Tzigane violins

Programming / Music

Do you like the difficult sound of the violin? At the same time it enchants you with joy and it transports you with its sadness so, so deep; at the same time shrill and bewitching, at the same time light and so, so alive.

To this strange sound, let’s add tonight the soul of the Tziganes – Tziganes is the word for the gypsies of Eastern Europe – they have their language, their customs, their music – their favorite instrument. The Gypsies of Southern Europe excel with a guitar – Tziganes offer their soul to the violin

This music, The dark eyes, I am sure you know it : this version piano and tzigane violin, I hope, should please you.

At the beginning, it is a poem from a Russian poet to his wife. Do you know it?

Black eyes, eyes full of passion!
Ravaging and sublime eyes!
How I love you, how I fear you!
I know, I saw you, not at the right time!

Oh, not without reason you are darker than the darkness!
I see sorrow in you for my soul,
I see a victorious flame in you
From which my poor heart burns.

But no I am not sad, there is no sorrow
My fate comforts me.
The best that God has given us in life,
I sacrificed it for these eyes of fire

As this poem speaks about love, fire, black eyes of the angry women, inevitably it touched the heart of the Tziganes and this song became one of their most beautiful work of art

The Red Army version…

And then, when we talk about violins and tziganes, we have to talk about this absolutely incredible Orchestra, which concentrates in itself all the flame of Budapest :

This Orchestra should be known worldwide – it is the “Gypsy Philharmonic Orchestra – 100 Violins Tziganes – Budapest” founded in 1985.

In 1985, the soloist and conductor Sandor Jaroka died. It was an horrible shock in the gypsy community. During his funeral, many musicians gather to pay their last respects. It was during this ceremony that the orchestra was born.

100 musicians : 60 violins, 9 violas, 6 cellos, 10 double basses, 9 clarinets and 6 cymbalums. For almost 30 years, this unusual and astonishing group has been travelling the roads of the world and has already played in festivals and concert halls in several countries. And since they are gypsy musicians, they don’t need sheet music. They play by ear.

Listen to them, they are worth it:

These two excerpts allow me to complete – a little – the picture – all you have to do is let yourself be taken in by the magic of the gypsies, those who live in the East, those who originated in Russia as well as in Turkey, in Hungary as well as in Bulgaria and who have offered their music in return

Have a good night

Home Page

Featured image : from a documentary about the Budapest Gypsy Philharmonic Orchestra