CimbalomDuo
“… it is music for two cimbaloms, arranged and performed by the two leading players in Hungary today. When you hear the incredible virtuosity on display here and know the way the notes are laid out on the instrument, you soon realise it would be impossible to do this on one instrument without collision of stick or getting arms entwined.”
Simon Broughton, Songlines, June 2010
Here’s a sublime combination of classical music, Hungarian folk and jazz. Filling the Theatre Stage last night were two musicians, four sticks and a big bunch of strings: it’s Cimbalomduó!
Sotiris Bekas Two of the greatest musicians in the world!!! ????
Simon Broughton,:
…The highlight was a fantastic duo by Balogh and Lukacs improvising on a Transylvanian dance from Kalotaszeg. It started quiet and ghostly, both players plucking with their fingers, before they picked up their sticks and the springy and muscular rhythms of the dance take over. The finale – on Bulgarian melodies – featured three Hungarian concert cimbaloms, santur, kanun plus accompanying viola, bass and drum. The sticks were a blur as each player took a solo and the precision of this punchy, but filigree music come together was breathtaking. A rare event indeed.
BUY TICKETS EMBASSY OF HUNGARY 2900 SPRING OF FREEDOM, NW CIMBALOM DUO KÁLMÁN SÁNDOR BALOGH (CIMBALOM) MIKLÓS LUKÁCS (CIMBALOM) IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 60TH ANNIVERSITY OF THE HUNGARIAN UPRISING Wednesday, October 26, 2016- 7:30pm Cimbalomduo is a summit meeting of two master cimbalom players who, over the past few decades in their separate careers, have done more to raise the global profile of this emblematic Hungarian instrument than anyone else. Kálmán Sándor Balogh has enjoyed a multi-faceted career, collaborating with many well-known Hungarian bands, touring the world as leader of his own ensemble and as a soloist. Miklós Lukács has made a reputation as a virtuoso in the worlds of contemporary classical music, performing with leading European orchestras, as well as in the jazz sphere, collaborating with luminaries such as Archie Shepp and Charles Lloyd. He is also an award-winning composer and leader of his own quintet. Together they take their cross-genre experiences and shared knowledge of Hungarian traditional music to a new level of virtuosity. Buffet reception- $95/Ample parking on street
2015 is a new milestone in the life of the Duo. Their recently released album does not spare surprises. Jazz meets folk under the flag of musical proficiency. The play of the duo moves on a vast scale from pianissimo to fortissimo, loose tacts to strict dance rhythms, rigorously defined themes to free improvisations, always full of passion and spirit.
Exciting meetings, special collaborations, music crossing borders and local treasures in Budapest – this was Budapest Ritmo, inspired by the success of WOMEX15 and organized by Hangvető and CAFe Budapest 2016.
Having a cimbalom was quite common in wealthier Hungarian bourgeois families in the last century. The lady of the house frequently played cimbalom with the instrument finding its place beside or instead of the piano. In spite of the long-standing popularity of the instrument it is quite rare to be able to listen to cimbalom duets. Although Kálmán Balogh and Miklós Lukács fairly regularly perform in duos independently, they started playing together only recently on the initiative of the label. The album for the most part contains the compositions of Miklós and transcriptions which are based on folk music sources suggested by Kálmán. The two musicians built this production on the foundations of the playing style of the ’stongholds’ of Hungarian and Romanian cimbalom playing (the Szatmár and Székelyföld regions) and the interpretations of famous cimbalomplayers such as Pál Tendl from Sopron.
It takes two to bring out the wonderful subtlety and expressive power of the cimbalom.
Thus Kálmán Balogh and Miklós Lukács joined forces in 2009, to acquaint audiences with their art and the potential in this emblematic instrument. The result is novel and poignant: jazz meets folk under the flag of musical proficiency. At the initiative of the publisher the two virtuosos started experimenting in 2009, and the sessions soon turned into playful explorations accompanied by joking and ever new ways of beating the strings.
The fascinating skill and confident versatility enthral listeners: as Balogh relaxes and Lukács leads, audiences marvel.
2015 is yet another milestone in the life of the Duo. Their recently released album does not spare surprises. It is immediately clear that it was assembled with great enthusiasm, deriving inspiration mostly from folk music. The play of the duo moves on a vast scale from pianissimo to fortissimo, loose tacts to strict dance rhythms, rigorously defined themes to free improvisations, always full of passion and spirit.
2019. MoM Budapest, Cziffra Festival
2018. 04. Budapest Vigado, Spring Festival
04. Zagreb, Festival of Tolerance
2016. 11. 26. Müpa, Világraszóló
11.06. Novi Sad
10.26. Washington Hungarian Embassy
10.15. Budapest Ritmo
09.03. Budapest Madách tér
08.31. Helsinki Festival
07.31. Krems, Glatt & Verkehrt Festival
02.01. BMC Must Meet
01.30. Müpa Fest der Volkskunst
2015. 11.07. Müpa Világraszóló
10.28. Milano Expo
10.22. Budapest Womex
09.19. Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Magyar Örökség díj
08.15. Sárospatak Zemplén Fesztivál
07.24. Taliándörögd Művészetek völgye
04.12. Vigadó Frühlings Festival
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