Interview with
Pál Havasréti
of Téka  Ensemble
Part two

This is the second and final part of our interview with Pál Havasréti of Téka and Bokros Ensembles. As well as collecting, researching and arranging songs Pal plays the following instruments: contrabass, ütogardon (hit gardon), cello, hurdy gurdy, zither, percussion, and drum. 

Téka Ensemble was formed in 1976 and from the very beginning have belonged to the leading ensembles of the 'new wave of folk music' in Hungary. Indeed, as early as 1977 they were awarded the title 'Young Masters of Folk Art'.

Téka plays authentic Hungarian peasant music, their repertoire emphasising the traditional style of playing and the original feel of the folk music. They play string instruments: violin, viola, double bass, cello and other unique folk instruments such as: bagpipe-borduda, hurdy-gurdy-tekero, cimbalom, and ütogardon. With these instruments they reproduce a colourful picture of village music from all the Hungarian-speaking territories.

Having released over 20 albums, they have toured the world over and surely are masters of their art.

September 2002


Ian Morrison (IM) Can you explain how the CD release 'Oskelet - Ancient East' came about?

Pál Havasréti (PH) 'Oskelet' is Vizeli Balázs' idea to find what are the Hungarian roots of the village music, and to pay tribute to the folk-collectors and researchers: Bartók Béla, Kodály Zoltán, Domokos Pál Péter, Kallós Zoltán, Martin György, Olsvai Imre, Sárosi Bálint.

(IM) Can you tell us in what way the following have influenced you: Zoltan Kallos, Imre Olsvai, Bela Bartok, Pal Peter Domokos?

(PH) "The hand of time may have wiped the characteristic Eastern features off the faces of the Hungarian people, but in the depth of his soul – the source from where music swells forth – there is still a remnant of the ancient East, and this is what connects him with the peoples, whose language he has long not been able to understand and with whom the entire structure of his soul radically differs." (Zoltán Kodály)

With this recording "Oskelet - Ancient East", the Téka Ensemble pays tribute to the arduous work of four prominent researchers of folk music. We celebrate Zoltán Kallós (now 75 years old), researcher of folk music of the Transylvanian region in Rumania, and Imre Olsvai (70 years old), who researched the folk music of the Southern Transdanubian region of Hungary. In honour of the 120th anniversary of Béla Bartók’s birthday, we have composed arrangements of Rumanian folk music from the historic Bihar and Arad Counties (currently Southeastern Hungary and Transylvania, Rumania), and have similarly compiled arrangements from the music of the ethnic Hungarian Csángó’s in Moldavia, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pál Péter Domokos.

The musical boundaries of the CD extend from Somogy County (Southwestern Hungary) to the most eastern enclave of the Hungarian language, in Moldavia. The Hungarians are comprised of a great variety of people – a treasure in this ever shrinking world. But this ethnic colorfulness envelops one common cultural heritage that developed as a result of living in close proximity with neighboring peoples. The richness of Eastern European folk music also serves as evidence of the centuries-long friendly co-habitation of the peoples in the region rather than their animosity for each other.

For 25 years, the Téka Ensemble has strived, through maintaining musical traditions, to not only preserve but to further this musical culture. We firmly believe that folk music is not merely an artifact to be analyzed by theorists, or dusted off in museums. We believe that folk music is a 'reflection of a nation’s soul', full of eternal emotions and thoughts. Many believe traditions bind the hands of artists and hinder innovation and development. However, through persistent and continuous study of folk music we have acquired a wealth of musical knowledge, which gives us unlimited freedom of expression in improvisation and utilizing our individual talents.

"The concurrent presence of three elements are essential for a national musical culture to develop: firstly, tradition; secondly, individual talent; thirdly, a community of emotional support – from many who accept and identify with the musical expression of talented individuals as their own." (Zoltán Kodály)

As teachers of music, we find the broader dissemination of folk music paramount so that subsequent generations will feel comfortable with their own culture and not consider it foreign.

Téka Ensemble

(IM) You have won many prizes for your folk music, which one are you particularly proud of and why?

(PH) For me the first was when we were younger in 1977, "Young Masters of Folk Arts" - this was a starter for us. Usually a prizes is: just what some organizations give, however daily for me it is the audience who gives us the prizes, if they satisfied about Téka music.

(IM) Tell us about your instruments? And something about your Hurdy-Gurdy?

(PH) My contrabass is a 3 goat-string (not metal string) instrument with a special peasant bow (formed like a baroque type of bow), what is shorter and stronger then a classical one. About my hurdy-gurdy: my first instrument is from Bársony Mihály made in 74' who was one of the last peasant hurdy-gurdy makers, and the other two instruments are from two different young makers Nagy Balázs, and Szerényi Béla. Both learnt from the old master Bársony Mihály. The tekerõ has also goat-strings one of them in A, in B, in D key.

(IM) Please tell us something more about your involvement with the hurdy-gurdy, Bela Serenyi and Bokros?

(PH) Since 1979 I have taught hurdy-gurdy at the Obuda Folk-music school, and now also in 3 different places:
1. in the Urom Jozsef Nador General Artistic Folk-music school.
2. in Nyiregyhaza (teacher-)training College
3. in my home to some talented players on bass, on tekero (hurdy-gurdy), on utogardon, instruments.

When Szerenyi Bela finished his studies, he was best tekero players of these pupils. My master Csoori Sandor (who founded the Hungarian Bagpipe Band) told me let's make a big tekero band like the bagpipe bands, and Bartha Z. Agoston, Szerenyi Bela and me found the Hungarian Tekero Band. It's a 14 person band so after this, Bela wanted to make a smaller quintet (not so orthodox-authentic like the others) so it is the Bokros band. We play Borbely Mihaly (Vujicsics Band) Szerenyi Bela (Bokros Band) Lanyi Gyorgy (Teka Band) arrangements in a bourdon music. I am interested about the spirit of the music, so I try to work with music mixing, mastering and to listen from outside what is good or not in tuned in a band.

Bokros Ensemble: Gyorgy Lanyi (Teka), Mihaly Borbely (Vujicsics), Pál Havasréti (Teka), Judit Kota Szerenyine and Bela Szerenyi.

(IM) The CD release 'Bourdon Synthesis' is subtitled 'European Traditions', is the music from all over Europe?

(PH) Yes, it's east-west synthesis bourdon music.

(IM) The ensemble Bokros seems to be something of a 'supergroup' in that its members are from Teka, Vujicsics etc, is it purely a recording group or do you tour as well?

(PH) Bokros is a family or friendship-studio (workshop) band the, the CDs being just a little help to Bela who is a tekero-maker and it helps to sell his instruments (tekero). Borbely Mihaly (Vujicsics Ensemble) is also a jazz musician and he has his own quartet too, Teka is also very busy, so not to much free time to travel with Bokros.

Nowadays I don't know any musician who's not super in a group.
"...so what is bigger my beauty? just my unpretentiousness..." 
Supergroup is just good to (sales) promotion, and who is not in a Supergroup he's just violation of the pride. Any band which can play live music well, be virtuous, in hot atmosphere, it is a Supergroup.

(IM) Looking back how does the folk music scene in Budapest compare today with that around 1978?

(PH) If we look back today is richer than in 78'. Today you can find every day a minimum of one or two places where young musicians play good authentic folk music in Budapest. More dance groups and theaters too. I think today we have a good music scene in Budapest.

(IM) You have played outside Hungary many times where has been your favorite place to visit and play?

(PH) For us favorite countries: Poland, Netherlands, Canada, China and last but not a least Romania where live 2 millions of Hungarians.

(IM) Please tell me something about your club? When did it start and is it still going?

(PH) We started in 76' and it was every Friday at the same place. Today we have four different places: one is the first Friday in Dagály utca in XIII district, second Friday in XIV district in Budapest, third in Fonó Music House, and fourth in Budaörs Culture House.

(IM) Similarly can you tell me something about the folk camps you organize?

(PH) Every summer we organize a folk music camp where its participants, besides common amusements like dancing, singing and playing music, become acquainted with ancient folk crafts like weaving, spinning, pottery-making, basket-weaving, wood-carving, wool-dying and rush work-pleating. Along with many young Hungarians, foreign visitors attend this camp as well. The dances that are usually taught in the Téka camp are: dances from Szatmár, Dunántúl, Alföld, Mezõség (Szék, Magyarszovát, Vajdakamarás), Kalotaszeg, Magyarbece, Vajdaszentivány, Gyimes,... 

What do you need if you come to the Téka camp? - Your tent, sleeping-bag, warm coats, tableware,... But important to know that after 20 years we made a pause in this year (2002).

(IM) Is TVM your own record label? 

(PH) Yes, we made a publishing company for our records, TVM is Téka Village Music, and it was I who named this authentic music as village music (folk music in Europe is not the same as what I know, I think), because we learned a very small different music from village to village, and the difference and distinctiveness is interesting and important for us! 
(Opposite side is perhaps World Music which is just a characteristic of music, except if the music is original but called world music for a better marketing.)

(IM) What is the next project for Teka?

(PH) TVM119 is available a part of the new series from "Our Masters" - Kádár Ferenc master of the flute, tárogató, reed pipe. Authentic village music from Dévaványa-Nagysárrét-Alföld Great Plain region. Also we would like to make a new CD for children.

Sincerely Yours,
Pal and TÉKA

Special thanks are due to Pal Havasreti for taking the time to answer these questions.

Part one of this interview this way<<         

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