a good impression to dance it as well).
The Magyaroska (Sereny magyaros) is in ABC in the modes tutorial on my website. Here's a YouTube of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oQyLqRT2oQ
I might well be somewhere in that video, as I was at the event, but you can't even see the dancers very well, let alone somebody sitting it out.
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by Jack Campin
Re: Typical Hungarian tune
Nice one, thanks...
Just to make the full connection, here's Jack Campin's homepage + links to the above mentioned transcription:
http://www.campin.me.uk/
Scales and Modes in Scottish Traditional Music
http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Modes/
The Magyaroska (Sereny magyaros)
http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Modes/Modes-leadingnotes.abc
Hungary and Romania, July-August 2008
http://www.campin.me.uk/Travel/Romania2008/
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by ceolachan