The fiddler, András Lakatos, is a Calvinist Gypsy from Magyardécse. The family was from the neighbouring village of Nyíres (Nireş), but András’ father married into Magyardécse. András, in addition to playing music, also works as a smith, just as his family has done for three generations.

Before 1990, András worked as a metal worker in Beszterce (Bistriţa). Since Magyardécse is a Hungarian village, Mr. Lakatos plays primarily Hungarian music. Since he did not play for Romanians or Gypsies, he does not know those repertoires very well. Now he is the only Gypsy musician left in the village, although he told us that his father played with another Magyardécse fiddler.

1. Magyar menyasszonykísérő (Hungarian wedding processional) 4’00”
2. Csárdás és egyes (Hungarian couple dances) 6’43”
3. Ritka magyar (Hungarian men’s dance) 2’02”
4. Csűrdöngölő (sűrű magyar) (Hungarian men’s dance) 2’24”
5. Csárdás (Édesanyám hol van az az édes tej...) (Hungarian couple dance) 1’54”
6. Hallgató és katonanóták (Hungarian listening tune and soldier’s tune) 3’22”
7. Csárdás (Hungarian couple dance) 4’31”
8. Cigány verbunk (Gypsy men’s dance) 1’20”
9. Ţigăneşte rar és bătuta (Romanian couple dances) 8’57”
10. De chiuit (Romanian wedding processional) 3’32”
11. Cigány asztali nóták (Gypsy table tunes) 3’29”
12. Asztali nóta, csárdás és egyes (Hungarian table tune, couple dances) 6’14”
13. Csárdás (Hungarian couple dance) 3’44”
14. Ritka magyar (Hungarian men’s dance) 1’40”
15. Ţigăneşte rar és bătuta (Romanian couple dances) 11’56”
Összidő (Total time) 66’39”

Válogatta / Selected by: ÁRENDÁS Péter

ADATKÖZLŐK / PERFORMERS – INFORMANTS

LAKATOS András (1956, Magyardécse) – hegedű, ének / violin, voice
STANCA Gavril (1938, Csabaújfalu) – kontra / 3-stringed viola
LAPOHOS György (1943, Szépkenyerűszentmárton) – nagybőgő / double bass