Tibicinium

Ferenc Farkas composed “Tibicinium” in 1960. In this work for voice and flute, the simplicity and the interplay between the two linear parts reveal a great deal of boldness. The title of the work is directly linked to the Latin word “tibicen” (flute player) and, through a play on words, also evokes the Latin term “bicinium,” which refers to two voices. Farkas set to music poems by his childhood friend Artúr Keleti, which were subsequently translated into German by Karl Schulhofer.

The chromatic flights of the flute in the first song “Töredek / Fragment” refer to ancient Greek music, of which only fragments have survived. The atmosphere they evoke also suggests disappearance.

The joyful second song, “Nyári ünnep / Sommerfest,” also mentions fauns, nymphs, and Greek gods in its lyrics, yet its melody is reminiscent of the music of medieval troubadours. — László Gombos