Search - Okros Folk Music Ensemble :: Elindultan Szep Hazambol (I Left My Sweet Homeland)

Leaping & Twirling in Musical Oblivion

Erika Borsos | Gulf Coast of FL, USA | 12/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

""I Left My Sweethomeland" by Okros is a valuable collection of mostly Transylvanian music from places such as Magyarszovat, Szek, Maramaros, Gyimes, Mezoseg & Kalotaszeg, plus with a slight detour to Western Hungary, near Slovakia & Austria, where Rabakozi music is predominant. What does this mean to the average, uninitiated lisener, from everywhere but there? It means fast, enthusiastic passionate violin playing, boot-slapping music that only men can do, with all the machismo talent they possess. What initially sounds a bit squeaky & off-key music, is in reality, the correct technique, to which the ears quickly become accustomed. After a brief moment, you pause, and think: how cheerful, how heart-warming, how very very unusual, but EVER SO BEAUTIFUL & CREATIVE! Agnes Herczku provides sweet & pure vocals, a younger version of Marta Sebestyen, but with some enormous differences. The main differnce is she sings Transylvanian music with a Transylvanian accent, a DISTiNCLTY *native* accent. Track # 2 is real "tanc-haz" (Dance House) music, again, what does that mean?It means, if you know how to dance, you will leap to your feet to do so, or sway to the music, improvise steps, and swing: there is no way to stay still, when it is played. In one word: "ECSTASY", that is, the legal kind. It is an internal endorphin rush! Whether it is a leaping men's dance from Mezoseg or a csardas from a village in Szek, these musicians can play with robust passion & enthusiasm, natural gusto. No wonder, Bela Bartok savored this music and collected it with passion. No wonder Zoltan Kallos, a modern day ethnomusicologist, did the same ... and indeed, we are all the richer because of it! The OKROS ENSEMBLE has made the trek to these remote villages, to preserve this musical heritage, they have learned the tunes and musical techniques from the masters, through apprenticeship, music that has been unaltered for one or two centuries, music that would otherwise be lost forever. Turning dances (forgatos), Men's leaping dances (urgros), slow (lassu) dances, drinking songs, and a hajnalos (music for the dawn): it is here. The CD finishes with the title song, "I left my sweet homeland": with the following words (sung in Hungarian): " Grief is my midday meal. Grief is my suppper. I am consumed every hour with grief. I gaze at the star-filled sky (and) under it I weep and weep". If you already know Hungarian music: you will understand. If you are searching to explore, a new comer to this genre, I am not sure this is the right album for you. It may be too rich (& powerful) for your tastes. Try an appetizer first, like "Gypsy Dances" (title), a "Sandor Lakatos" (artist) CD, or Kalman Balgogh's (artist) "Gypsy Jazz"(title) then build your taste buds up to the more distinct and pure EXTREMELY RICH MUSIC ... it can be a bit overwhelming (and TOO EUROPEAN for some). Erika Borsos (erikab93)"