“…I declare that what you call Gypsy music
is not Gypsy music. It is not Gypsy music,
but Hungarian music – the newer form of Hungarian popular art music…”
(Béla Bartók)
“The generous hospitality of the Hungarians toward the Gypsies was so indispensable to their existence that this art belongs equally to both, for it could not have come into being without either. The Hungarians needed musicians, and the Gypsies could not exist without listeners. Hungary, therefore, may rightfully call this art its own – an art nourished by its grain and wine, cherished by its admiration, grown in its shadow, and matured through its love, so closely intertwined with its morals that it is bound to the tenderest and dearest memories of every Hungarian. Like a glorious conquest, it is destined to shine among the noblest emblems of our country, and its memory must grow as a precious jewel among the floral ornaments of our ancient and proud crown.”
(Franz Liszt)
“The melodies of these songs were once the only music of the Hungarians. Living music – an organic part of Hungarian life. Nothing illuminates more clearly the soul, thought, and taste of the Hungarian society of that era than these songs.”
(Zoltán Kodály)
Ferenc Sánta Jr. was born on 2 March 1945 in Kaposvár. His family name had previously been written as Sántha, but he was officially registered as Sánta. His father, himself a Gypsy bandleader (prímás), dreamed that his son would become a classical musician. In the 1950s and 60s, Kaposvár alone supported some six active Gypsy bands performing in restaurants and entertainment venues. His younger brother played the piano for a time before switching to violin. It was only natural that he too would become a musician, though he loved sports – especially football – and was also drawn to boxing before finally choosing music.
“It’s a beautiful but rocky path,” he said of the musician’s life. “I feel that I’ve succeeded. In 1969, many young Roma graduated from the Academy of Music. I feel I had to achieve twice as much to be recognized.” In another interview, he stated simply: “Musicality was born with me.”
His father, Ferenc Sánta Sr., was born in 1919 in Jászberény. He was taught to play the violin by his own grandfather from the age of seven. By fifteen, he had already formed a band and was performing as prímás at the Lehel Restaurant in his hometown. In 1937, he moved to Budapest, and by 1940 he had settled in Kaposvár. From 1963 onward, he lived in Budapest again, performing in the Halászbástya Restaurant, the Kis Royal, the Olympia, and the Sport Szálló. He also spent extended periods touring in the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, and Germany.
The young Ferenc Sánta began violin studies in 1952 at the Kaposvár Music School, where his teachers were Dezső Lehota and Albert Gyulai. His exceptional talent quickly became evident: by 1953, he was already playing in the Kaposvár Symphony Orchestra. In 1955, at the age of ten, on the recommendation of inspector Matild Graef, he was admitted to the Pécs Secondary School of Music without an entrance exam – Graef herself became his teacher, a distinguished violinist and pedagogue.
In 1962, he performed together with his father at the Hungarian Weeks in Finland (as part of the World Festival of Youth and Students).
From 1963, Sánta studied at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, even as he was already an active touring Gypsy musician throughout Hungary. In 1969, he received his diploma as a violinist and teacher. His professor and mentor at the Academy was Tibor Ney. He studied chamber music with András Mihály and Endre Petri, solfège with Melinda Kistétényi, music history with András Pernye and György Kroó, theory with István Sárközi, string quartet performance with Frigyes Sándor, aesthetics with József Ujfalussy, pedagogy with Ferenc Rados, and viola with Pál Lukács.
He remembered all his teachers with deep respect.
Sánta went on to play in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Sweden) and later in the orchestra of the Budapest Operetta & Musical Theatre, where he also served as concertmaster. His reputation spread quickly, and soon he was faced with a flood of concert invitations.
In 1971, Ferenc Sánta Jr. spent a year in Sweden performing with a salon orchestra. Two years later, in 1973, he founded his own folk orchestra, with which he performed for three years in Düsseldorf. From 1976 he again played with a salon orchestra, but since 1979 he has appeared exclusively with folk ensembles.
He has performed in almost every European country, as well as in the United States, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, and toured for months at a time in Germany and Sweden. In 1981 he appeared in Switzerland, and from 1982 he held a yearly two-month contract with the Piroschka restaurant in Munich.
In 1985, the 100 Member Gypsy Orchestra was founded, for which Sánta became responsible for maintaining classical musical standards. That same year he spent several months performing in Australia. In 1990, he established the Hungarian National Gypsy Orchestra, serving as its artistic director and lead prímás. He arranged numerous Hungarian popular songs (nóta) and csárdás dance melodies, and also taught at the National Centre for Entertainment Music, where many of his students later went on to successful careers. Between 1997 and 2000 he toured Germany with both a baroque and a salon orchestra.
Sánta made his first solo radio recording in 1968 for the Hungarian Radio, and since then he has appeared regularly on radio, television, and, since 1985, on commercial recordings. On these and in his concerts, in addition to the classical Gypsy repertoire, he performed works by Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, and Béla Bartók, among others. He became a regular guest on the Hungarian Television program Sunday Music.
He also spent three years in Venice, Italy, where he performed at Caffè La Vena, Caffè Via Venezia, and Caffè Quadri.
Ferenc Sánta Jr.’s wife was Magdolna Bódi. Their son, Ferenc, is a violinist and member of the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra; their daughter, Beatrix, is a pianist, a teacher at the Dohnányi Ernő Music School and the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, and a scholarship holder of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA).
Both classical and Gypsy music were equally close to Sánta’s heart – he cultivated both in parallel throughout his life. He spent several years in Germany performing Baroque music, while in Budapest he played for long periods at venues such as the Király Restaurant, Szent György Restaurant and Café, Atrium Hyatt Hotel, and Halászbástya Restaurant.
Regarding the state of Gypsy music today, Sánta was not optimistic: “Fewer and fewer people play, know, or love this music anymore,” he lamented.
He once said in a Hungarian Television interview following a folk song and nóta competition:
“I still believe today that among the nóta there is a very serious percentage – beginning with Cserebogár – that have genuinely valuable, high-quality content. In those, there is a theme, a motif I can hear. They are worth remembering – they stick in your mind. And sometimes they reappear on their own in our minds, just like a theme by Beethoven or Wagner…”
Opinions about the magyar nóta (Hungarian popular song in folk style) vary greatly: some people are deeply passionate about it, while others refuse to recognize it as part of the musical canon. The magyar nóta emerged in the early 19th century, inspired by the desire to create a national culture. It quickly became extremely popular in both towns and villages, across all layers of society.
Bálint Sárosi, the leading scholar of the genre, devoted several volumes to studying the nóta and Gypsy music. He observed that in everyday usage, people rarely distinguished between népdal (folk song) and nóta, though the two differ significantly – most notably in that the composer of a népdal is unknown, while the nóta has an identifiable author. There are also substantial musical and textual differences between them.
As for Sánta’s favourite genre, the nóta, Sárosi wrote: “In general, we may safely declare that the activity of Gypsy musicians forms an organic part of our culture – both in what is valuable and in what the cultivated Hungarian may view with some reservation.”
Sequences are a common feature in Hungarian nóta melodies. Chord arpeggiation, used as a melodic device, also appears frequently. Chromatic and other intervallic movements unusual in folk music draw on classical music theory and highlight the genre’s art-music character.
Originally, in the 19th century, Magyar nóták were published primarily with piano accompaniment. Gypsy orchestras later adapted these notations to their own instrumental possibilities. Another significant difference between folk songs and nóták is that the latter’s melodies practically invite harmonization – unlike traditional Hungarian folk songs, which are monophonic.
The modern form of Gypsy music emerged in the second half of the 18th century. The first ensemble resembling today’s Gypsy orchestra was led by Panna Czinka (1711–1772), whose group included two violinists, a double bass player, and a cimbalom player – the same basic formation typical of Gypsy bands today.
By the late 19th century, the old style of Hungarian folk music and dance was gradually replaced by the new style – a transformation in which Gypsy musicians may also have played a role. The genre’s true golden age stretched from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.
In 1952, the Rajkó Orchestra was founded for talented children, primarily of Roma origin. To this day, it represents Hungarian Gypsy music as a world-renowned and celebrated ensemble.
In Hungary today, Gypsy music appears mostly as a touristic attraction in the hospitality industry, with the notable exception of the Rajkó Ensemble’s theatrical performances. The House of Traditions (Hagyományok Háza) is now making efforts to revive the genre, and the 100 Member Gypsy Orchestra likewise plays a key role in bringing this tradition back to life.
The Main Genres of Magyar nóta
Hallgató (Asztali nóta, kesergő): Slow, often parlando rubato melodies accompanied by dűvő (a steady rhythmic pattern). They are characterized by a high syllable count – one of the features distinguishing them from folk songs.
Andalgó: Alternating yet slow-tempo melodies with lassú esztam accompaniment.
Csárdás: Tempo giusto, 4/4 (duple meter) songs with text.
Friss csárdás: Fast tempo giusto melodies with esztam accompaniment.
Verbunkos (Recruiting dance, magyar): Relatively slow tempo giusto in duple meter with dűvő accompaniment; originally an instrumental genre accompanying men’s dances. Its most famous exponents include János Bihari, János Lavotta, and Antal György Csermák.
Gypsy orchestras have always sought to meet all musical demands. As a result, their repertoire soon expanded to include works by Romantic composers – such as Vittorio Monti, Franz Liszt, and Johannes Brahms – as well as popular marches, waltzes, polkas, and other bourgeois dances of the time. Operetta arias, later film themes, and popular songs also became part of their programs. Naturally, as Roma ensembles, they frequently perform traditional Gypsy melodies as well.
A traditional Gypsy orchestral performance follows a gradually accelerating musical sequence: hallgató, andalgó, csárdás, friss csárdás, and finally verbunk – often played separately from the preceding pieces. This structure strongly resembles the order of Hungarian folk dance suites.
Ferenc Sánta collaborated with numerous well-known and classical musicians. They spoke of him with great admiration:
“A born musician who performs at the highest level and captivates everyone with his brilliant playing – technically and musically truly magnificent.”
(Péter Eötvös, composer)
“Feri can play anything! Music is in his blood, in his very cells – he feels its essence instinctively.”
(Katalin Pitti, opera singer)
László Tarnai Kiss – singer, teacher, and retired founding editor-in-chief of Dankó Rádió – spoke of him as follows:
“I first got to know the violinist and concertmaster Ferenc Sánta Jr. through television in the late 1970s. Miklós Lengyelfi, then head of the Television Department, invited him to lead the orchestra of the newly launched concert series Vasárnapi muzsika (Sunday Music).
Feri became a huge star almost instantly – and, at the same time, a ladies’ idol. His high level of musical education enabled him to perform in many different styles. The greatest singers of the time were happy to share the stage with him – success was guaranteed.
In the early 1980s, Dezső Ábrahám, husband of Vera Jákó, founded the Dankó Pista Vocal Ensemble, whose members included the greatest stars of Hungarian song: Károly Solti, Vera Jákó, Sándor Puskás, Ágnes Pécsi Kiss, László Szalay, Béla Takács… and I could go on. I, too, occasionally took part in these performances – the concertmaster was Ferenc Sánta Jr.
In 1984, during the second Nyílik a rózsa (The rose is blooming) International Hungarian Song Contest, which was broadcast on television, I met Feri in person for the first time as a nervous young teacher-competitor. His kindness and helpfulness meant a lot to me. He treated me like a true older brother. Whenever I looked at him during the competition, encouragement shone from his eyes – as if saying: ‘Relax, everything will be fine.’
From then on, our careers moved forward together.
I was a guest at his 60th birthday concert in the Csepel Workers’ Hall and again at his 70th in the Pesti Vigadó.
In him, we recognize one of Hungary’s finest Roma artists. When his father, the violinist Ferenc Sánta Sr., passed away, he asked me for advice – should he continue to be known as Sánta Ferenc, even though his son, also a trained violinist, bears the same name? I advised him to remain forever Ferenc Sánta Jr., since radio listeners know and love him by that name.
I maintain a fraternal friendship with Feri – I love him dearly. May God watch over him!”
Miklós Lengyelfi – the legendary editor-director of Hungarian Television, creator and editor of Nyílik a rózsa, Röpülj páva (Fly, peacock), and other televised competitions and talent shows, and author of several books on Hungarian popular song – remembered him with deep affection and respect:
“Do you remember your first meeting with Ferenc Sánta?” the editor asked.
“Of course,” I said. “Though our first meeting did not follow the usual protocol of social introductions. My friends at the Academy of Music told me about a fellow student of theirs who was about to give his graduation concert – they said I should hear him. For two reasons, this caught my attention. In those years – the 1960s and 1970s – it was rare for someone from a Gypsy musician family to earn a diploma from the Academy of Music.
If memory serves me right, the youngest Imre Magyari of the famous Magyari family had completed studies at the Academy.
(Incidentally, one of the most highly trained Gypsy musicians of his time, Sándor Lakatos, had not studied at the Academy either, but under Tivadar Országh and Ede Zathureczky – the New York Times critic once called him the ‘Heifetz of Gypsy music.’)
The second reason was that I was preparing the first Röpülj páva competition and was looking for an orchestra leader to accompany the singers.
A young violinist with an Academy diploma… and a Gypsy musician background… not a bad combination.
My hope that this violinist’s musical knowledge, interpretive ability, and motivation would be ideal for the task only grew once he stepped on stage.
Because what appeared before me was a Malayan prince…
The ‘Malayan prince’ – Ferenc Sánta Jr. – played Bach, Debussy, and Bartók effortlessly and elegantly, with brilliant technique. It was an extraordinary experience to hear him.
Since then, many people have spoken and written about his violin artistry, and he has received numerous honours: two Kossuth Prizes – the second the ‘Grand’ Kossuth Prize – as well as the Liszt Prize, Príma Primissima, and the title Artist of the Nation, among others.
We had already been working together for several years on the television program Sunday music, when, during one rehearsal, he said:
– ‘I bought a cabinet.’
– ‘And?’ I asked.
– ‘It’s beautiful,’ he said almost reverently. ‘Carved, Renaissance-style… I saw it in a second-hand shop window. I couldn’t resist.’
At home, when he’s tired, he sits in an armchair in front of that cabinet and looks at it. He admires it – not out of ownership, but because he marvels at the work of an artist from another time. You could call it aesthetic contemplation.
Decades have passed since then, but even today he still sits in that armchair.
And admires the sight...”
[2024]