Szászcsávás Band (ROM), Šukovci (SLO)

At this event, two still-active village Gypsy bands with very similar energy will take the stage. One hails from the settlement of Szászcsávás (Ceuaș) in Transylvania, the other from Feketebalog (Čierny Balog) in the heart of Slovakia – the former is the Szászcsávás Band (nyitóképen) and the latter Šukovci. Another shared quality between the two is that they are both marked by a dynasty-like structure, with musical knowledge passed down from father to son. Though the Szászcsávás Band has established a name in Hungarian circles through the revival scene in the Carpathian Basin, they have also conquered stages around the world – one of their best-known albums is a recording of a concert in Chicago. They are guaranteed to wow the audience with their irresistible, pioneering stage presence as they perform the repertoire of the region as part of our Landscapes and Music programme series. The Concert Hall will have a mix of seated and standing areas, so we are especially looking forward to welcoming people in the mood to dance – though everyone is sure to get that way sooner or later!

Szászcsávás Band

Szászcsávás Band is one of the few Transylvanian Gypsy string bands that continue to preserve the folk music repertoire and playing styles traditionally inherited and passed down by their parents and grandparents. There may be very little demand for traditional folk music in their home along the Târnava Mică River, yet the group are often celebrated guests at events, folklore festivals, summer folk dance camps and dance venues of the dance house movement in Hungary and around the world. Anyone lucky enough to hear them play is sure to be won over by the dynamism of their play and their virtuoso, carefree performance style. Szászcsávás, otherwise known as Ceuaș, is a small Hungarian village in the heart of Transylvania, in Mureş County. At the start of the 20th century, Gypsy musicians were relocated to this relatively wealthy village, which is also noted for polyphonic church singing. There were several groups operating in Szászcsávás, with the band consisting of István "Dumnezeu" Jámbor, Sándor "Cilika" Csányi, Ferenc "Csángáló" Mezei and Matyi Mezei the most famous. Of the prímás musicians of this old band, only Sándor Csányi is still playing music. He is the leader of Szászcsávás. One of his sons, Sándor Mezei Jr, is the second prímás, while his younger son Alin Mezei is the permanent viola player. Sándor Csányi's grandchildren are also increasingly adept at playing music. Alin often brings his son along to play double bass.

Šukovci

Feketebalog, or Čierny Balog in Slovakian, is situated right in the centre of present-day Slovakia in the district of Brezno, close to Banská Bystrica. Feketebalog's foundation has been dated to the 17th century and is linked to mining and logging in the area. The traditional culture of the Slovaks in Feketebalog forms a unique, isolated entity characteristic of the Upper River Hron. This unified entity can be seen in both the folk costumes and folk architecture, and the rich heritage of folklore – and therefore in its music and dance traditions. The village's Gypsy musicians will seek to provide a taste of this multi-layered traditional material, primarily through a presentation of the distinctive Feketebalog melodies of instrumental folk music. The name of the band, Šukovci, comes from the nickname of Július "Šuko” Bartoš (1933-2006), the father of most of the musicians performing at the concert. 

Please note that this concert has a mixed ticketing arrangement. If you purchased a seated ticket, seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.