HISTORY OF HUNGARIAN FOLK MUSIC

Hungarian folk songs (Népdalok) are samples of a rich musical trove. The database of the Hungarian Science Academy records over 150.000 songs originating from all rural villages of the Hungarians living within the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe. Some of these melodies reach back into centuries. Composers like Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodály realizing how exact the singing population preserved the musical heritage of their ancestors, started to collect such songs. Even today many Hungarians, even when living in foreign countries, know numerous of such old songs, called Népdalok, not only their melody but usually also all of their lyrics. This is reflected on-line in numerous Web sites with lyrics of Népdalok, like Népdal gyujtemény.com

Hungarian city- or urban music (Magyar Nóta) is only partly based upon Népdalok. It is a musical style developed in the early years of the 20th century. Not uncommonly this music is also referred to as "Gipsy Music". But although Gipsies (like Danko Pista) certainly played their role in the development of this music, there is a clear distinction between the Hungarian urban music, the Magyar Nóta and Gipsy music. (see further) This compelling music became quite popular in many Western countries during the first decades of the 20th century. Today it still is popular in Hungary and as an example of that popularity it is advisable to look at this nice video of a concert in Paris of young Hungarian musicians. The same Hungarian musical heritage also contributed to many operetta areas.

STYLE AND INSTRUMENTS

Hungarian folk songs (Népdalok) include a broad variety of styles varying from slow songs to dance music like the csárdás. For an example of a good Népdal Csárdás see: Kalocsai Csárdás és mars
Some of the further types are the Verbunkus, or recruitment dance like the Györkei verbunk and the Katona or soldiers song like for example: Oroszország felé.
The music uses a strophe structure, usually but not always isometric, that is in even numbers. Also Pentatonic or fife tone formations do occur.

Lyrics are the core of a Népdal, presented by one of more voices or a chorus.
Instruments: of the better known instruments the most commonly used for accompaniment are:

• Violin or fiddle like in the Csávási cigány csárdás
• Viola: Characteristic for many songs is the use of a second violin or even better a viola as a so called "bratsch", supporting the songs rhythm by drawing together two or more strings like this example of a single Bratch or this example of a bratch with a violin in Cigany Verbunk
  
• Double bas with violin, bratch and accordion in this Transsylvanian gipsy dance

Some of the more specific instruments used are:

• Hungarian tambura. Example of an orchestra of tambura's: Szárma Tamburazenekar
• Bagpipe like in Dancing for Hungarian Pipe Music
• Cither or a cithers orchestra like the Szabó Ferenc Csoportja
• Hurdy gurdy like in Playing on the tekerő (hungarian hurdy-gurdy)
• Cimbalom. (see picture below) This instrument is developed by Schunda in Pest fromon 1874 as a larger version of the previously used Hammered Dulcimers. To day in some cases this instrument is also used to play Népdalok, like in this example, (2 violins, cimbalom. bratch and double bas) Its most common and typical use, however is to accompany the Magyar Nóta or Urban Hungarian Folk music (See below).                 

Urban Hungarian Folk Music (Magyar Nóta) also includes a broad array of styles like:

• the slower songs called Halgato, Rubato, or Lassan, (category Rubato in Cimbalom Hungarian Folk)
• the dance music like Csárdás, Friss cárdás (quick dance) Palotás (palace dance) and Verbunkus, or recruitment dance. (category Csárdás in Cimbalom Hungarian Folk) and
• the Nóta or songs with a great variety of styles including Andalgó and Esztam. (category Song in Cimbalom Hungarian Folk). Example of Andalgó: Jaj de szép kék szeme (with typical rhythm support of the bratch)
  

Instruments: the most typical instruments for orchestra's playing this type of music are the first violin played by the Primasz, a second violin or rather a viola used as (rhythmic) bratch, the cimbalom and the double bas, like in this example: Terék József és barátai

In larger orchestra's, a cello, a taragot or clarinet, a second cimbalom and, especially in western countries, a piano.

The Magyar Nóta or Urban Hungarian folk Music uses strophes both in even and uneven numbers. Usually the first strophe is repeated again as last strophe. In many cases the first strophe is repeated as second strophe, but in a quint higher pitch. Not uncommonly in the last of more verses the last two strophes are repeated again.

Cimbalom