Link: http://www.muzsikas.hu/A három évtizede működő Muzsikás együttes előadásai rendkívüli élménnyé teszik a hagyományos magyar népzenét. Zenélésük a legkiválóbb falusi zenészek hagyományos előadásmódját és improvizálásait követi a jellegzetes Muzsikás stílusban.
A Muzsikás Európában, Amerikában, Japánban egyaránt ismert és közkedvelt, zenéltek Ausztráliában, Új-Zélandon, Taiwanban, Singapore-ban, Hong Kong-ban, Dél Afrikában. Műfajában a Muzsikás a legismertebb és legnépszerűbb együttes itthon és külföldön. Sokoldalúságukra jellemző, hogy egyaránt otthonosan mozognak mind a folk, népzenei és világzenei fesztiválokon, mind komolyzenei, alternatív zenei, jazz, kelta zenét kedvelő, vagy zsidó zenei rendezvényeken.
MUZSIKÁS is the most popular and most renowned ensemble in Hungary and worldwide playing the traditional Hungarian folk music. Their performance is an exciting musical experience, the audience are transferred back to the remote Hungarian village atmosphere where the traditions survived the centuries.
MUZSIKÁS is the name given to musicians playing traditional folk music in Hungary in villages. The formation of the MUZSIKÁS Ensemble coincided with the European revivalist movement of the seventies whereby interest lied not only in the traditions, but also the roots of culture.
The members of the group play and improvise in the style of old traditional Hungarian folk bands in which the solo violin and the song typically were accompanied with the three-stringed viola and contrabass. The musicians also play other instruments which enables them to produce an extensive range of exciting and unusual colour tones. The music of MUZSIKÁS can be characterized as the traditional arrangements of authentic Hungarian folk music featuring a playing style typical of the best village musicians. It has nothing in common stylistically with the Gypsy-Hungarian style, but is rather the true folk music of Hungary, the most beautiful melodies of which were considered by Béla Bartók to be equal with the greatest works of music.
As an indicator of MUZSIKÁS' success they have toured all over the world including nearly every European country, in addition to Northern America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, appearing in the greatest festivals and biggest concert halls as the Barbican Center or the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Cité de la Music or the Théater de la Ville in Paris, the Town Hall or the Carnegie Hall in New York.
Muzsikás is the first Hungarian Folk ensemble accepted by the classical music world. With their special music program they combined the traditional music with the classical compositions of Bartók, Kodály, Kurtág, Ligeti. Renowed classical solists (Alexander Balanescu, Roel Dieltiens, Jenô Jandó) string quartets (Takács Quartet, Keller Quartet, Bartók Quartet) choirs (Pro Musica Girls' Choir, Tomkins Vocal Ensemble), and symphonic orchestras (Danubia Orchestra, BBC-SSO, Orchestra of Radio France) are partners in these collaborations.
Their music appears in the film of the Oscar winner director Costa Gavras', "Music Box," having received the first prize in the Berlin film festival in 1989. They have provided the music for a contemporary dance piece entitled "Dancing Room," which was performed in several theaters in England and filmed by BBC.
They are awarded the most respected Hungarian State award for artists, the Kossuth Prize.
Released records:
Living Hungarian Folk Music I. MUZSIKÁS Hungaroton Gong
Muzsikás Kettő Munich Records
It is not like it used to be Hungaroton Gong
Márta Sebestyén and Muzsikás Hannibal/Ryko
The Prisoners' Song Hannibal/Ryko
Blues for Transylvania Hannibal/Ryko
Maramaros, the lost Jewish music Hannibal/Ryko
Morning Star Hannibal/Ryko
The Bartók Album Hannibal/Ryko
Live at Liszt Academy Muzsikas
The musicians:
Mihály Sipos - violin, citera
László Porteleki - violin, koboz, vocal
Péter Éri - kontra, viola, mandolin, flute, long flute
Dániel Hamar- contrabass, gardon, drum, cymbal
Guests, partners:
Roel Dieltiens - cello
Mária Petrás- traditional singer
Alexander Balanescu- violin
Jenő Jandó - piano
György Muszka and Ilonka Muszka - traditional dance from Transylvania
Takács Quartet - quartet
Márta Sebestyén - vocal
Bartók Quartet - quartet
Keller Quartet - quartet
Zoltán Farkas - choreograph, dance, percussion
Ildikó Tóth- choreographs, dance
Árpád Toni - traditional cimbalom from Transylvania
The Balanescu Quartet - quartet
Other partner musicians, ensembles:
BBC Scottish Symphonic Orchestra, conductor: Ilan Volkov
Danubia Symphonic Orchestra, conductor: Domonkos Héja
Tomkins Chamber Choir, conductor: János Dobra
Pro Musica Girls' Choir, conductor: Dénes Szabó
