The cimbalom, which belongs to the family of zither instruments, is possibly the most versatile of all Hungarian folk percussion instruments. The concert cimbalom (‘pedálcimbalom' in Hungarian), which stands on four legs and is widely used today, is actually a descendant of the small cimbalom, which could be placed on the table or even an empty barrel. The instrument maker József Schunda invented the concert cimbalom in the late 19th century. In recent decades, the cimbalom has primarily been used in Gypsy bands, though the instrument was once an illustrious guest of aristocratic salons and prestigious concert halls. Kálmán Balogh is one of Hungary's best known cimbalom players, a regular performer at Müpa Budapest and numerous other illustrious institutions around the world, and an influential figure among the new generation of musicians.

Age: 8-12 year
Presented by: Müpa Budapest