Hungarian Dances

'A few years ago, an excellent tarogato player asked me to write accompaniments for some 18th-century melodies that were to be featured on a new record of his that was currently under preparation. These unaccompanied tunes that had survived in various collections represented the 'light music' of the courts of the nobility, and included some Magyar or Magyar-like melodies. (Thus, in the absence of other documents, they are of historical importance.) After the record was made, certain tunes stuck in my mind and prompted further thought. After so much wind music I chose a stringed instrument with piano accompaniment. The musical material assumed many different forms in my mind thewealth of melodies made selection difficult. Finally, at the suggestion of cellist friends, I decided on a shorter, more concise version, and this is what is being published. These two works have been selected among the compulsory pieces for the 2011 national cello competition for specialized secondary schools in Hungary.' - Miklos Kocsár