William Penn Life, 2017 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2017-12-01 / 12. szám
Tibor's Take with Tibor Check, Jr. Magyar Christmas music A FEW WEEKS AGO, my bride Monika and I made the approximately 350-mile trek to Ohio for an extended weekend. The usual good times were experienced as we spent 72 precious hours with family and friends. I usually get very little sleep on such trips, knowing our stay is short and the long drive back to DC is difficult. In the middle of the night, I like to venture to the cellar —"the Cseh Pince" — and explore this cavernous bunker in quest of hidden treasures. My parents recently re-organized much of the cellar, but there is still much for me to discover in its depths. As the family slumbers upstairs, I find a bit of comfort in the pure silence that is interrupted only by the occasional sounds made of the furnace boiler and water well pump. The purpose of my most recent descent to the basement was to find for my apa a record album containing a song entitled "Ahogy Én Szeretlek" ("The Way I Love You) by Joe Jeromos. My quest was to satisfy the request of a longtime WPA member and listener to our Magyar radio program, Mary V. of Hubbard, Ohio.* (See note at end.) I found that same song recorded by such performers as Alex Udvary, George Bátyi, Frank Borisz and Frank Mikisits. My task complete, I decided to further peruse our collection of Hungarian Christmas recordings, doing a bit of early holiday reminiscing and radio programming preparation. As mentioned in earlier editions of Tibor's Take, Hungary arguably has more original Christmas songs than any other nation. I like to read the back of records as they usually contain interesting bits of info that can't be found elswhere. Oftentimes, the information is written only in Hungarian, but readily available cell phone apps make instant translating a breeze. The Christmas recordings within our family's collection are predominantly on 33 RPM records. The way I understand it, 33 RPM records became more prevalent following the Korean War. I also learned that many recordings were redone from original earlier versions on 78 RPM discs, which date back as early as World War I. While perusing the array of Karácsonyi (Christimas) records, CDs and tapes, I recalled many special memories, some happy, others bittersweet. After I emerged from the dusty nooks of the basement, I decided to compile an informal list of "My Favorite Hungarian Christmas Songs/ Carols and Complete Recordings." Now, I present them, along with a brief explanation of my personal attachment to each, to you, my loyal readers, as a small holiday gift. My Favorite Hungarian Christmas Albums 1. Christmas In Hungary, featuring Sari Barabas with the Lakatos Sándor Zenekar. Forgive me if I have mentioned this many times before, but this is the Best of the Best. Excellent vocals by Hungary's most famous opera and ballet star is coupled with the master violinist Lakatos that features a full orchestra highlighting music on the cimbalom. I grew up listening to this record and enjoy it not only during the holiday but all year. 2. Áldott Karácsonyt, featuring the late great Frank Mikisits. Instrumentally backed by female prímás Ilona along with daughter Suzanna Mikisits and others. This was the second of 10 albums made by the native of Bethlehem, Pa. 3. Hungáriáit Christmas Songs, featuring the Kodály Chorus of Toronto. Recorded in 1960, this group was mainly comprised of refugees of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. 4. Magyar Karácsony, featuring the vocals of the Budapest Orphan Choir. Made in the mid-1950s, this album featured many Hungarian songs of a sacred and joyous nature. The vocals seem ethereal and ghostly; as a child listening to this album, I was often haunted by the thought of being a Hungarian orphan living under a Communist regime. 5. The Calgary Hungarian Senior Citizens Choir. A simple sing-along recording that I could hum to and feel that I was part of the group. 6. Hungarian Christmas Sing-along with Dr. Charles Szabó. I first heard this sing-along CD in English and Hungarian just a few years back. I used the music and lyrics for a holiday get-together with some college friends. 7. Vilmos Cseh Plays Christmas Favorites. The name explains it all. Recorded a few months following the 1956 Revolution, the master violinist performs along with his daughter Emerencia. Cseh performs on his ultra-rare 6 0 December 2017 0 WILLIAM PENN LIFE
