Singing children, Iván Fischer, Ferenc Snétberger, and other musicians represented Hungary in Europe@Home, the new series on the ARTE, the European culture channel. The online series gives a foretaste from the musical heritage of the European countries.
In the project launched in February, from weekend to weekend, violinist Daniel Hope invites representatives of European countries’ music scene into the living room of his Berlin apartment to play or listen to typical works together and talk about the musical traditions of that country.
In the 28th March episode, the Music Director of the Budapest Festival Orchestra spoke about the Kodály method, the history of the cimbalom, the innovative spirit of his orchestra; and Ferenc Snétberger improvised on guitar.
In the English-language show, we can hear recorded cimbalom music by Jenő Lisztes, Hungarian folk music, the Scherzo movement of Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 presented by the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and a choral work performed by the students of the Zoltán Kodály Primary, Secondary and Music School. In the end, accompanied by pianist Jacques Ammon, the host, Daniel Hope enacts three movements of Iván Fischer’s Dance Suite.
“Hungary has a fantastically rich culture and music, and I think we have to thank these to a few wonderful people, among them Zoltán Kodály who (…) devoted most of his life and energy to education. (…) This is the root of the whole question of music in Hungary, what the kids do. And the difference is that these kids learn at a very early age to sing, to play an instrument, there is a system how they read music. I think this is where Hungary could contribute to Europe: I think many countries should look at the Hungarian music education system; this could be a nice contribution to European culture” — said Iván Fischer in the show available until the end of June on ARTE’s website
