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Transsylvanians are a phenomena of today's roots-music scene. Based in Berlin, the four musicians create with their Hungarian Speed-Folk a mixture of rap, rock, Bartok, ska, punk and gypsy-techno. Their live appearances invariably turn into ecstatic dance orgies but Trannsylvanians can also seduce the audience with the ballads and love songs in their repertoire. The songs tell of their homeland: The earth and the stars, war and peace, love and jealousy and, above all, the lust for life that characterizes their live shows. Through their constant touring they have become one of Germany's favourite live acts on the worldmusic scene.
The name "Transsylvanians" is often with the Dracula myth and when that conjures up visions of a mysterious underworld where, in the night, bats go hunting and dark forces awake uncontrollable passions which drive people to madness, then this is not in the least inappropriate. Transsylvania, the musical source of the band, is a strip of land that belonged to Hungary until the First World War and is now part of Romania. Many people from different cultures live there: Hungarians, Romanians, Siebenbürgersachsens and Gypsies.
"Who or what are the Transsylvanians? The question is easier to ask than to answer. A band, of course, but a many faceted one. It all started in 1996, on the street. Since then the Transsylvanians have stayed true to their inimitable style.
The devilish violinist András Tiborcz, responsible for arranging and composing, whom the public love to carry on their hands, comes from Hungary and Hungarian is the language of the band’s songs. How fortunate that singer and contra-bassist Isabel Nagy is half Hungarian and speaks the language perfectly.
But whoever is now thinking of folklore and jolly violin solos is not getting the full picture, because the Transsylvanians rock as if they invented Rock’n’Roll themselves. Although they know and love to perform all the clichés of the genre – the stage-diving of the soloing violinist is just one example – they come across in their concerts as always authentic and so sympathetic that you feel as if they’ve been personal friends of yours for years.
In more than 1000 concerts throughout Europe they have excited audiences of all kinds including housewifes, punks, senior citizens, children, hardcore bikers and executive businessmen, whose only apparent common denominator is the music of the Transsylvanians.
Rousing and powerful, within a few seconds the ice between the stage and the audience is broken and it seldom lasts more than half a song before the whole room is dancing. The dedicated team of guitarist Hendrik Maaß, keyboardist Andreas Hirche and drummer Thomas Leisner bring the whole thing together.
A five-piece party band with depth; a band between ska and Béla Bartók; a band who give new life to the old traditions, turning then to now. That’s the Transsylvanians."
01. Transdanubian
02. Tulipán
03. Halálos Szerelem
04. Adjon Isten Ami Nincs
05. Evening In Transsylvania
06. Kenderesi
07. Sok Születés Napokat
08. Repülö
09. Lakodalmas
10. Akasztós
11. Allegro Barbaro
12. Amari Szi
13. Csillagok
Szilvana: Vocals, Double Bass
András Tiborcz: Vocals, Violin
Sabine Schein: Accordion, Vocals
Hendrik Maaß: Guitar, Vocals
Thomas Leisner: Drums
Guest:
Andrej Soudnitsyn: Violin (Tracks 5, 8, 11)
Link
pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com
