20th Birthday of 100 Gypsy Violins

By: Dóra Gyarmathy, Hungarian Radio

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In November 2005 the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra (known also as Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation. In 1985 a sad event gave the opportunity to found the largest gypsy symphony orchestra in the world. When Sándor Járóka, the famous ’prímás’ (gypsy soloist), died, many gypsy musicians went to his funeral. They started to play their pianos after the ceremony and decided to continue that later as well. That is how the tight relationship between the old musician dinasties was born 20 years ago.

The 100-member Gypsy Orchestra, actually there are more than 100 members, consists of 50 violins, 10 violas, 10 cellos, 11 doublebasses, 9 clarinates and 6 cimbaloms. The members are Hungary’s best gypsy musicians, the Berki, Boross, Lakatos, Lendvai Csocsi families – sons, fathers, grandfathers are members of the orchestra – are the cream of the Hungarian gypsy musician dynasties. Their repertoire consists Hungarian ’csárdás’ as well, they play folk music but also some classical compositions like the Hungarian Dances by Brahms, Hungarian Rhapsodies by Liszt and other compositions by Strauss. With the leadership of the president of the orchestra, József Raduly, who is the representative of the ethnic minorities in the Hungarian Parliament as well, they play not only in Hungary but in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia etc.

And why do they have success in many concert halls? One of their secrets is the tradition. Playing an instrument, having good ear was hereditary from father to child in these families. The members of the orchestra play by heart, they don’t need reasons to play. But the appearance of the orchestra has also engaging effect on the audience when more than 100 musicians step to the stage in colourful traditional dresses. Then they start to play with unbelievable energy, harmony, quick changes of rhythm and extraordinary variations, as they’ve been playing for 20 years.