Márta Sebestyén
Country of origin:
Hungary
Type of music generally:
Traditional Hungarian, world music
Status:
Most recent release, Angyali szó zengedez (seasonal, 2012)
See also:
English version of Márta Sebestyén's siteWikipedia's entry on Márta Sebestyén
The Ectophiles' Guide entry for her work with Muzsikas
Comparisons:
This is a very hard call. I guess there are some similarities to some of the voices and vocal stylings of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares. At least, that's probably the only similar-sounding music that I am familiar with. Of course, her work with Muzsikas is similar to her solo work. (Neile)
Covers/own material:
Traditional material and covers
General comments:
Márta Sebestyén is a master of traditional Hungarian singing, and has expanded her range in recent recordings with equal success. She has the nasal intonation and occasionally slightly (to western ears) discordant/mournful sound of eastern European singing, but she uses this wonderfully evocatively, particularly in the yearning music common to her culture, and can be delightfully lively in lively songs. She really is something special and unique. She's best known as "the voice in the film The English Patient" but ectophiles has been talking about her for years. (Neile)
Comments about live performance:
I saw Márta Sebestyén with Muzsikas earlier this evening. It was a really stunning show, so long as you aren't put off by a little discordancy here and there. It was interesting how much more I liked the Maramaros section of the concert, since that was the music I knew best. (3/96, neal)I saw her with Muzsikas at about the same time Neal did, and it stand out in my memory as an astonishingly lively and fun concert. There were a lot of people familiar with Hungarian folk music and dances in the audience and they danced throughout the concert, and the musicians and Márta Sebestyén played and sang until the crowd was exhausted but would have been willing for it to go on forever. A remarkable evening! (11/00, Neile)
Recommended first album:
Best Of Márta Sebestyén would probably be a good starting place, though my favourite is probably Muzsikas
Recordings include:
- also see Muzsikas's entry for recordings under their name
- Muzsikas (1987)
- Apocrypha (1992)
- Kismet (1996)
- Best Of Márta Sebestyén (compilation, 1997)
- World Star of World Music (2000)
- Inspirations (with Gaál János Gyulai, 2001)
- Angyalok és pásztorok (seasonal, 2006)
- Nyitva látám mennyeknek kapuját (2008)
- Magyar népköltŽézet (2008)
- I Can See the Gates of Heaven (2009)
- Örvendezzünk! (seasonal, 2011)
- Angyali szó zengedez (seasonal, 2012)
Muzsikas
Release info:
1987—Hannibal/Rykodisc—HNCD 1330
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for world music fans
Group members:
Márta Sebestyén—vocal, recorder
Guest artists:
Muzsikas:
Sándor Csoóri—guitar, hurdy-gurdy, kobsa
Dániel Hamar—bass
Péter Éri—bass, buzuki, cello, kontra, tambur, duduk, shawm
Mihály Sipos—violin, zither
Zoltán Juhász—recorder
Bela Halmos—violin
László Porteleki—violin
Csaba Ökrös—violin
Antal Fekete—kontra
Katalin Gyenis—voice
Amdrás Berecz—voice, jews-harp
Produced by:
Mihály Sipos
Comments:
This is very simple, strong, lively, and mournful collection of songs—the kind of music that makes your feet want to move and then the next song breaks your heart. (Neile)
Apocrypha
Release info:
1992—Hannibal/Rykodisc
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Recommended for Márta Sebestyén fans
Group members:
Márta Sebestyén—vocals
Guest artists:
Anna Cserepes—vocals
Karoly Cserepes—computers/sounds, duduk, glute, synthesizer, tilinka
Tibor Donászi—drums
Janos Hasur—violin
Lászlo Hortobágyi—bells
Mihály Huszár—double bass
Ferenc Kiss—recorder
Szabolcs Szoranyi—bass
Levente Szörényi—vocals
Produced by:
Karoly Cserepes, Szabolcs Szoranyi, Ibolya Toth
Comments:
For some reason I've just never liked this collection as much of the others of hers I've heard. It seems a little less melodic for some reason, more experimental. I'd recommend her other discs before this one. (Neile)
Kismet
Release info:
1996—Rykodisc—HNCD 1392
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for anyone who likes this type of world music
Group members:
Márta Sebestyén—vocals
Guest artists:
Nikola Parov—guitar, koboz, flute, tambourine, keyboard, bouzouki, kaval, gadulka, clarinet, tambura, gardon, whistles, bass, drum programming, sequencer programming
Zoltan Lantos—violin
Kornel Horvath—percussion
Péter Éri—mandola on 1 track
András Berecz—voice on 1 track
Produced by:
Nikola Parov
Comments:
By all means pick up Márta Sebestyén's Kismet, which continues her trend away from pure traditional Hungarian music into a balkan/celtic/electronic blend that manages to be surprising without losing the solid, intuitively 'right' feel that traditional music tends to pick up over centuries of playing.... (bossert@suddensound.com)I love this woman's voice and singing style, and yes, Greg is right, the music she has chosen for this collection, though it expands on her previous work, suits her voice and performance. A lovely collection. (Neile)
It's pretty interesting, as it gives her unique take on folk music from a number of different places. It takes me a while for stuff like that to sink in, so one listen is nowhere near enough. (neal)
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