Cymbalom Style

MichaelHorowitz

Yes....the Matelo CD is also great:

Tziganskaia and Other Rare Recordings 1960-1978"
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Matelo
Ferret

Tziganskaia
and Other Rare Recordings 1960-1978

scot

Ken is correct in a way - the cymbalom playing on "Tziganskaia..." is not typical of the way the instrument is usually heard today. But it is typical of the way the cymbalom was played in the Russian cabarets of Paris back in the day. Recordings of this music are rare today. I've never found any other recordings of Michel Villach (Matelot's cymbalom player) but he was one of the best known players in his time.

Occasionally you can find LPs of the Codolban brothers Nicky and Nitza, who also played in this style, I think.

Matelot's CD is essential listening for anyone interested in any style of music discussed on this forum. Even if the music doesn't appeal to everyone, it's worth many listenings just to hear the range and quality of tone - the incredible expressiveness - that he had. Nothing like it anywhere!

delsbrother

Who do I look for to hear "modern" cymbalom playing (in any context)? I have an old hammer dulcimer and was wondering if anyone was playing that in a Gypsy/Cymbalom style. Are the tunings the same? Would one be welcomed at a dJam?

MichaelHorowitz

Check these out:

Gypsy Jazz"
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Kalman
Balogh & The Gypsy Cimbalom Band

Gypsy
Jazz





The Art of the Gipsy Cimbalom"
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Kalman
Balogh

The
Art of the Gipsy Cimbalom

delsbrother

Is it me, or are the playlists identical?

In any case, neat sounding - the string pairs almost sound mandolin-like.

MichaelHorowitz

I just updated the playlists.....

Ken Bloom

Those Balogh CDs are ok but if you really want to hear what a cimbalom can do find some recortdings of Toni Iordache. he is really astounding.
The cimbalom is rather different from a hammered dulcimer.The cimbalom is fully chromatic throughout four octaves or more and has damper pedals. Also the tension is way higher on those strings, about 75lbs per string with anywhere from two to four strings per course. These little beauties are not the most portable thing in the world. They weigh in at around three hundred pounds and can be quite loud.
If you want more info about cimbaloms, e-mail me (<!-- e --><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a><!-- e -->). I've built a couple of small ones and played a fair bit of Eastern European music in a variety of settings.

Ken Bloom

clausci

:shock: amazing boulou on gari-gari

clausci

Interesting post,for the hungarian stuff IMO there is another good example on the cd "Czardas- Ferenc Santa and his gypsy band" on NAXOS.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cs%C3%A1rd%C3%A ... B000001413
Anyone konws the cymbalom player,i have that cd and there are good cymbalo solo stuff but there aren't the components named in the libretto.
And also the stuff of Sandor Lakatos ,terrific violin virtuoso,is often accompained by cymbalom in old hungarian style.
For the romanian style i think like just said ,obviously TAraf the hAidouks.
There are also case in modern stuff like in the cds of Gilles Apap (with the transilvanian mountain boys)and also Oleg Ponomarev that use the guitar instead of the cymbalom,but they use nylon guitar,not steel,and they don't want to imitate the cymbalom,just change the element.
Can i have much information about the Mirando family?
they have recorded something ?

Cuimean

If you're going a bit off the beaten path, you might try bassist George Mraz's album Morava, with Zuzana Lapcícová on vocals and cymbalom, or Reveszem, Reveszem by Dresch Dudas Mihaly Quartet.