Bonum vinum – Wine songs and dances from the 16–19th century Hungary

Vox Artis, Miskolc, 2001 (VA-003)

The first CD of the ensemble is a selection of literature and music in connection with Hungarian wine culture from the Turkish era up to the beginning of the 19th century. In addition to wine and toast songs, we perform songs depicting the story of the wedding in Cana, the cursing of the bad wine from Tinódi Sebestyén and the testament of a drunk who wants to drink even after his death. At the end of the carnival time, Bacchus is defeated by Mars but the following year he comes back in full glory, thanks to the ABC song of the students. Along with sung poetry we have recorded Hungarian, Slovakian, Rumanian and Polish dances from the renaissance, baroque, rococo and Hungarian 'verbunkos' eras.

Amor ey – Medieval secular music (12–15th cent.)

Csörsz Rumen István, Budapest, 2003 (CsRI-001)

The selection from the medieval secular music is one of the first of its genre in Hungary. The musical layer it represents seems to be distant, yet it is modern in many ways. We have recorded the troubadour songs of Rambaut de Vaqueiras, Bernart de Ventadorn, Jaufre Rudel és Peire Vidal, Minne-songs of Neidhart von Reuenthal and Gallego poems of Martím Codax. The instrumental pieces are mostly from musical codices of Italy, Northern France and Bohemia. In interpreting them we partly adapted solutions from living folk music in our Eastern-European region. The texts of the poems in Provençal, Old High German and Gallego language are in the booklet.

Jelentem versben mesémet – Songs of Bálint Balassi (2 CD)

Csörsz Rumen István, Budapest, 2004 (CsRI-002, -003)

In the time of Bálint Balassi (1554–1594), the Hungarian Renaissance poet of European rank, poetry often meant music as well. The ad notam instructions of the author show clearly, which Hungarian, Western- or Eastern-European contemporary songs fit the text. Many of these have already been traced back, and those not, substituted by alternative Renaissance melodies. The double CD released for the Balassi Anniversary 2004 has two topics: the first disk contains love songs, while the second religious and soldiers’ songs. The latter also contains pieces performed by our respected teacher and colleague, Tamás Kobzos Kiss. Between the poems we have recorded Hungarian, Rumanian, Polish, Austrian, Italian and Turkish instrumental music from the Renaissance age.

Parts of the music in MP3 here available.

Protestant Sung Poetry

Református Fiatalok Szövetsége, Budapest, 1992

Tamás Kobzos Kiss, Musica Historica

Songs of Bálint Balassi

Horváth Tibor Lap- és Könyvkiadó, Budapest, 1993, 1994

Old Testament – Songs of Miklós Bogáti Fazakas (up 1580)

Heltai Kft., Budapest, 1994

Order: info@musicahistorica.hu