Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
(Zoltán Szilágyi)-When I was a child I also made flutes from reed and willow in Kaskantyu - it's a poor, small village in the middle of Hungary.
(Riporter)-Did you hear the songs you play in Kaskantyu?
-Partly. When I grew up, I came to Kecskemét and heard these songs in the "Puszta"
(the plain around Kecskemét) from the old people and shepherds. Like from the old man, Peter Tanczos who passed away 2 ago
but his name is carried on by the "Tanczos Peter Traditional Band" in Kecskemet.
-When did you play to an audience for the first time?
- I was 8 when I first played the whistle in Kaskantyu, then when I was 17-18 I regularly played
on different stages in Kecskemet and around. After this I was fortunate to play all over the nation.
-You are acknowledged nationwide because of your special instrument, the Jew's harp (doromb).
-The doromb means very much to me. I've become a professional doromb maker and my instruments
are played in many different parts of the world. There is a special type that I have invented
and it resembles the ancient Polynesian forms.
-Let's describe what this small instrument looks like.
-Its length is ca. 7-8 cm, it's made of the finest steel possible. It's forged in fire multiple times.
-How to play it?
-Open your teeth 5 mm wide, touch the fork part of the instrument to your teeth and pluck the twanger rhythmically outwards.
The own resonance of the spring will speed up the air around it which interacts the air
inside the mouth cavity and causes quick pressure changes. This is the sound of the doromb.
You can play a two octave range, so we can say it is a really serious instrument, but you'll also need a bit of talent, too.
-So, you can play any melody on it?
-Yes, any melody.
-But at the same time you can play really rough rhythm, can't you?
-Indeed. I heard from an old woman who was the actually the healer in her village for decades
that she had healed numerous people and animals with a doromb made by the blacksmith of the village.
She did not play melody but very strong rhythm. She hummed magical words, and healing phrases through the instrument.
-You don't keep your knowledge to yourself, but -as I heard- you pass it on here in Kecskemet.
-I'm the leader of the folk music club in the cultural centre and
I've just founded a small doromb ensemble of young young kids, 10-12 year old ones who are very enthusiast
to get to know more about this instrument. I'm sure if they want to start a wind instrument,
like flute, oboe, clarinet, they can make a good use of their doromb knowledge.
It helps you improve your sense of rhythm and intonation of your mouth, tongue and teeth.
It requires a big discipline of your hands, too.