Hungarian folk songs express many emotions, moods and spirituality, not only of the individual, but often of the people themselves. The folk song is the most ancient form of folk music. Since its main themes are emotions, it has a very rich repertoire to choose from: love, mating, hiding, military life, mourning, work, etc… were all sung by the simple peasant.
It is important to say that Hungarian folk songs are community songs: they were created by the people of the village, the melody and the lyrics were written at the same time, and their author is not known by name. Folk songs were usually born during work done together (e.g. in the spinning mill, when weaving feathers) or when the family gathered together, and they could be sung together or solo, and still can be sung today. The songs were passed down by word of mouth and have survived, passed down through the generations. As they have spread, they have evolved, changed and adapted to their environment.
Hungarian folk songs can be divided into two basic types according to their melodic line: the old style and the new style. Old-style folk songs were written before the Hungarian people took possession of their homeland, while new-style folk songs were written roughly a century and a half ago. Old-style songs are characterised by a descending melody with a change of fifths, usually four lines long and short, while new-style songs often have the same melody in the first and last lines, and a domed structure, i.e. the two middle lines are higher in pitch.
Hungarian folk songs have survived thanks to the active work of folk song collectors. Famous collectors include Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, who visited Hungarian villages in the 20th century and recorded the songs sung on phonographs. Zoltán Kodály also created a music education programme based on Hungarian folk songs. Other famous collectors include Zoltán Kallós from Transylvania, Lajos Vargyas, György Martin, Gergely Agócs and Anikó Bodor, to name but a few.
Our folk songs can be divided into 5 regions: Highland, Great Plain, Transdanubia, Transylvania, Moldavia and their peripheries.
The Dance House movement was started in the 1970s, and thanks to this initiative, even today’s people can get in touch with folk dance and folk songs, thus keeping alive the traditions and Hungarian culture. In public education, young people encounter folk songs primarily in singing lessons, but children’s songs and sayings are also taught in nurseries and kindergartens, which also connect the very young with folk culture and traditions.
Dóra Horváth
Source:
https://tavoktatas.mnt.org.rs/sites/default/files/2020-09/A%20N%C3%89PDAL.pdf
https://www.nagykunreformatus.hu/content_g/letoltesek/Szabone_weboldala/regi_stilus.html
http://www.magyarnota.com/blog/A_magyar_nepdal.html
Source of imagine: ng.24.hu, wikipedia.hu
Main photo: Folk songs collecting