Karikázó, 1980. július - 1981. április (6. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1980-07-01 / 1. szám
January 8, 1980 to'.Karikázo Judith Magyar, Editor I would like you to answer a question: Over the years, many performing groups ( dancers, singers and musicians) have come to this country from Hungary to perform. Invariably, they are composed of gypsies. Which makes me wonder-don't ethnic genuine Hungarians do any performing? Yours truly, Louis Ottovich ___________________________ California Dear Mr. Ottovich: Before answering your question, I would like to correct part of the statement you made.Unfortunate - ly, not "that many" performers have come from Hungary over the years, as we Hungarians a«l those interested in our culture would have liked. Also, to say that those that have performed here were invariably gypsies, is not in accordance with the facts. You mr.y have arrived at this conclusion on the basis of the groups you have seen in the past. In the last 15-20 years these might have been the Hungarian National Ensemble, the Budapest Ensemble or the Rajkó Ensemble. Perhaps it was this last one that led you to believe that ethnic Hungarians, for some reason,do not perform. The National Ensemble made a tour in the U.S.in 1964 but due to the high costs of transporting an ensemble of over a 100, to-date it was not repeated. The Budapest Ensemble travelled through the U.S. two or three times in the past 10 years, always keeping a frantic schedule. Yet they only gave a handful public shows in regular theaters in large citie s. For example, two years ago New York City'was entirely left out of their route, although they were lodged there for an entire week, bussed daily to unknown little towns in Connecticut or New Jersey to perform for audiences holding subscriptions at the local H. S. auditorium. The repertoir of both of these ensembles has been well chosen to reflect authentic Hungarian folk culture, minorities' dances were put in proper perspective within their programs. Performers, in appearance, stage behavior and delivering style, kept in line with this aim. It is unfortunate, brat not of coincidence, that it is the Rajkó Ensemble, that became the most widely known of the three, groups on this continent. Today, most of the musicians are still recruited as talented youngsters from the Gypsy population and after educating them at the Academy of Music they become members of the musical ensemble, which is truly unique in the presentation of Hungarian style music of the 19th century and does reasonable justice to Hungarian and Gypsy folk music. The dance troop has over 100 members, ranging from elementary school age to adult professional dancers who may or may not be of Gypsy extraction. A handful of these dancers, about 5-6 couples accompany the orchestra on its American tours (the main attraction is the orchestra). Already advertised as "those exciting, fiery dances and music of Hungary, in the performance of this wonderful Gypsy Ensemble", their show is arranged with the primary purpose of pleasing the audience. Naturally, musical and dance numbers of Gypsy character are at an advantage, this also being requested by American artistic advisers who judge the taste of audiences in the mentality of Hollywood of the 195rfs, where Hungarian folk dancing is concerned. If any attempt is made at portraying the variety and uniqueness of Hungarian regional folk dances, it is usually lost in the presentations through flat choreographies and mono-style dancing. Folk dancing is enjoying a renaissancee in Hungary; amateur ensembles at the front line of the movement put on stage most carefully researched and reconstructed regional dances and dance-cycles; musical ensembles, such as the Sebó or the Muzsikás Groups, young singers, such as Ilona Budai or Laura Faragó dedicate their talent to mastering and raising the original village music material to a.highly artistic level;professional ensembles also exert efforts to keep up with this trend. So called "tradition preserving'Village groups perform their own dances at festivals throughout Hungary. Minorities, Gypsies among them, also participate in this active folk life, presenting their respective folk dances, music and songs at county-and nationwide events. The Hungarian folk dance movement in America is also reflective of this healthy cultural development. It also has the added task of educating the Hungarian and non-Hungarian population on wnat real Hungarian folklore is like. This substantial movement will not be entirely successful as long as groups like the Rajkó Ensemble continue to represent Hungarian folk culture abroad and yield to misconceptions, such as the one voiced in your letter. I hope that all of the above helped you to form a different and more proper image of Hungarian folk music and dance presentation and that we will all be able to see excellent examples of it on this Conti - nent by groups from Hungary.# Sincerely Yours, Judith Magyar Editor of Karikázó