Balogh Kálmán: Multiple Strings

This programme is held in Hungarian.

This evening celebrates Kálmán Balogh, one of the greatest artists of the cimbalom, during which he appears in a two-part program with two different ensembles, revealing the many faces of his musicality and of the instrument itself. On the one hand, his joint program with his cimbalom duo partner Rózsa Farkas, born of a decades-long friendship and a subtle attunement to one another, brings to life well-known and lesser-known pieces and melodies originally not written for cimbalom. Their performance presents an extremely colorful repertoire, ranging from old Hungarian dances to works by Couperin, Bach, and Bartók. In the other half of the evening, his cimbalom trio with his favorite students, Dániel Szabó and Ferenc Zimber, takes us further toward traditional music. Alongside presenting authentic folk music sources, they also seek contemporary forms and the possibilities of creative improvisation. 

Kálmán Balogh - Rózsa Farkas Cimbalom Duo
The joint program of Kossuth Prize-winning cimbalom artist Kálmán Balogh and Liszt Prize-winning cimbalom artist Rózsa Farkas was brought to life by a decades-long friendship and a subtle mutual attunement. On an instrument that has now been declared a Hungarikum, and especially when doubled, they can produce an even richer sound of well-known or lesser-known works and melodies originally not written for cimbalom. Their performance features an extremely colorful repertoire: from old Hungarian dances, through the musical world of Couperin and Bach’s two-part inventions, all the way to the indispensable pieces by Bartók, guiding the audience on this refined musical journey.

Kálmán Balogh – Dániel Szabó – Ferenc Zimber Cimbalom Trio
Three folk musician cimbalom players who are strongly connected to authentic folk music sources, while at the same time searching for contemporary forms and the possibilities of creative improvisation—all this on an instrument that is a living Hungarikum.

KÁLMÁN BALOGH, Kossuth Prize-winning cimbalom artist, is one of the best-known cimbalom players not only in Hungary but also internationally. The two important areas of his work are performing and teaching. With brilliant technical skill, refined taste, a high degree of improvisational ability, and an insatiable curiosity and openness toward different musical trends, he is a creatively versatile performer, as a result of which he regularly plays in a variety of ensembles. His repertoire ranges from Hungarian and other nations’ music through authentic Gypsy and klezmer music and their adaptations, world music, and all the way to jazz and classical music. 

DÁNIEL SZABÓ is a cimbalom artist whose research field and primary form of musical expression is the authentic folk music performance style. His own project, Pázsint, is also built on this concept, on the traditional music of Székelyföld. In addition, he has participated and still plays in numerous world music formations. He is currently the cimbalom player of Bazseva, the Uljana Quartet, as well as of Sára Tímár and her band, and is an assistant lecturer at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. 

From the very beginning of his life journey, FERENC ZIMBER was oriented toward music, which, through his studies at the Academy of Music, has by now matured into a performing career. His interest in the cimbalom has driven him since his youth toward an ever more detailed understanding of this special instrument. His commitment to folk music runs through all the ensembles and bands he has ever played with, such as Méta, Téka, and the Buda Folk Band. He is currently a professional musician with the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble.