Janus Pannonius Múzeum Évkönyve 37 (1992) (Pécs, 1993)

Néprajztudomány - Bálint Zsolt: A moldvai magyar hangszeres népzenei dialektus, I. Bevezetés, hangszerek és hangszeres szokások

215 The instrumental folk music of the Hungarian ethnic groups ("csángós") in Moldavia, Romania. Part I: Introduction, instruments and customs. Zsolt BÁLINT Lacking through researches and publications, the instrumental folk music of the Hungarian ethnic groups in Moldavia, Roumania is known only in a rough outline. The records of the collections that were going on have never been published. On the basis of the data given by this publication it can be concluded that the instrumental folk music of the Hungarians in Moldavia represents a distinct and unique dialect, which can be generally characterized with archaic features. Geographically the territory of the dialect lies east of the Carpathians, not reaching to the mountains. It is typical of the Hungarian villages situated in the Szeret (Siret) valley, or rather at the lower part of the mountain streams flowing into the river Szeret. It is the easternmost Hungarian instrumental dialect. There are still a considerably present, certain kinds of medieval rituals, which are arrenged around the Catholic ecclesiatical year. Concerning the archaic customs connected with the calendar holidays also non Christian elements come to light more visibly. In Moldavia customs that have already disappeared among the Hungarian ethnic groups living in the Carpathian Basin have been preserved up to the present time: the New Year Greeting combined with dressing as animal figures is called "uralás" or "hejgetés"; the Saint Stephen's Day: feast of carnivalbyrying ("matahalázás") and also the celebration to "welcome spring" ("tavaszi havajgatás"). The medieval tradition in its instruments also prevailed longer than in the Carpathian Basin: the bagpipe ("sip", "csimpolya") disappeared only in the past few decades, the "koboz" (a short necked eastern version of the lute) even if sparsely, but still can be found. The present usage of the alphorn ("bucsum"), the harmonic flute ("csilinka"), the "bika" (a large bear-growl) and different kinds of drums and timbrels together with the "koboz" mentioned above the authentic characteristics of the Moldavian dialect in the Hungarian instrumental folk music. As another particular feature the flutes ("siiltii", "siittyii" etc.) and the leaf whistle are still often used. The fact that the "csilinka" and the wooden whistle are linked with a ritual custom means the preservation of pagan traditions as well as the role of the flute, the drum or timbrel and "bika" in the ceremony of New Year Greeting. The modern Hungarian folk instruments like zither, zymbalon and the "tárogató" (oboe-like shawm) are hardly known. Until the latest times, uniquely in the Hungarian tradition we have information about the collective dance to only a single flute as a solo instrument. By its instrumental ensembles the ancient order of position in pairs is still practiced - the pair of the solo and a bourdon instrument referring to the medieval tradition again, and it is often accompanied by a drum or timbrel. The Hungarian instrumental dialect in Moldavia occupies an intermediate position: it is an integral part of both the Hungarian and the Roumanian instrumental folk music. In its root the dialect is attached to the Hungarian (Western European) tradition and - practically concerning the lower layers - a Balkan-Anatolian influence was built upon that. The dialect got isolated and was forced into refuge very soon - surrounded by a different type of ethnic substance that has a conspicuous, verifiable influence on the strong Roumanian influence is quite striking in the Hungarian corpus of Moldavia. The cultural connection with the Hungarians of Transylvania and historical Hungary has been extremely fluctuating for centuries, but with the Roumanians it has always seen tight. In its later development the folk instrumental culture of the Hungarians in Moldavia comes much nearer to the Roumanian national music, which has a Balkan-Anatolian character. As regards the etymology of the instruments and dances, their Roumanian origin is obvious. This must be the result of the vogue coming from the upper higher cultural circlees. Thus we can conclude that it is not the vernacular traditions but rather the cultural-political elements that shape the instrumental culture in the first place and when studying the instrumental traditions, it can not be separated from its historical-cultural substance.