I have been planning to write about music for a long time, because it is a very important part of my life. I feel like now is the time to write this. In the post “About my loneliness”, I mentioned that “I have another company, about which a separate post will be made soon, and that is reading. ” This is how the post “How do I read?” was born. However, even when writing the lines about loneliness, I felt a sense of lack, because in addition to reading, listening to music is also an important resource for me. I don’t know how I could have forgotten about it then. Well, it’s really time for this post!
How did music find me?
From a very young age, I had a strong desire to listen to music, but my options were limited. We are talking about the era of mono record players and mono headphones. With Hungarian vinyl records from the seventies and the works of Hungarian performers licensed in Hungary. I think it was not my musical style, but at least there was something to listen to. If only the record player from before I was born worked.
I was towards the end of primary school when my dad brought home a stereo cassette recorder from France. It was a great device, but I didn’t have any cassettes for it.
And then heaven helped me!
I tutored a classmate in math at his mother’s request. One time, he gave me an original cassette with the comment that this is crap, you can have it. This cassette was the album Music for the Masses by Depeche Mode. I listened to it in rags. This was around 1988, and I’ve been a Depeche Mode fan ever since. When I think about my life, I’ve said to myself countless times that I’m grateful to fate for being able to live in an era when Depeche Mode exists.
Within moments, I had acquired the entire discography. In typical fashion, I rang a guy who I only knew was Depeche Mode’s biggest local fan. And of course I knew his name. Ignoring his surprised look at my unexpected visit, I asked him if he had all the Mode albums. After the expected “yes” answer, I pressed a bag ful of blank cassettes into his hand. “Then copy them for me, please, and let me know when you have them.” I’ve been grateful to him ever since that he called me shortly after.
I listened to electronic music for a couple of years, and then another one similar to my first big experience followed. A friend gave me a cassette. He didn’t say it was crap, he said it was really good and he has two of them. It was Megadeth’s album Countdown to Extinction. I hadn’t listened to much trash metal music before that. But since then, I’ve listened to a lot…
I have known for a long time that I like music that carries power for me. In my opinion, this power can be found in all music, but in some more strongly. I am a fan of listening to music loudly and of course headbanging. I have been to many good concerts in my life, almost always coming home exhausted and recharged.
How did I find music?
After a while, the desire to make music naturally came to me. I wanted to play the piano, but I soon realized that it would be difficult to push the queen of instruments next to a campfire. That’s how I started playing the guitar when I was 16, 33 years ago.
I have a good helper, to whom I am still grateful, even though our otherwise shallow relationship ended many years ago. Before the end of secondary school, I was already playing in a party band. Over the years, we had about 100 shows and there was a time when we had 130 songs in our repertoire at once. We had everything from The Beatles to current hits.
During this period, I learned the basics of music. Here I learned to play chords, play solos, sing while strumming. And here I also acquired a stage routine. I loved doing this for many years, but after a while, entertaining people became tiring work. And then the wilder version of rock ‘n’ roll called me, so I became a metal musician. My favorite is Megadeth, to this day I play their riffs the most.
8 years ago I made an interesting experiment in the world of music and started playing Hungarian folk music on the viola. I thought that after 25 years of playing guitar, it would be an easy ride on another stringed instrument. Well, it wasn’t! The contra viola is not held with the classical violin grip, so I can’t really see the small fretboard without frets while playing. That already makes the game more difficult. Then there are two other problems, the right and left hands. These just confused me in playing. Finally, the bow put the icing on the cake. The only problem with that was that if I pressed the strings too hard, they squeaked, and if I didn’t press them enough, they whining. So I didn’t become a folk musician. But I loved trying!
What energizes you in music?
The miracle that is in the music gives me energy. The beauty that is embodied in the sounds. This is multiplied by the power of words. Music without a meaning also gives me energy, I write this thinking of fun art music or meaningless hits. In a given situation, I like this too, I feel the energy in it too, but I don’t just listen to Modern Talking.
I know, it must sound strange what a miracle, what energy there is in melodic death metal music. This is one of my favorite genres of music. It’s not strange to me, because I always find what I’m looking for there. Another great favorite of mine is Hungarian folk music, obviously because I’m Hungarian and I feel this kind of music. But I also really like the folk music of the Scandinavian peoples, especially when they mix it with metal music in their unique way. I love classical music, for example, my great favorite in this is Beethoven, who dreamed up incredibly great energies in his works. Or Béla Bartók, who knew both folk and classical music…
About a year ago, I formulated to myself that in the face of miracles, I just have to stop and realize that what is happening to me right now is such a miracle. We have the right to call a moment a miracle, whether it is the moment that it has ended or is still happening. Especially if we consider the definition of a miracle to be something extraordinary or unexpected in the ordinary sense, something that causes surprise or admiration, such as a particularly beautiful sunset or a human achievement. After all, music in the classical sense is a human achievement, and I would not open my thoughts to the idea that nature is constantly playing music…
The miracle can be increased, the energy can be multiplied
The two things that make music a true triumvirate are dancing and singing. They are three sweet siblings. I often feel that the energies of music permeate and move my body. I like to dance even while sitting, for example while driving. I could practice singing almost anytime. I am often forced to settle for whistling instead.
So, when I need energy in my life, I listen to music and even sing. Dancing has not been present in my life very often, but it is certain that eight years ago I started learning folk dancing, and for a few years it was a companion of my life that brought very beautiful memories.
I hope no one is surprised that I have now started learning to dance again. At least I am not surprised at myself. I am single, so I am learning single dance. I hope that in half a year or a year I will be able to show a video about this…
Yesterday’s miracle
Yesterday, my daughters and one of their young men went to Budapest. We went to the Hungarian Music House together based on their idea, to spend time together around my birthday.
It’s an interesting coincidence that we went to see the temporary exhibition LISTEN. – A Musical Journey Around the World. I highlight this from the program description:
How would you introduce the Earth and its people to someone who has never been here before? What would you put in a time capsule that the people living here would open in 1000 years? The new temporary exhibition of the Hungarian Music House, opening on March 11, 2025, seeks to answer these questions, while inviting visitors on an absolutely amazing musical journey to discover the living, special musical traditions of our planet from Georgia to Belize to Crete, from Patagonia to Iceland to India and far beyond.
LISTEN. is based on films shot in more than thirty countries and with more than a hundred performers. It is a celebration of our musical and cultural differences and common roots. Wherever we are on Earth, the events and emotions that define our lives are shaped through music. The exhibition thus brings to life situations, moments, and life images familiar to all of us from birth to death, while we can also experience how the music related to these situations and holidays appears in different parts of the world in their instruments and sounds in various ways. LISTEN. also points out that listening to each other and communicating are key issues for the development of humanity, while music is present in every aspect of our lives.
In the car, music is almost always playing during our conversations. Usually, my daughters provide the music. My younger daughter started telling me how much she loved folk dancing and how much she would love to dance again. This filled my heart with great joy. Then, in connection with this, he started playing a song by the band called Magyar Banda and in the meantime, he started telling me how much he liked the power of the double bass in the song.
This song became the image of this post. If you feel like it, definitely listen to it. As the contra viola begins the song… It was not by chance that I wanted to play music with this instrument. Who knows, maybe I will again…
We listened to the song. At full volume. Then we played it again right away. And the miracle was that in those moments we became one. I felt that this was exactly a moment when everything was perfect. I was so overwhelmed with the feeling of being happy that my tears started to flow. When I think to myself that I have had a very beautiful life so far and that it will continue to be very beautiful, I think of memories of moments like this. The moment is often gone, but its trace is there in my soul. I am grateful for my life and my miracles!
And music plays a huge role in this!
Come on baby!
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see…
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Come on baby, light up the world.
But many roads, many cities that I’ve traveled,
But many stars that fall to the ground I’ve found,
But what’s the point,
What’s the point of any of them,
That only shine on me for a moment.
..only shine on me for a moment.
You would be a false star, baby,
You wouldn’t shine in the sky up there for long,
But what’s the point,
What’s the point of any of them,
That only shine on me for a moment.
What’s the point of any of them,
That only shine on me for a moment.
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Girls whispering around me,
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Come on baby, light up the world.
/ instrumental /
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Girls whispering around me,
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Who will I meet in the morning?
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Come on baby, light up the world.
The sky is full of twinkling stars,
My baby, you’ll remember me later,
But it’ll be too late by then,
Let the many envious people around you bark!
..but many memories that surround you.
But many roads, but many cities,
But many memories that are harmful,
Fake love, that never sees the light of day,
But what’s the point,
What’s the point of any of that Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Girls whispering around me,
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Come on baby, light up the world.
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Girls whispering around me,
Oh, but it’s dark, I can’t see,
Come on baby, light up the world.