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Ökrös, undoubtedly one of the leading folk music ensembles today, play mainly Transylvanian folk music. Led by the brilliant violinist Csaba Ökrös, they are one of the best interpreters of this type of folk music and on this new release are joined by other musicians of equal excellence: Kálmán Balogh on Cimbalom, Aladár Csiszár on violin, and Ágnes Herczku on vocals.
The theme of this recording is one of the most famous Hungarian folksongs. The song "I Left My Sweet Homeland" became the most important symbol and "song of belonging" to Hungarians living in Hungary. Also to the millions of emigrants who were forced to leave their homeland; and to other millions who, due to the turbulent border changes of the twentiest century, found themselves in their own homes as "citizens" of an alien land.
"The Ökrös Ensemble, led by the brilliant violinist Csaba Ökrös, are probably the finest interpreters of Transylvanian village music in the world. On I Left My Sweet Homeland, the five regular members of the ensemble are joined by Aladár Csiszár, a Gypsy violinist who is one of the last great players of traditional village music; Ágnes Herczku, a young singer who is one of the leading figures in the Hungarian folk music revival; and Kálmán Balogh, one the most accomplished cymbalom players in Europe. On tracks such as "Rábaközi Karéj, dus, Csárdás és Friss," a collection of dance tunes that features the ringing tones of Balogh's cymbalom, or the "Máramarosi Román és cigány Dallamok," a medley of Gypsy tunes, the band navigates the intricate rhythms and complex melodies with aplomb. But the finest moments on this collection come when Herczku steps up to the microphone. Whether she is singing a lively melody like "Csingerálás (The Gypsy Jumping Dance)" or the moving a cappella lament "I Left My Sweet Homeland," she infuses the music with a passion that is rarely equaled."
1. Gyimesi keserves
2. Csabai (Mezőség) keserves, szökős, ritka és sűrű magyar
3. Magyarszováti, széki csárdás
4. Rábaközi karéj, Dús, csárdás és friss
5. Csiszár Aladár nótái (Asztali és forduló)
6. Máramarosi román és cigány dallamok
7. Kalotaszegi mulató nóták, invirtita és cel iute (forgatós és sebes), szapora és keserves
8. Csigány csingerálások
9. Elindultam szép hazámból...
Csaba Ökrös - violin
Miklós Molnár - violin
László Mester - violin, violas, drum
László Kelemen - 3 stringed viola
Róbert Doór - double bass, guitar
Guests:
Ágnes Herczku - voice
Aladár Csiszár - violin
Kálmán Balogh - cimbalom
Link
pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com
"In recent times Zoltán Kallós is one of the most prominent and important figures in folk music research and collection in the Carpathian Basin.
Here Kallós sings songs from his own field work, accompanied by Ökrös Group. The selections represent nearly every area of Transylvania inhabited by Hungarians: Szilágyság, Kalotaszeg, Mezőség, Gyimes and Moldavia.
Born in Válaszút (Kolozs country, in Transylvania) in 1926, Zoltán Kallós follows in the tradition of Bartók and Kodály researching and collecting folk music from within the region known as the Carpathian Basin.
His interest in the folk music of this area started while still at school, and he has collected and researched the music since the late 1940s. Around the 1960s he started recording folk music in the various places he had previously studied, and it is these recordings that make up the Kallós Archive. In addition to these field recordings he has himself recorded the songs he collected with the ensembles Ökrös and Téka.
A forerunner to the Táncház (Dance House) folk revival of the 1970s in Hungary he was awarded the "Tree of Life" Prize in 1990, the Pro Hungarian Art Prize in 1993, and the Kossuth Award in 1996."
01 Moldvai bújdosódal (Gadár)
02 Keserves, hajnali és szapora (Kalotaszeg)
03 Szilágysági katonadalok (Varsolc)
04 Magyarszováti szerelmi dalok (Mezőség)
05 Mezőségi kontyoló dalok
06 Bonchidai-válaszúti menyasszony kísérő dalok (Mezőség)
07 Gyimesvölgyi szerelmi dalok
08 Válaszúti katonadalok (Mezőség)
09 Ördöngősfüzesi katonadalok (Mezőség)
10 Moldvai szerelmi dal (Klézse)
Musicians::
Zoltán Kallós - voice
Ökrös Ensemble:
Csaba Ökrös - fiddle
Miklós Molnár - fiddle
László Kelemen - viola
László Mester - viola
Róbert Doór - double bass
Guests:
Zoltán Juhász - whistles
Kálmán Balogh - cimbalom
Link
