SOLD-OUT - Magyar Albummm! #6 - Levente Szörényi 80
SOLD-OUT - Magyar Albummm! #6 - Levente Szörényi 80
This program will be held in Hungarian.
In the Magyar Albummm! series, we listen to the records in the presence of the artist or performer, recalling their personal experiences at the library of the House of Hungarian Music. The albums are selected from its expanding collection, making the venue a playground for iconic Hungarian music records during these sessions. This time, Levente Szörényi's first solo album, the 1974 Utazás , will be played, with host Gergely Horváth's guest none other than the protagonist himself, Levente Szörényi, just three days before his 80th birthday.
It might seem like one of the domestic scandal albums of the seventies: some songs were censored, and a few hours after its release, the album was withdrawn from stores due to its cover, repackaged, and released with a different cover. In reality, it is a brilliant link between the first two significant milestones of a still influential musical career, one of the most impactful solo albums in the history of Hungarian pop music. It memorably fulfills the promise it makes in its title: a musical imprint of a European journey and the musical program transitioning from Illés to Fonográf. Our record-listening evening's guest three days before his 80th birthday: Levente Szörényi.
If we can still remember how we listened to music when Little Richard was singing on glittering black records, then we also know what playing records gave to music enthusiasts; dedicated listening time, deep attention, lyrics to browse, and memorable covers. And even more, because the medium itself influenced songwriting; the A and B side notes of singles already raised questions of song priorities and order, bringing about the birth and application of a concept organizing the entire album, musically or thematically. A record is a tangible object, powerfully shaping the personal relationship with the creators and performers. We revive the ritual of record listening by collectively listening to albums of domestic performers that contributed excitingly to the history of Hungarian pop music in some way.
Those of us who still remember how we used to listen to music back when Little Richard sang from shiny black vinyl discs also know what playing records gave music fans: time dedicated to listening to the music with deep absorption, printed lyrics to browse and memorable album covers. And there was even more, because the medium itself influenced the songwriting: the very designation of sides A and B of singles raised the question of the priority and order of the songs, which brought with it the genesis and application of the musical or ideological concept that served as the organising principle behind the entire album.
