TRADITION AND FREE MUSIC
The concert will feature Kyrgyz Kenjebek Aldajaar and Baykochkar Bakhxi Ahmedov of the Kongrat tribe (Southern Uzbekistan), who will narrate old and new epics with komuz and dombra instrumental accompaniment, joined by the Hungarian experimental musicians of Turan Road Music - Béla Ágoston - wind instruments, Balázs Pándi - percussion, Ernő Zoltán Rubik - tambourine and Géza Fábri - cobos - with their own musical and instrumental approach.
The trance state achieved by making music together provides an opportunity to push the boundaries of traditional epic storytelling, to form a new spiritual music. The concert will be preceded by a performance by István Sántha and Dávid Somfai Kara, who will present a research on epic music in Inner Asia, the homeland of Kenjebek and Baykochkar.
Schedule
◖ Kenjebek Aldajaar ◗
Kenjebek Aldajaar is a completely unique figure in contemporary Kyrgyz Komuz art. He writes his own songs, thinks in epics, builds an instrument, strives to expand the boundaries of his instrument. In fact, he has rewritten the entire Kyrgyz mythology. And in the process, he is also a highly talented and innovative musician. Among other things, Kenzhebek's programme includes setting contemporary Kyrgyz poetry to music. He is able to create the psychedelic magic of Pink Floyd with his music created in one person. As part of the programme, we plan to provide an opportunity to set to music a shorter excerpt from the epic poem Manas, collected by György Almásy in 1906 (Manas is currently the longest known epic on Earth).
◖ Baykochkor Bakhxi Ahmedov ◗
Baykochkor Bakhxi Ahmedov comes from one of the rare regions on earth, Kaska-dar, where the tradition of epic storytelling and music-making is still alive and well in the daily life of the Kongrats and other tribes of southern Uzbekistan (weddings, cloak and dagger). In their homeland along the Afghan border, the Baksis accompany the epics with a dombrán, which they narrate to the audience in their own particular toroken, helping to process national tragedies by evoking the actions of the heroes. Their famous epic in the Far East is Alpamis, which István Sántha had the privilege of listening to at length in 2021, when he was on a research trip in their circle: "one day, one of the most famous Baksians, who unfortunately can no longer be in our circle, sang for eight hours."
Baykochkar bakshi has a fantastic voice, singing in his own distinctive throat singing style, which he leads and accompanies with very fine instrumental playing. Dombra's playing and singing are a special colour of this unique epic storytelling culture. He still lives a traditional lifestyle with his family. The sound of his Baksha singing voice and his dombra is an integral part of the acoustics of weddings and horse races (the Kun köböre, the Ulak of southern Uzbekistan). These celebrations are very popular with the local people, with spectators coming from far and wide to watch a famous event.
The concert will also include a rendition of The Wonderful Stag in the style of a congrats epic, performed by Baykochkar bakshi Ahmedob. It is based on the translation that Ármin Vámbéry brought to Hungary from Hungary as a gift for János Arany's birthday in 1863 by his fellow researcher Iszák molla.
Alongside traditional epic music, this concert will also further unravel the experimental music thread, featuring the occasional Turan Road Music company.
House of Music Hungary
A music education centre and concert venue in the heart of the City Park, behind the airy futuristic glass facade of Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto.
