Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1978 (6. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)

1978 / 18. szám

ARTICLE & PAPERS (Continued)

folk music. In search of old Hungarian folk music, Bartók worked among Romanians, Slovaks, Bulgarians, southern Slavs, and Turks, applying the concepts and methods of ethnology, linguistics, literature, and history. "Because of the linguistic similarity of Turkish to Finno-Ugric and other evidence, he considered the Magyars to be ‘perhaps racially Northern Turks,’ qualifying Turkish folk music as a tempting subject for extending his thirty-year study of the origins of the ‘true’ Magyar music." Bartók said that “these kinships point to a common western-central Asian origin of both Turkish and Hungarian materials and determine their age as being at least fifteen centureis.” Nevertheless, “the primary features of the ‘ancient startum’ of Hungarian folk music as defined by Kodály and Bartók - pentatonicism, transposed phrases, and ‘Scotch snap’ rhythms - were not found in the Turkish materials” says Signell. It is perhaps because of these negative results that Turkish folk music research had no influence on Bartók’s composition. The author concludes that “for ethnomusicologists, there is now no reason not to esteem Bartók as highly as Sachs or Herzog.” The author is Assist. Prof, of Music at the U. of Maryland.

Szabó, Miklós. “The Origins of Hungarian Sword Style,” Antiquity LI (November 1977) 211-220.

Szabó'examines the decorative motifs of early Celtic art in the Carpathian Basin in an attempt to establish the origins of what has come to be knowwn as the “Hungarian Sword Style.” The term refers to swords found on Hungarian territory and applies to Celtic art. An important decorative motif is the design of opposed lyres ornamented by starDISSERTATIONS

Jelinek, Vera. (New York U., 1977) “The Hungarian Factor in Italian Foreign Policy, 1918-1927.” 353 pages. Microfilm and xerox order no. 7808534.

This paper examines Italy’s policy toward Hungary in the context of Italy’s overall ambitions in the Balkan-Danubian region. It reveals, through a study of published and unpublished Italian documents, the reason for Italy's persistent involvement with her former wartime adversary and analyzes the effect this had on Italy’s relationship with the other states that arose out of the dissolved Habsburg Empire. Italy maintained interest in Hungary both before and after the advent of Fascism. The reason was Yugoslavia. When Italy’s wartime partners awarded Dalmatia to Yugoslavia and refused to recognize Italy's claims to Fiume, they created a breach between the two Adriatic neighbors. Italy held France responsible for her loss and regarded French support of Yugoslavia and to the other successor states as an attempt to circumscribe Italian influence in the former Habsburg domain. Italy feared that France was trying to establish a Slavdominated confederation on Italy’s doorstep. If France succeeded, Yugoslavia would be in a position to join forces with Czechoslovakia and Italy's hopes of extending her influence along the Adriatic and the Danube would be thwarted. Hungary, because of her location, could frustrate such a plan. Rome hoped that Hungary would become the nucleus of an Italian-inspired alignment of states. Italy, therefore, tried to secure Hungary’s friendship in various degrees, without unduly arousing the suspicion of the successor states. For a while, this policy was effective. Italy’s

shaped flowers, as well as a complex tendril pattern made up of figure-eight elements. This is found in pottery and other objects also, and has been called the Waldalgesheim foliage pattern. Complex and interlaced tendrils and an abundance of infill motifs mark a break with the conventions of the Waldalgesheim style and identify the Hungarian Style. The most characteristic trait, however, is the diagonal or unaxial composition. A recently discovered sword from the Tapolca region reinforces this theory. The period under consideration seems to be the second half or the end of the 4th century BC, i.e. a period when the Celts were preparing for campaigns in the Balkans and when new migrations made the Carpathian Basin a jumping-off point for southerly movements. With the development of the Hungarian Sword Style, “the La Tene civilization of the Middle Danube area emerges as a unique independent creative force, developing a form of artistic expression whose influence was to reach as far as the British Isles.”

The author is on the staff of the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts.

Imre Boba’s book Moravia's History Reconsidered, reviewed on page 1 of HSN no. 16, and Gyula Laszló’s lecture tour in the United States during the Spring of 1978, have been manifestations of increasing interest in Hungarian prehistory. Hence, we thought that two papers of Boba might be of special interest to those concerned. One is on Archaeology and Moravian-Hungarian Continuity, delivered at the Ninth Int. Congress of Proto- and Early History, Nice, France, 1976. In this paper Boba notes that according to historical sources “some Slavs (Moravians) had joined up

(Continued on page 5)

prestige in Hungary rose. However, in 1926 Mussolini decided to embark on a policy of expansion in Albania at Yugoslavia’s expense. This move put Italy back into the immediate postwar situation, and estranged the other successor states causing them to lean more heavily toward France. In April 1927, Italy concluded a treaty of friendship with Hungary and from that point on became identified with revision in the Danube Valley.

Marrese, Michael (U. of Pennsylvania, 1977) “Hungarian Investment Fluctuations: A Theoretical and Econometric Study of Hierarchical Decision-Making.” 192 pages. Microfilm and xerox order no 7730231.

Explanations are offered on how investment decisions are made, and some support is lent to the notion that they are made in a vested interest environment where national interests are not clearly specified. Coalitions form around various governmental groups and branch priorities develop. To understand the process, one must understand the coalitions and priorities which influence the bureaucratic reactions to investment issues. The historical section emphasizes the search for an economic system which will satisfy the diverse strata of decisionmakers. The theoretical section creates an econometric paradigm known as cyclical centralism, to pin down the ideal system toward which the Hungarians are moving. The descriptive section focuses on the decision-making process, to provide a concrete example of the hierarchical interaction which is characteristic of cyclical centralism. The economic analysis takes into account those coalitions and branch priorities which are relevant to investment decision-making.

4

NO. 18,1979, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER