Bartók Trilogy - Part One
Highland Treasures
Video Detail, Picture Gallery
Our era is characterized by constant changes. Our economic environment, the society in which we live, our customs, our culture are in a change - we also keep changing. It is difficult to hold on in this world of transformation, since our attitude towards tradition also undergoes a transformation. We are no longer satisfied with reproducing the folklore we have witnessed or that is transmitted either by mediators or recorded audio/video materials. We identify with the parts of culture that are meaningful, applicable and valuable for us; we try to identify ourselves using our language and hope to locate ourselves in the world.
By creating 'Highland Treasures', the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble pioneers in presenting an overview of dance and music that originated from the ethnically diverse area in today's Southern Slovakia. Béla Bartók, the world-famous composer and pianist started his work as an ethnomusicologist in this area. We chiefly concentrated on the cultural heritage of those villages where Bartók actually conducted his field research.
On the occasion of the Bartók anniversary, we can rediscover the genius of Béla Bartók. We focus our attention on an exemplary oeuvre and mentality leading us on the way of knowing folk music and folk dances as perfectly as possible and, extracting our own up-to-date and live meanings.
Highland Treasures is the first part of the Bartók Trilogy. It is an authentic production; tradition is performed in a form that is the closest to the source. The following parts are going to pursue Bartók's course from an inspiring model to a contemporary product, from the genuine to the abstract.
Prologue
One Couple - Zobor Region
Pigmen's - Ipolybél (Ipoly Region)
Tardoskedd, Kéménd (Vág/Garam Region)
Danubian Czardas - Ipoly Region
Góralski - Szuchahora (Árva County)
Oláhos - Kisdobra (Bodrog Region)
Czardas and Grasping - Bodrog Region
Czardas - Magyarbőd (Abaúj county)
Round Dance and Karička - Imreg, Céke (Zemplén County)
Krucena, Do šaflika - Sáros
Verbuňk, čardaš - Opálhegy, Parnó (Zemplén County)
Crook Dance - Gömör
Bagpipe Tunes - Zsére (Zobor Region),
Kürt (Vág/Garam Region)
Rozkazovačky - Nagyócsa (Polyánhegyalja)
Rusin Chorovodok - Kijó (Sáros)
Odzemok - Háromszlécs (Liptó)
Hajduch, šuchom - Rimakokova (Gömör County)
Dance from Vasvár and Czardas - Gömör
Epilogue
A joint production of Hungarian and Slovakian artists
Music: Gergely Agócs
Choreographers and Dance Instructors:
Rita Furik, Richárd Kökény, Gábor Mihályi, Mihály Richtarcsik, Dusán Hégli, Anikó Lépes, Stanislav Marišler, Lindá Luptáková, Vladimír Michalko, Marianna Svoreňová
Lights/Setting: Péter Gerzson Kovács ("Harangozó Gyula" Award, "Lábán Rudolf" Award)
Graphics: Bori Vilma Kovács
Costumes: Rita Furik
Chief Choreographers: Dusán Hégli, Gábor Mihályi ("Harangozó Gyula" Award, "EuróPAS" Award)
Assistant to Director: Gábor Mihályi
Director: Péter Gerzson Kovács
Performed by:
the Dance Group and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
Conductor/Lead fiddler: István Pál
Dance Instructor: Richárd Kökény ("Harangozó Gyula" Award)
Assistants:
Beatrix Borbély
Katalin Jávor
Péter Varga
Artistic Director: Gábor Mihályi
Special thanks to Imre Horváth for his contribution to stage setting.
Take it home! Hungarian State Folk Ensemble: Highland Treasures DVD
