CSÁRDÁS, HUNGARIAN FOLK MUSIC COLLECTION

The Csárdás is part of Hungarian Folk Music, a rich musical trove hardly known in most countries other than Hungary.The meaning of this blog is to promote this music, supported by the Website Cimbalom.nl, (see link below)the largest online collection of Hungarian Folk with over 5000 melodies (MIDI and MP3), including over 1200 csárdás Remember a melody but not its title? Play some ten of its notes on the piano keyboard of the MelodyCatcher to find it

CSÁRDÁS : SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION

FOR A HIGH QUALITY VIDEO SELECTION GO TO THE CARDAS PLAYLISTS OF MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL11ACB74E6F2D6F4A

In origin the Csardas (in Hungarian Csárdás) is a traditional Hungarian folk dance for couples. The name derived from Csárda, an old Hungarian term for Tavern. Although originated in Hungary it became popular and is still used as dance music in all surrounding countries.as well. Especially from on the beginning of the 19th century this music also became famous as Urban Hungarian Folk Music (Magyar Nóta), since this music was played in restaurants all over Europe.

The Csárdás is characterized by a variation in tempo. Usually it starts out slowly, as a lassú or slow csárdás, while ending in a (very) fast tempo as a friss (lively) csárdás. One and the same melody can be repeated in different tempo, but usually different melodies are played in a series ending with a friss csárdás. The melody is in 4/4 or in 2/4 time. An example of the latter is the Ritka csárdas

The origin of the Csárdás is also related to the 18th century Hungarian Verbunkos a recruiting dance of the Hungarian army. An example: Szatmári verbunkos

Another related dance is The Palotás or “Palace” Dance with origins in the 15th century. With the development of an extensive life at court it reached its peak in popularity during the reign of Rákoczi Ferenc II. An example: Palotás

Several classical composers have used csárdás themes in their works. Probably the most famous example is the csárdás from Johann Straus’s operetta Die Fledermaus.

TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS

- Violin or fiddle like in this Csávási cigány csárdás',
- Viola: Characteristic for many songs is the use of a second violin or rather a viola as a so called "bratsch", supporting the songs rhythm by touching 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 bass like 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 was developed by Schunda in Pest from on 1874 as a larger version of the previously used Hammered Dulcimers. To day this instrument is also used to play a more traditional çsárdás, like in this example,Váraljai muzsika (2 violins, cimbalom. bratch and double bass)The most common and typical use or a cimbalom, however, is to accompany the Magyar Nóta or Urban Hungarian Folk music like in this sample: Berki Béla csárdások (Hungarian csardas music) (For a picture see below).

INSTRUMENTS USED TO PLAY HUNGARIAN URBAN MUSIC (MAGYAR NÓTA)

The most typical instruments for orchestras playing ) are the first violin played by the Prímás, 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. Example of a larger orchestra: Sándor Déki Lakatos.

Although Gipsies certainly have contributed to the popularity of this music, some times even wrongly referred to as "Gipsy music", they usually play in a somewhat different way as can be noticed in this example of the Anglia Budapest Gypsy Orchestra

Some more video impressions

...............

Transsylvanian dance............ Cimbalom solo......................... Csardas

CSÁRDÁS, HUNGARIAN FOLK MUSIC COLLECTION

About Me

Followers