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The music of Hungary


With mallets and strings - Ildikó Vékony - 17.99
Performances on solo cimbalom of J.S. Bach's 'Partita No. 3 in E major' and 'Sonata No. 1 in G minor.' The artist says: 'Why this music? ...you may ask. Some pieces I have been playing for ages; others I have always wanted to play. Some are not really my world, (but sometimes we long for another world); some are pieces I have been waiting for, and yet I needed years to uncover their deeper meaning. And some have jolted me out of my habits, highlighting for me the moment when a sound is born.'


Poliphonic Vespers for St. Michael’s and St. Martin's Day - Schola Hungarica - 17.99
n 1571, a widow called Anna Hannsen Schuman donated a highly valuable manuscript to the collegiate chapter of Pozsony. The codex contains 239 polyphonic works, almost all for the enrichment of evening vespers. This disc highlights two vespers from the collection: that for the feast of Saint Martin, patron saint of the church, and that for Saint Michael, which falls close to it in the calendar. As in the practice of the time, the prescribed Gregorian chant and their polyphonic arrangements were mixed as necessary in the liturgy, so this disc mixes the two.

Live in Germany - Kalman Balogh Gypsy Cimbalom Band - 15.99
Kálmán Balogh is probabky the best known cimbalom player in the world, having toured everywhere and played in a variety of settings and styles. His Gypsy Cimbalom Band has never been more energetic than on this live concert recording, collaborating with classical, jazz and folk musicians in a program of traditional tunes transformed into artful, modern dance music that he calls Gypsy Jazz.

Árgyélus - Mihaly Dresch Quartet - 18.99
Hungarian saxophonist and compoer Mihály Dresch 's 2007 release. The artist says: I have the feeling that people today are missing a kind of organic musical culture based on a clear overview of a system, typical for example of traditional Indian music or the Transylvanian music of our ancestors. Yet it would seem that at present we are unable to create a new musical system at this level, so we try, piecemeal fashion, to tack together the systems we consider important. The result of this ‘piecing together’ is inevitably a fragmentary culture. Listen

New paria 16: village music from Ghymes - Zerkula Janos keservesei - 16.99
 Village music from Ghymes, Hungary, performed by fiddler/singer Zerkula, accompanied by Regina Fiko on gardon (percussive cello). Recorded in 2000 by Fono Records, live in their concert hall, these are the real deal, true traditional tunes by true roots musicians. Nicly packaged as a small, hardbound book with complete notes and song texts in Hungarian and English.

Cipity Lorinc - Szaloki Agi - 17.99
Szalóki Ági's Cipity Lörinc is the Hungarian singer's 2007 release, a unique album for children, folk songs from Transylvania and the Uplands arranged by her band (guitar, cello, bass, percussion, with guests on piano, flute, bagpipe and violin), as well as settings of poems by Ágnes Nagy Nemes and Sándor Weöres performed by two noted actors, Mari Kiss and János Kulka.

Csillagok, Csillagok (Stars, stars) - various artists - 17.99
Subtitled 'Celebration Of Hungarian Music,' it is surely a party, with an excellent cast of contributors including Éva Korpás, Ági Szalóki, Róbert Lakatos, Mihály Dresch, Ferenc Kovács, Kálmán Balogh and many others, in a set of songs given personal settings by the artists

Almanach - Makam - 17.99
Makam performs newly-composed, traditionally-inspired music strongly tied to oriental music cultures, based on the scales of Eastern (ragas), Bulgarian-Turkish scale variations (makams) and even the half-tone scales frequently used Bartók, songs sounding like Hungarian folk ballads and arrangements by musicians with contemporary and jazz skills. The voice of Szilvia Bognar brings life and tenderness to the very precise compositions of Zoltan Krulik on this 2005 release. Highly recommended!

Queens and Kings - Fanfare Ciocarlia - 17.99
The Romanian Gypsy group returns, this time with a busload of guests from all over the Roma diaspora, including France, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Hungarian Village Music From The 20th Century - Tukros Ensemble - 17.99
Tükrös Zenekar presents acoustic, modern intrerpretations of traditional 'village music' from Hungary

Aroma - Balogh Kálmán and Gipsy Cimbalom Band - 17.99
 2003 release by Hungary's best known player of the hammer-dulcimer (cimbalom), accompanied by a stellar group of musicians on guitar, bass, violins, horns, derbouka and vocals. Stellar, as always.

Day is Dawning - Roby Lakatos and REV - 17.99
Róbert Lakatos approaches the works of Béla Bartók in much the same way Barók approached Hungarian folk songs, and then returning Bartók's musical works to their supposedly original, traditional rural musical enviroment via an ensemble of cimbalom, violins, violas, guitar, percussion and many voices.

Lament - Szaloki Agi - 17.99
Ági Szalóki sings music from folk songs originate from Moldva and Gyimes (from the Hungarian/Romanian border), accompanied by saxophone, percussion, guitar, bass and piano, in modern, jazz-like but not jazz-bound settings that are personal and unique.

Fel es Egesz (2 CD set) - Transsylvanians - 16.99
Fél es Čgesz is the 6th CD by this powerful Hungarian roots'n'rock band. They describe the 2 CD set as 'Hungarian Speed Folk - two sides, different pulse frequencies- CD 1 is for stagedivers, CD 2 is for slowfolkers. Bastard arrangements of Bartók and Rimski-Korsakow, an excerpt from a Hungarian rock-opera, Jimi Hendrix' rock-classic 'Fire,' and the infamously legendary film-song "Gloomy Sunday." And the two greatest Hungarian poets of the 19th century, Arany János und Petöfi Sándor, are invited to the party. Tradition revitalised with the power of rock and the freedom of punk.'

Sereny Magyaros - various artists - 10.99
Whistle music from Moldavia, Hungary

Hungary: Folk Music - various - 17.99
Recordings from Hungarian radio archives features selections from Transdanubia, Northern Hungary, the Highlands and the Great Plain. There are vocals, long shepherd pipes, bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, imitation bagpipes, zithers, 'hairy' bagpipes and reed pipes.

Live in Berlin - Transsylvanians - 17.99
More 'Hungarian speedfolk' recorded live in concert. Utter madness from the east European folk-rockers.

Check it out, Igor - Bela Szakcsi Lakatos and Miklos Lukacs - 17.99
Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, piano and Miklós Lukács on cimbalom offer some wild and far-ranging improvised musical duests drawing on the musical grammar of Roman and Hungarian Gypsy tradition, classical keyboard from the Baroque to Bartók, and jazz styles from barrelhouse to bebop to Braxton. Challenging doesn't begin to describe it!

La manivelle magyare - La Campagnie des musiques a ouir - 17.99
Three talented young French musicians, Denis Charolles, Frederic Gastard and Christophe Monniot produce the sound of a 25-piece orchestra, with a repertoire that extends from popular folk numbers, to pop music, to their own compositions. It's all quite mad and challenging, all the more so by the inclusion of three of Hungary's best and most adventurous jazz musicians: guitarist Gábor Gadó, pianist Béla Szakcsi and violinist Balázs Bujtor.

Meselia Hill - Mihaly Borbely Quartet - 17.99
Mihály Borbélyplays clarinet and jazz saxophone as well kaval flute and tárogató (a wooden soprano saxophone) joined by an ensemble of piano, bass and drums with guests Zoltán Lantos (violin) and Miklós Lukács (cimbalom). Says Michael Stone in RootsWorld, "If Bartók played not-so-straight-ahead jazz, it might sound like the Borbély Quartet, combining Serbian, Slovak, Gypsy, Jewish and German folk influences with classical music, shot through with that thing that swings. Roland Kirk would understand."

Modern dances for the advanced in age - Gabor Gado - 17.99
Hungarian guitarist Gábor Gadó and his ensemble offer "a tongue-in-cheek sextet rounded out by a pair of saxes, trumpet, trombone, bass and drums... a certain down-at-the-heels dancehall feel: odd time changes, droll, edgy tango, cha cha and calypso, a guitar owing as much to Hendrix, Hawaii and heavy metal as to Wes Montgomery and George Benson, while the spirits of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini drift by for the album closer, 'Moon River,' a place you've never been but might want to reconnoiter." - RootsWorld

Around the world - Elmer Balasz Group - 17.99
The Hungarian drummer and his ensemble of piano, bass, guitar and percussion in a set of jazz based on Hungarian roots, with Mihály Dresch on flute, David Yengibarjan on accordion, and vocalists Gábor Winand and Henriett Czerovszky.

StompyTrashy - Grupa Palotai - 17.99
Hungarian guitarist Csaba Palotaď and his ensemble of Sousaphone, reeds and drums is definately NOT exploring the roots of Hungarian folk. This brazen ensemble may have a few folk fronds in its melodies, but this is brash jazz with rock underpinnings, rife with humor and energy. Shades of New Orleans, bebop, Zappa and fellow Hungarian Dresch are just the tip of the iceberg on a diverse set of challenging yet merry works of music.

Our worlds beyond - Elemér Balázs Group with Charlie Mariano - 17.99
The Hungarian percussionist and drummer is joined by his jazz ensemble and the American saxophonist Mariano.

Tango Passion - Trio Yengibarjan - temp out of stock-17.99
An unexpected angle on the tango from this Hungarian trio of David Yengibarjan - accordion; József Barcza Horváth - bass and Gábor Judhasz - guitar. Three works by Piazzolla, the rest original compositions by Yengibarjan provide a unique view of the musical genre and some steps beyond it.

Straight Music - Mihaly Dresch Quartet - 17.99
The Hungarian composer/saxophonist says: 'I realised that music requires the whole person, including who they are and where they are from – that's what sounds through the instrument. I realised I would never be able to make music from the same impulse as Coltrane, Griffin, and the other masters. That's how I came to need to play out my own experience. When I was practising, I noticed that while my first small pieces were taking shape, I was thinking of my grandparents. Ever since, this has been important: my loved ones should be present in my spirit.' Mihály Dresch - tenor and soprano, saxophones, traditional recorder; Ferenc Kovács - violin; Mátyás Szandai - double bass; István Baló - drums; with Kálmán Balogh - cimbalom; Mátyás Bólya - koboz (Hungarian lute); Anna Dresch - vocals

Pandoukht - David Yengibarjan and Frank London - 17.99
David Yengibarjan - accordion; Frank London - trumpet; József Barcza Horváth - bass; András Dés - percussion; with guest guitarist Gábor Gadó.

Tótágas - Dél-Alföldi Saxophone Ensemble - 17.99
When Hungarians want to say that too many cooks spoil the broth, they say that 'two pipers in the same inn are one too many.' Yet these three pipers (saxophonists) get on like a house on fire. They are: Béla Ágoston, Béla Burány and Balázs Szokolay. Joined by Róbert Benko on double bass and Tamás Geröly Sándor on drums, they cook up a storm of reeds both rattling and sublime.

Na dara! - Szakcsi Lakatos Trio - 17.99
A fine straight jazz trio from Hungary - Béla Szakcsi Lakatos - piano; György Orbán - double bass; András Peczek Lakatos - drums - and a recording made great by two marvelous vocalists - Mónika Rostás and Csaba Rostás.

Quiet as it is - Mihály Dresch - 17.99
The saxophonist and composer continues his adventurous jazz exploration of his eastern European roots, joined by a quartet - Ferenc Kovács - violin, trumpet; Balázs Unger - cimbalom; Mátyás Szandai - double bass; István Baló - drums. Says choreographer Csaba Horváth, 'I have never heard music like his, music that draws upon folk music but instead of treating or adapting it, enters fully into the spirit of it, relives every moment of it inwardly. In my eyes Mihály Dresch is an intuitive artist who experiences the world vulnerable and defenceless, but the roots of his work go so deep as to make it unassailable.'

Hungarian Bebop - Mihály Dresch / Archie Shepp - 17.99
Dresch and his quartet are joined by the legendary saxophonist and pianist Shepp on another trip through the musical folklore of Hungary, interpolating it into the language of bebop. Special guest Kalman Balogh contributes cimbalom on one track.

a part - Makam - 16.99

and the Gipsy Cimbalom Band - Kalman Balogh - 18.99
1997 recording by one of Hungary's best know players of the hammer-dulcimer called cimbalom, accompanied by a stellar group of musicians on guitar, bass, violins, horns, derbouka and vocals

Train 7.40 - Budapest Klezmer Band - 16.99
Besides traditional Jewish compositions, the album contains pieces from the Budapest production of'Fiddler on the roof'.

Csango-Hungarian Bagpipes of Moldavia - Various Hungarian Artists - 15.99
 Field recordings made by Györgey Stuber from 1973-2001 of the bagpipe music of Moldavia, Hungary, includes many kinds of pipes and whistle players

Reveszem, Reveszem - Dresch Dudas Mihaly Quartet - 14.99
Jazz quartet explores Hungarian folk themes

Tul a Vizen - Dresch Quartet - 14.99
More brilliant jazz from Hungary, deep in traditional roots, high on the creative scale. featureing Mihaly Dresch on saxophone, flutes, cimbalom, and vocals, with an ensemble of drums, bass and Ferenc Kovacs on violin and trumpet

Cigany Torveny / Romani Kris (Gypsy Law) - Ferenc Kiss - 16.99
Music from the film by Bence Gyongyossy

Sound and Vision: Live (red) - Korai Oram - 12.99
hungary rock avant

Szindbad - Makam with Irene Lovasz - 17.99
The 2002 release by this most innovative and sublime of Hungarian modern-folk ensembles. This time they work with the compositions of Zoltan Krulik, who weaves mystical tales from the depths of a child's mind.

Outlaws of the City -Nagyvárosi bujdosók - Ferenc Kiss - 13.99
The Outlaws of the City is a thematic or as it is nowadays called a concept album. In the songs, lyrics and performance I used a lot from what I have learnt in the past 25 years about folk cultures, and the way we can use them today. The prosaic supplements, which I call texts that accompany the songs, cannot be sung, but they all relate, at some places closely, at others loosely, to the imagery of the songs. They make each other complete. They are about me, and my loved ones, and about those who can never be loved. Memories about my generation and the hiding. My childhood, and school, fears, the recognition and the fire, music and water, the respect of traditions and rebellion, landscapes and people, tales and travels, the myth and bureaucracy, duty and love, self destruction and attachments, home and the native land, the rustling of skirts, our fate, the child's eyes, the smell of books, the wings of freedom and of course happiness, joy, wine and dance, and the language of the Bible and the streets –

O Cerhariko - Romanyi Rota - 16.99
Gipsy folk group from Hungary

Christmas Music from Medieval Hungary - Anonymous 4 - 11.99
The famous female vocal quartet offers unusual holiday music.

Sounds of seven towers - Kiss Ferenc - 12.99
Features the a decade-plus of programme music pieces composed by Ferenc Kiss. Among others we can hear the world-famous composition written for the Hungarian Pavilion, which was designed by Imre Makovecz for the Expo 1992 in Seville; the accompanying music written for the folk-dance gala programme at the Szeged Open Air Festival; some music excerpts to the dance choreographies by Jolán Foltin and other rarities.

Holnapig - Until tommorow - Lantos Iván - 14.99
Lantos was one of the remarkable members of the Vízönto and the Kolinda group in the 70s. This collection represents his unique work from 1992 to 2003 In his music the rootlessness mates with the limitlessness, irony with elevation and the renaissance with the postmodern. A great introduction to an important and innovative Hungarian musician.

Mitsoura - Mitsoura - temp out of stock-17.99
fRoots says: 'I first heard this record in Romania last year where a room full of Gypsy musicians dismissed it and her as 'Woody Woodpecker' yet there is something compelling, almost fabulous here. As a marriage of modern Western club music with traditional Gypsy music, Mitsoura is vastly superior...' Featuring Juhász Mónika Mitsou (ex-Ando Drom)

Keep in your hearts (Songs of Asik Veysel) - Kobzos Kiss Tamás and Erdal Salikoglu - 16.99
Duets for saz and voice by two Hungarian musicians, in homage to the great Trukish artist.

Klezz Jazz - Nigun - 13.99
This Hungarian bands mixes Jewish music (folk, klezmer, Sephardic, and sacred) with jazz and free-improvisative elements. This music is characterized by both the melodic turns of Jewish music and improvisational elements. The aim of Nigun is not only preserving heritage but creating new values.

Standard - Nigun - 13.99
Folk-rooted jazz ensemble from Hungary mixes Jewish, Hungarian folk and all manner of innovative ideas into a unique new music.

Magony - Kovács Ferenc - 16.99
A solo album by the violin soloist of Djabe, Kalman Balogh’s Gypsy Cimbalom Band and Dresh Quartet.

Magony Vonósok (2 CD set) - Kovács Ferenc - 19.99
The Magony orchestra was formed in 2001, to perform in live Ferenc Kovács’s solo album. Their repertory has been continuously enlarged with their own compositions and special elaborations of well-known Hungarian folk songs. Their musical style can be summed up by the expression 'contemporary rustic music.' The aim of Magony, the artist states, 'is to express our ancient Hungarian emotions in a Hungarian way by melting the classical, the Gypsy and our folk traditions.'

Igen! - Transsylvanians - 17.99
They call it 'Hungarian speedfolk' and it does have velocity. This mostly-acoustic ensemble's high-octane brand of folk encompasses the eastern and western with ease and attitude.

New Destiny - Dallam-Dougou - 15.99
A unique ensemble of African and European-American musicians, who merge the dougou (place) of west African with the dallam (melody) of Hungary to create a new musical sound completely imaginary and completely original.

Andre Lindri - Romano Drom - 16.99
Romano Drom is always searching for new timbres and new instruments to add to their musical mix. They blend their new sounds with traditional music which often includes ‘domestic percussion’ played on aluminum pots, spoons and other utensils. In a review of their debut CD, Ando Foro (Daqui 332011), we said, 'This is not your average reproduction of heritage, but a living music as bold as the people it springs from. The music is strong on vocals and word play, a part of the Gypsy musical tradition often left behind in the rush towards a 'modern production' so often found in new Gypsy music.'

Music of Eastern Europe - Harmonia - 16.99
Two generations of musicians celebrated for their performances of the music of their Eastern European homelands join forces to explore the shared musical roots of the culturally rich territories east of the Danube, from Hungary and Romania to Croatia, Slovakia and western Ukraine.

Balkaninis - Balkan Playboys (feat. Nicola Parov) - 17.99
This band skips agilely across the whole Balkan territory from Hungary and Romania to Bulgaria, driven by gadulka, kaval, clarinet, bouzuki, accordion, violin, percussion, flutes and reeds.

The Danubians - The Danubians - 16.99
Amy Denio, Pavel Fajt, Csaba Hajnoczy and Gaby Kenderesi

Ando Foro - Romano Drom - 17.99
Olah Gypsies from Hungary offer an exciting mix of new and old. The music is strong on vocals and word play.

Nekem-tenemmutogatol - Can't Make Me! - Besh o droM - 17.99

Winter Moons, Summer Suns: Romany Songs from Hungary - Kek Lang - 17.99
The gypsy families whose members make up the group all come from a little village near Nyabator in the eastern part of Hungary. Complex vocal folk music accompanied by accordion and guitar with jug or spoon used as percussion.

Exposed - Kalman Magyar - 15.99
The noted Hungarian musicians steps out of his usual role as ambassador of Hungarian village music to show off not only his musicianship but also his diverse musical interests, in a recording of Hungarian, Romanian, Balkan and Gypsy songs. Kalman performs all the parts on this studio recording, and impresses throughout.

Szep Szivarvany (Beautiful Rainbow) - Eletfa - 15.99
Focused on the voice of Natalia Zagyva, this CD is a collection of village folk songs with instrumental accompaniment by Kalman Ocsi Magyar and the Elefta ensemble.

Gyokereink (Our Roots) - Eletfa - 15.99
US based Hungarian band preserves the roots for a new generation, bringing the music, stories and dances of eastern Europe to life

New Wave - Vizonto - 17.99
Hungarian new music quartet plays unique compositions from folk roots.

The Balkan Move - Zsaratnok - 17.99
Nicola Parov and his ensemble from Hungary

Crossing Paths - Alexander Fedoriouk and Kalman Magyar - 15.99
Duets for cimbalom (hammer dulcimer) and violin, a unique blend of folk instruments, a cross-cultural musical exploration and collaboration presenting an improvisation-driven, jazz edge to centuries-old melodies.

Once I Catch the Devil - Besh o droM - temp out of stock-19.99
An urban wedding band mixes ethnic tradition with the club culture, the unique sound of the cimbalom, a Balkan brass section and locked-down funk grooves. They have been described as "musical mayhem" and "Gypsies at warp speed." This one features Gypsy singers Mitsou and Ági Szalóki.

Gyi! - Besh o droM - temp out of stock-18.99
They are back for their third round of Balkanized Gypsy madness, where east meets east in modern times. With special guest Mitsou on vocals

Amilal - Urna - temp out of stock-17.99
The Chemirani Trio - Zoltan Lantos (violin), Djamchid Chemirani and Keyvan Chemirani (percussion) join Mongolian vocalist Urna Chahar-Tugchi on her 2005 release. They take a spare and elegant approach, each instrument and voice holding equal importance in delivering these traditional and tradition-inspired songs, from soft balladry to almost avant garde energy. Beautifully packaged in a gatefold digipak with a classy book inside, with images, photos and lyrics in Mongolian script and English translation. Highly recommended!

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