Baszk dalok / Euskal abestiak

The set of “Basque songs” for female chorus was composed for the Chamber Choir of Budafok in 1986 and first performed at the prestigious choral competition of Tolosa (Basque Provinces). It speaks for the popularity of the cycle that it was the compulsory piece of the Tolosa competition some years later.

The close-to-nature simplicity of the folksong-inspired songs is fascinating. Rhythm plays an outstanding role in the cycle: in the second and fifth movements the alto part imitates the typical Basque drum rhythm bringing about, interestingly enough, more than once Hungarian folk rhythm associations in the listener. — Eniko Gyenge