Musical Celebration at Fonó’s Easter Concerts

MTI-Hungary Today 2025.04.14.

The Fonó Buda Music House is preparing with programs evoking traditions for Holy Week and Easter.

On April 17, the Havay Viktória (vocals), Illés Gábor (cobza), and Juhász Dénes (flute) trio will take the stage at the Fonó Buda Music House. This special project brings the sacred songs, prayers, and religious observances of the Hungarian community of the Csángós from Moldova (in Romania, not to be confused with the modern state of Moldova), specifically focusing on the Lenten period, which is one of their most significant religious celebrations.

The concert will bring traditional folk hymns and prayers to life, with the audience invited to join in.

On April 21, Easter Monday, the Fonó Buda Music House will once again host the traditional Easter Sprinkling Ball (locsolóbál), where dance and music take center stage, with Erdőfű and Csángálló performing.

Fact

The Csángós are a Catholic ethnic group of Hungarian origin, the only one outside the Carpathian Basin. Despite strong assimilation pressures in Romania, several tens of thousands still speak an archaic Hungarian dialect. Having had little contact with the rest of the Hungarians for centuries, the Csángós have preserved traditions that are either no longer found or are not found in the same form in the Carpathian Basin. The Ghimeș-Csángós, alongside their Moldavian roots, also have Szekler origins. They lived in three isolated communities in Romania’s Trotuș Valley, in the border region between Transylvania and Moldova.

The Moldavian Csángós, living on the far eastern edge of the Hungarian-speaking world, struggle to survive in an oppressive environment, lacking Hungarian schools and priests. Due to the pressure to assimilate, tens of thousands of Hungarians grow up with the feeling of shame about their minority status and feel compelled to deny their mother tongue, culture, and identity.

Erdőfű is a community of musicians dedicated to representing the folk music traditions of the Carpathian Basin, bringing to life the string traditions of Hungarian-speaking areas and neighboring peoples.

Csángálló, a band that has been touring Hungary and Europe for over fifteen years, draws inspiration from the folk traditions of Transylvania and Moldova while also integrating modern ideas.

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Via MTI, Ungarn Heute; Featured picture: MTI/Bruzák Noémi