Tag Archives | Hungary

Dancing the Csárdás in 1975

We end our week in Hungary with the iconic national folk dance — the Hungarian Csárdás.

The Hungarian Csárdás originated with the 18th century verbunkos, dances that were most often done as a form of recruitment for the military. The dance usually starts off slowly –a section called lassú–and ends very quickly with a section known as friss (“fresh”). Both men and women dance this so-called “Tango of the East,” though tradition dictates that only women wear a traditional red skirt that twirls as they dance. In class we try the Csárdás, though there’s no way we can do it as fantastically as the folks from Hungary do in this video. Woo-hoo 1975!

Makam is the Best of Budapest

All Around This World loves music that fuses sounds from many cultures — this Hungarian band does not disappoint.

With such so many centuries of contact with empires both East and West, Hungary is an ideal place to engage in musical “world fusion.”  For example, when the Turks arrived in the 15th century and conquered part of Hungary they brought sounds from the East, as well as Roma people who came with their own unique music. Makám, which you’ll see in this video, is a Hungarian band founded by prolific progressive folk musician Zoltán Krulik. The band plays Central European traditional songs but demonstrates influences from Asia, Africa and the Balkans.

Bravo for Besh O DroM!

We kick off our week in Hungary with one of our very favorite Eastern European bands — Besh O DroM.
Besh O DroM is a Budapest-based multifaceted, multi-talented 10 piece “electro-acoustic collective” that draws on traditional music from all over the world — “Transylvanian, Jewish, Afghan, Egyptian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Romanian and Greekz,” as they say on their website — to create a rambunctious blend of old and new. The band’s  comes from the Lovari language, meaning, “ride the road.” Or, with a more creative translation, “follow your path, get on with it.” This video will definitely confince you to follow the B-O-D path.

Merry about Magyars, Happy about Hungary

All Around This World map of Eastern Europe featuring Hungary
This week in our online class we visited Hungary, land of the ancient Magyars who settled in the Carpathian Basin way back in 895 A.D., well before the founding of Germany, France or England. Along the way there were Turks, Austrian Hapsburgs, Russians and more, but through the ages the Hungarian nation endured. This may have something to do with the unique Hungarian language, distinct from the Slavic languages of its neighbors. Being the only ones to speak a language may isolate your nation from potential allies, but it can also unify it in the face of enemies. Today we say a hardy jó napot and embark on a week of Hungarian unity.

Hungary Loves This Little Rabbit

Earlier this week we met the Hungarian folk song, “Little Rabbit.” While most of the songs we sing in music class are “grown-up” songs we’ve adapted for kids of all ages to enjoy, this one is kidsy through and through. Sing with me:

Where are you going, little rabbit? Ingom-bingom talibe , tutalibe malibe. Into the forest.

Why do you go there, little rabbit? Ingom-bingom talibe , tutalibe malibe
To find some sticks.

Why do you find them, little rabbit? Ingom-bingom talibe , tutalibe malibe
to build a garden.

Why do you build that little garden? Ingom-bingom talibe , tutalibe malibe
For my mom.

These Guys Sing the Heck out of a Hungarian Children’s Song

“Little Rabbit” (in Hungarian, ‘Hová mégy te kisnyulacska’”) is a Hungarian children’s song about a little bunny who goes into the forest, collects sticks and builds a garden so he can grow flowers for his mom. Probably not a true story. In the early 1900s Hungarian composer and visionary musicologist Zoltán Kodály scoured the countryside collecting folk songs from Hungary, bringing favorites like “Little Rabbit” into his repertoire. Kodály believed that folk songs, the songs of the people, were the best songs to use to teach young children the basics of music. Today the Kodaly method of teaching music to young children, which is available worldwide, still starts with the songs folks sing and builds from there. The guys in this video we make singing a Hungarian children’s song seem like pretty much the coolest thing anyone could ever do.

Have a Happy, Ancient, Hungarian Birthday

Everyone should know how to sing a Hungarian birthday song, just in case you ever find yourself in Budapest at the very right time.

The traditional music of Hungary is a tricky a mix of East and West, of secular and religious, and of ancient and modern as Hungary is itself. Enjoy this version of the Hungarian birthday song, “Sok születésnapokat,” performed by Naptengeri on mountain overlook in Balaton, Hungary. Her translation of the lyrics: “May you live a lot of birthdays. May it never be hard to count your days, May the dew of the sky renew your heart, May a sea of blessings fall on your house May every joy be given to you until you die . . . .”