This CD is a selection of recordings made on location in 1990 in the Transylvanian village of Százcsávás which was known at the beginning of the 20th century as Csávás, in the old Kisküküllő County. Today it is Ceuaş, in Romania’s Maros County. The recordings were made at various times and locations in the village, using various technical equipment in a variety of acoustic conditions. From amongst many hours of field recordings we selected those which are more interesting in light of the 26 years that have passed since, and other recordings of the band and their performances in Hungary and abroad.

In 1990 the musicians from Százcsávás were not known at all in Hungary. In 1989 however the Romanian label Electrecord released a recording of the traditional Hungarian dance music repertoire from recordings made on location by István Pávai with István Jámbor “Dumnezu” playing lead violin, Ferenc Mezei “Csángáló” playing viola and Mátyás Csányi “Mutis” on double bass.
Many fine musicians lived then in Százcsávás who knew the traditional repertoire and played regularly for the Hungarians there, as well as for the Gypsy and Romanian communities, not to mention the Saxon Transylvanian community almost all of which emigrated during the 1980s to Germany. The goal of the collection work done in 1990 was to become acquainted with the musicians and their repertoire, and during this collection work the group evolved that later became world-famous as the “Szászcsávási Zenekar” or the Százcsávás Band.

Csányi Mátyás “Mutis” – double bass (1-10, 12, 15)
Csányi Sándor “Cilika” – violin (1 and 2 right)
Jámbor Ferenc “Tocsila” - viola (1-10, 12-15)
Jámbor István “Dumnezu” - violin (1 -left, 13-14)
Mezei Ferenc “Csángáló” - primkontra (1-2, 17-18), viola (16),
double bass (13-14)
Mezei Levente “Leves” – violin (10 and 12 right , 17-18,)
flute (15), dance (14)
Mezei Károly “Kusler” - violin (16)
Lunka Márton “Pápu” - violin (2 - middle, 3-9, 10, 12 left),
announcement (11)

The recordings were made in Százcsávás on January 28 and October 23, 1990. Assisting with the collection work and recordings were: Zoltán Szánthó, Zoltán Ágoston Bartha, Zsolt Adámy, György Olasz, Ágnes Érdi, Nóra Kertész, Ferenc Pásztor, Nárcis Verestói, Pál Pallagi.
Photographs by Zoltán Szánthó, Zoltán Ágoston Bartha.

Mastering: Kopcsik Márton Producer: Szánthó Zoltán ω Felelős kiadó: Horváth László; Design: Kiss Dóra P + © 2016 Fonó Budai Zeneház; Fonó Music Hall H-1116 Budapest, Sztregova utca 3. s Tel/fax: +36 1 206 53 00 fono@fono.hu; www.fono.hu