Also described as 'holy spirit music' or the 'beggar's lute' in Hungarian, the hurdy-gurdy is played according to the principles of stringed instruments. The musician makes the strings vibrate by turning a waxed wooden disc while using a keyboard to play the melody. For centuries, this instrument of medieval origin was a popular instrument among the nobility and aristocracy. The 19th century bought big changes, as the hurdy-gurdy began to be used primarily by beggars and street musicians. As a result, its musicians, lacking the special melodic repertoire typical of the hurdy-gurdy, began using it to play well-known and popular lyrical songs. Béla Szerényi is a certified master instrument maker, director of the Óbuda Folk Music School, a folk artist, a folk music researcher and a renowned hurdy-gurdy player whose family has inherited this noble tradition: the other performer is his son, Béla Szerényi Jr, who will play the same instrument.

Age: 8-12 year
Presented by: Müpa Budapest