Search - Muzsikas :: Maramaros: The Lost Jewish Music of Transylvania

Transylvanian Klezmer 2

rkchin | new york city | 12/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When you first hear the first notes of Maramaros, The Lost Jewish Music of Transylvania, you are in for in for some treat. This is no ordinary klezmer music. The album features Hungarian Jewish music once thought lost, but reconstructed here with the help of material collected in the 1940's, and from two Hungarian Gypsy musicians familiar with this music.



Both Gheorghe Covaci, lead violinist of Farkasrev, and Arpad Toni, a virtuoso cimbalom player, played for Jews before the War. They are featured on this album leading most of the songs accompanied by Muszicas on bass, guitar, and violin. The performances are excellent throughout the album. Most are instrumental pieces, with the exception of two, and Marta Sebestyen provides vocals on those.



The liner notes for this CD were written by Judit Frigyesi, and are very informative containing history, personal anecdotes, and a very technical section on Jewish music theory. If you like Hungarian folk music, "old-time" klezmer, and/or are curious about an aspect of Hungarian/Romanian Jewish music and culture that has disappeared since World War II and Communism, then this album comes highly recommended. rkchin. http://www.nychinatown.org"

Musical Archaeology

Eugenio Moutelik Aguiar | RECIFE Brazil | 10/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the closest we can get to musical archaeology. The Muzsikas Ensemble did a marvelous work, researching the remnants of a dead culture. But, even if you consider its musical quality only, this record still stands on highest ground. The music, rhythm, the voice of Marta Sebestyen... This is the kind of CD you'll like the first time you hear. I do highly recommend it.
(And yes, the theme of 'The English Patient' is there also. It is an old Yiddish prayer)."

Muzsikas

Neal Baderman | UK | 05/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found this CD absolutely enchanting. It is not the usual 'commercial' Klezmer music that can be heard everywhere, but a wonderful fusion of traditional Jewish and Hungarian/Gipsy folk. The melodies are both beautiful and subtle, and the voice of Marta Sebestyen on two tracks is unforgettable. The accompanying notes are a great plus. If this group comes to the UK, I'll be there!"