Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

^ —
SONG 577
Ex. 7.
served to rescue many beautiful melodies from
Slow.
oblivion.
i^EJI^J^^E^^^^^P Among the song-writers of the 19th century,
who adhered to the national school, the bestknown
names are Michael Mosonyi^ and his
Fine.
pupils, the two Erkels and E. Mihalovich.
The Magyar songs of this last-mentioned composer
are more especially beautiful and poetical.
Da capo al
^^E^^i^^spja
Jine.
Bela M. Vagvolgyi is also worthy of notice on
account of the originality and popularity of his
Many districts have kept strictly to their songs entitled ' Szerelmi dalok ; '
and not less
own special songs ; and have jealously excluded worthy of notice is his valuable collection of
any outside influence or innovation. Such national
'
airs under the title of Nepdalgybngybk.'
Other names may be cited, such as
are the above-named Szekler ballads, the oldest
and the most beautiful of the national Hungarian
songs ; or the Puszten songs, in which senior (his ballads are essentially Hungarian),
E. Sz^kely, Cornel, L. Zimay, K. Huber, Abranyi
the true Magyar peasant life is reflected, and E. Bartay, E. Mo(5r, S. Bartalus, and V. Langer,
the Betyar songs. The different classes of whose song-cycle ' Ogyek's songs ' is especially
songs also fall into clearly distinct sets, such noteworthy. Benjamin Egressy likewise maintained
a great popularity among the peasants
as love and wedding songs, drinking, soldiers',
and burghers during the first half of the 19th
century. His songs may be found in every
national collection, together with those of
E. Szentirmay, Limbay, SimouflFy, Erkel, Horvath,
Fiiredy, Janko, BoUa, Zagonyi, etc.
F. Korbay's songs, either original or arranged,
are well known in England. In the two volumes
entitled Hungarian ' Songs,' and the volume
of 'Twelve Magyar Songs,' Korbay has taken
some of the most beautiful songs of his country, ^
to which he has added skilful and interesting
accompaniments, keeping the while true to the
national characteristics of harmony and rhythm.
Some of the songs included are of Slavonic origin,
as for instance* 'Azt mondjak nem adnak.'
Neither Volkmann (Hungarian by adoption)
nor Goldmarkhas added much to song literature,
though both have incorporated the spirit of the
national songs in their instrumental works.
The greatest Hungarian song-writer is Franz
Liszt ; although considering the fact that the
larger number of his songs have German texts
they would be more accurately classed as
belonging to the German school. Moreover, the
national elements—the Magyar rhythms and
melodies, and the gipsy ornaments which abound
in his instrumental music—are, with two exceptions—
'Farewell' and the 'Three Gipsies'
absent from his vocal music.
peasants', funeral, and satirical songs, all of
which M. Jokai has described in an interesting
manner.'
The excitable temperament and sensitive
organisation of the Hungarian render him
keenly susceptible to the refinements of melody
and rhythm ; to those qualities he owes also
his wealth of poetry and songs, which are of
unsurpassed beauty as regards national music.
But, on the other hand, the exclusiveness with
which he clings to his o^vn music and his
neglect of the music of other countries has
proved a hindrance to the progress of his
musical cultivation. The list of Hungarian
composers does not present many celebrated
names until we reach the 1 9th century.
The first national opera (' Bela's Flight ')
was written in 1823 by Ruzsicska, and though
a slight work it contained some songs which
immediately became popular. Heinisoh and
Bartay followed, but the first unmistakably
successful opera was Franz Erkel's 'Maria
Bathori,' given in 1840, with words by the
famous Benjamin Egressy ; and Eikel may
with justice be designated as the creator of
the Hungarian national opera. Erkel was
also a prolific composer of songs, some of which
were embodied in his operas ; and he was the
author of the Hungarian national hymn. Other
successful writers of opera were F. and K.
Doppler, Reyer, K. Huber, Szerdahelyi, A.
Erkel, G. Csaszar, and most of these composers
freely used their country's folk-songs. Moreover,
there is a. specifically Hungarian form of
drama called the folk -play {Volkschauspiel),
the matter for which is taken from the domestic
life of the people, and its music consists entirely
of folk-songs and folk-dances. E. Szigligetti
was the originator of this form, and J. Szerdahelyi,
Ig. Bognar, Jul. Kaldy, Jul. Erkel,
A. Nikolits and others have contributed to
establish it. These folk-plays have at least
^ J)ie OgterreicK-miffarische Monarchie (tTngarn), vol. i. p. 347.
VOL. IV
Among Hungarian song- writers of the present
day, Emil Abranyi, Pista Dank6, B^a Bartok,
and Ernb Lanyi stand on a high level. Many,
such as Erdelyi, Bartalus, Kaldy, Bognar,
Bartok and others, have devoted their time to
exploring, collecting, arranging, and publishing
3 His real name was Michael Brandt.
3 Amongst them several by Elemdr Szentirmay, Benjamin Egressy
FUredy, Kalman de Simonffy, etc.
* (Vol. 1. No. 13.) Even among the collections of true Magyar
songs unmistakable Slavonic melodies are to be found. Tho
external evidence of their origin may lie in the less strongly marlced
rhythms, the flattened sevenths and the absence of augmented
intervals, but also it is clearly shown in the whole character of the
song. Compare, for instance, the above-mentioned song, vol. i No 13
of Korbay's 'Hungarian Songs," 'No, they say,' with No. 3 of the
same volume—'Far and high the cranes give cry.'
5 For detailed descriptions see Liszt ; also Vogel's essay published
by Kahnt, Leipzig, 1887, and Finck's Scmga and Song- Writers.
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