Cifra

The Band

In its most usual sense, the Hungarian word cifra [TSEE-fraw] means "showy" or "muliticolored." In the context of a village jollification, it is the name for both a common dance figure and a kind of decorative interlude played by the musicians to connect one dance tune to the next.

The Cifra Ensemble, formed in 1994 by invitation of the Csardas Hungarian Dancers of Edmonton, has over the years developed an extensive repertoire of traditional Hungarian, Romanian and Gypsy dance music. We play folk instruments unique to certain regions of Hungary and Transilvania, such as kontra (a 3-stringed viola producing solid triads), hurdy gurdy, bagpipe, shepherd's pipe, utogardon (literally a "beaten cello") and Csango lute, as well as the more familiar bowed instruments.

Cifra performs regularly in Alberta and across Western Canada, both in concert and in collaboration with several Hungarian folk dance troupes. The ensemble has also appeared at international festivals in the United States and Hunagry, has been a guest artist of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and has been broadcast on CJSR FM and CBC Radio One.

In addition to our regular studies with leading Hunagarian folk revivalists, we have travelled to the Hungarian and Transylvanian countryside in order to collect music and learn from the village masters. We pay homage to such musicians on this recording - Marton Maneszes and Janos Botezan of Magyarszovat, Janos and Regina Zerkula of Gyimeskozeplok, and Ferenc Szanto of Magyarbece, to name some of those whom we have met. There are others whose passing has deprived us of this opportunity such as Ferenc "Csipas" Varga of Banffyhunyad (Kalotaszeg), Istvan "Icsan" Adam of Szek and Tivadar Kovacs of Mehkerek. Their playing, also represented on this recording, became known to us primarily through field recordings and the tutelage of their students.

Acknowledgements:

Susanna Biro; Buzavirag Hungarian Dancers, Vcitoria, BC; CBC Radia; Csardas Hungarian Dancers, Edmonton, AB; Eva Dezse; Duvo Group, Salgotarjan, Hungary; Edmonton Musicians' Association; Eletfa Hungarian Folk Band, Teaneck, NJ; Ferenc Teglas Group, Gyula, Hungary; Greg Ferguson; Forras Hungarian Folk Ensebmle, Vancouver, BC; Laszlo Gyalog; Laci and Trenna Horvath; Iggy and Louise Kadar; Judy Lewis; Maros Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble, Regina, SK; Carolyn Mathew; John McCormick; Natalie Ozipko; Karl and Kitty Pelkan; Peter Szilagyi; P.J. Tan; Teka Group, Budapest, Hungary; Ti Ti Tabor; Ayako Tsuruta; Vadrozsa Hungarian Folk Dancers, Calgary, AB; Tunde Vari Visit the Western Canadian Folk Festival website
as well as the website of Csardas Hungarian Folkdance Ensemble that I created

The Band
top - Jim Cockell: violin, shepherd's pipe, hurdy gurdy
bottom - Paul Radosh: bass, cello, utogardon
Miriam Lewis: kontra, viola, lute
Moni Mathew: kontra, violin, viola, drum

with
Adrea Szilagyi: vocals
Martin Galba: vocals
Chanting: Sussanna Biro, Andrea Szilagyi