Fresh Data to 16th Century Hungarian Dance-Music (Almande de Vngrie)

Abstract

In the 16th century, a brisker musical wave is set in motion between Western and Eastern Europe due partially to the Reformation, and partially to the sudden advancement of the Ozmanian empire. The effects of this process are also felt in Hungary from the middle of the 15th century. A number of early documents give evidence of this: for example, Mityas Corvin and Queen Beatrix devoted a lot of time to luring Europe's most famous singers and instrumental virtuosos to their courts for some months, or even a number of years.' We can find evidence of the high honoraria allotted to the artists.2 German, Italian, Austrian, Flemish and French musicians had all taken their turn in King Mityis' court. Amongst these, the most outstanding musicians Jean Cornuel-Veriust, Johannes Stockem and Jacob Barbireau, who represented musical life of that age, spend many years in Hungary. We have every right to assume that these musicians took with them to Western Europe those fresh melodies, spiced with Eastern European rhythms, which were performed by the Hungarian fiddle-lute musicians at the fashionable ceremonies at court, or after concerts, or even to provide the required background music at gay festivities. We can also find references of this in Galeotto Marzio's creditable writings of 1485, entitled De egregie, sapiente, jocose dectis et factis Regis Mathie.3