Music of Hungary

Hungary has made many important contributions to folk, popular, and classical music. Hungarian folk music is a big part of the country’s identity and continues to influence many musicians. The Busójárás carnival in Mohács is a famous event where folk music comes alive, and traditional instruments like the citera, cimbalom, and tárogató are often heard.

In classical music, Hungary has produced world-famous composers such as Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. They used folk music themes to create a unique Hungarian style. Bartók collected folk songs from many parts of Central and Eastern Europe, while Kodály focused on finding a special sound that was distinctly Hungarian.

Romani music has also played an important role in Hungary’s musical history, with a presence dating back many centuries. Even during the time of Communist rule from 1949 to 1989, when music was closely watched, Hungary’s music scene has since grown again. Today, Hungary has successful jazz and rock musicians, with groups like Illés, Metró, and Omega remaining very popular.

Characteristics

The Hungarian people, known as the Magyars, have a unique musical history because they came from a mix of different groups long ago. Their traditional music stands out in Europe. Experts have noticed that Hungarian music shares some similarities with the music of faraway places like Russia, Mongolia, and even Native American tribes.

Hungarian folk music has special features, like using certain note patterns and repeating parts of songs in different ways. These patterns often move up or down by a specific musical step called a "fifth". This style of music influenced the music of nearby countries like Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Over time, Hungarian folk music changed, especially in the 19th century, developing new melodies that are different from older styles.

Music history

Main article: Music history of Hungary

Hungary's music history began in the 11th century when Gregorian chant was introduced. This happened when Hungary became Christian and started to join European culture. At first, we know a lot about religious music, but secular music, which was played at festivals and events, is less known. Early musical instruments in Hungary included the whistle in 1222, the Koboz around 1237–1325, the bugle in 1355, the fiddle in 1358, the bagpipe in 1402, the lute in 1427, and the trumpet in 1428. Later, the organ became very important.

In the 16th century, Transylvania became a center for Hungarian music. This was also when the first music was published in Hungary, in Kraków. Hungarian instrumental music was famous in Europe. One famous musician was Bálint Bakfark, a great lute player whose music helped create a new style.

During the 16th century, Hungary was split into three parts: one controlled by the Turks, the Principality of Transylvania, and one controlled by the Habsburgs. Traditional songs became less popular and were replaced by poetry, and minstrels were replaced by musicians in royal courts. These courts had musicians playing many instruments, including the trumpet, whistle, cimbalom, violin, and bagpipes. Some of these musicians came from Germany, Poland, France, and Italy. In the Ottoman-controlled areas, music declined a lot, but in other areas, religious music continued to grow.

In the 18th century, students at colleges in Sárospatak and Székelyudvarhely brought their local music styles with them. While college choirs used more complex music, students’ songbooks show that simpler songs became more popular. A big collection of these songs was published in 1853. This time also saw the rise of verbunkos, a type of music used by army recruiters, where melodies were more important than words.

Folk music

Main article: Hungarian folk music

Hungarian folk music changed a lot in the 1800s, becoming a new style very different from older music. Today, Hungarian folk music has special features like long, flowing melodies and clear patterns.

People started recording this music in 1895, and famous musicians like Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, and László Lajtha helped collect and share it. In the past, village musicians played using pipes, but later, groups with string instruments became popular, especially those from the Roma community.

Verbunkos

Main article: Verbunkos

In the 1800s, verbunkos was very popular in Hungary. It mixed slow and fast dances and had special rhythms and styles. Originally, it was played to encourage young men to join the army. One famous verbunkos tune, the "Rákóczi March", was used in many compositions.

Roma music

Main article: Roma music

The Roma people have their own style of folk music, often without instruments. They use hand claps, body taps, and special vocal techniques. Some modern Roma musicians now include guitars and other instruments in their music.

Hungarian music abroad

Main article: Music of Transylvania

Hungarians living in other countries, like Romania, have also kept their folk music traditions strong. In Transylvania, folk bands usually have violins, violas, and double basses, and they play lively dances.

Táncház

Main article: Táncház

Táncház began in the 1970s as a way to bring back traditional folk music and dancing. These events mix slow and fast dances and are very popular. Many famous Hungarian musicians started in the táncház scene.

Classical music

Hungary made a big mark in classical music with Franz Liszt, a famous pianist and composer known for his 19th-century works like the Hungarian Rhapsodies. Liszt was one of the leading composers of his time when Hungarian classical music was just beginning to grow.

Hungary also gave the world talented composers such as Ferenc Erkel and Mihály Mosonyi, along with many skilled musicians like violinists and conductors. Famous names include Joseph Joachim, Jenő Hubay, and conductors like Georg Solti.

Hungarian opera

Main article: Hungarian opera

Hungarian opera started in the late 1700s in cities such as Budapest. Early operas were in German or Italian, but later, composers like Ferenc Erkel began writing in Hungarian.

Bartók and Kodály

Main articles: Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály

In the early 1900s, two important composers, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, helped create a special Hungarian style of music. They collected folk songs and used them in their work.

Later 20th century

After World War II, new composers like György Ligeti and György Kurtág brought fresh ideas to Hungarian music. They mixed old Hungarian styles with new modern techniques.

Popular music

Hungarian popular music began in the early 1900s with light operettas and Roma music. Nagymező utca in Budapest, known as the "Broadway of Budapest," was a center for this music, full of nightclubs and theatres. After 1945, popular music changed to patriotic songs under Russian influence, though some operettas still appeared. Western music was seen as harmful.

In 1956, changes allowed more freedom, and jazz grew popular. By the 1970s, famous bands like the Benkó Dixieland Band and Béla Szakcsi Lakatos appeared. Rock music also began in the 1960s, with bands like Illés, Metró, and Omega leading the way. Later, new bands formed, and rock evolved through many years.

Main article: Hungarian rock

In the 1960s, Hungarian young people loved rock music, even though leaders disapproved. By the 1970s, bands like Illés, Metró, and Omega were popular. Later, Locomotiv GT became famous. In the 1980s, new styles like hard rock and punk grew, with bands such as Beatrice and P. Mobil. As the communist system ended, Hungarian music joined the world music industry.

Clubbing and electronic dance music became popular in Hungary after 1989. New venues opened, especially in Budapest and around Lake Balaton. The 1990s saw groups like Soho Party and Splash, and events like the Budapest Parade drew huge crowds. Underground music also grew, with stations like Tilos Rádió and bands such as Anima Sound System.

Main article: Hungarian hip hop

Hip hop and rap grew in Hungary, with both underground and mainstream scenes. Underground rappers often criticize the mainstream, while mainstream hip hop is popular among young people, especially Romani youth. Bands like Bëlga are known for their sharp lyrics about Budapest.

Hardcore and metal music thrive in Hungary, with many bands forming across the country. Popular styles include death metal, black metal, and thrash metal. Budapest and western Hungary are key areas for hardcore and metalcore music.

Main article: Hungarian indie

The Hungarian indie scene began in the 1980s with bands like Európa Kiadó. It grew in the 1990s and again in the 2000s with bands such as Amber Smith and The Moog. The indie scene often mixes with electronic music.

The Hungarian punk movement started in the early 1980s with bands like ETA and CPG, who often criticized the communist government. After 1989, punk bands rebelled against new problems like corruption. Today, punk remains active with many bands and festivals, especially around Budapest.

Festivals, venues and other institutions

Folk and classical music

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a great place to enjoy folk music. The city holds an annual folk festival called Táncháztalálkozó, which is a big part of today’s music scene. The Budapest Spring Festival and the Budapest Autumn Festival are large cultural events held every year. The Budapesti Fesztivál Zenekar has won a Gramophone Award recently. Long-standing venues in Budapest include the Philharmonic Society, the Opera House of Budapest, and the Academy of Music.

Popular music festivals

Since the early 1990s, many music festivals have started because more young people wanted to enjoy music. Besides big events like the Sziget Festival, local festivals began in the 2000s to show well-known bands across Hungary.

The Sziget Festival started in 1993 and grew to become one of the largest open-air festivals in the world. It happens every summer on Óbudai island in Budapest and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from Europe. The VOLT Festival, also starting in 1993, is the second-largest festival in Hungary and takes place in Sopron. It mixes many music styles and is known as a more affordable option. Balaton Sound, founded by the same team as Sziget, focuses on electronic music and is held in Zamárdi near Lake Balaton.

The Hegyalja Festival in Tokaj is the biggest event in northern Hungary, drawing 50,000 people each year. It mainly features hard rock and rock bands but includes many other genres. Other festivals include BalaTone near Lake Balaton in Zánka and Magyar Sziget in Verőce, which has a nationalist theme. Universities also hold music festivals, with the largest being PEN from the University of Pécs. Smaller local festivals include SZIN in Szeged and Utcazene Fesztivál in Veszprém.

Funding

The Hungarian Ministry of Culture and the National Cultural Fund help support music. Non-profit groups like the Hungarian Jazz Alliance and the Hungarian Music Council also play a role in funding music.