Roby Lakatos
Encyclopedia
Roby Lakatos, the “devil’s fiddler”, is a Romani (Gypsy) violin
ist from Hungary
. He is renowned for his mix of classical music with Hungarian Romani music and jazz
themes.
Romani violinist Roby Lakatos is not only a scorching virtuoso, but a musician of extraordinary stylistic versatility. Equally comfortable performing classical music as he is playing jazz and his own Hungarian folk idiom, Lakatos is the rare musician who defies definition. He is referred to as a gypsy violinist or ‘devil’s fiddler’, a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer and arranger, and a 19th-century throwback, and he is actually all of these things at once. He is the kind of universal musician so rarely encountered in our time—a player whose strength as an interpreter derives from his activities as an improviser and composer. He has performed in the great halls and festivals of Europe, Asia and America.
Born in 1965 into the legendary family of Romani violinists descended from János Bihari
, ‘King of Gypsy Violinists’, Roby Lakatos was introduced to music as a child and at the age of nine he made his public debut as first violin in a Romani band. His musicianship evolved not only within his own family but also at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, where he won the first prize for classical violin in 1984. Between 1986 and 1996, he and his ensemble delighted audiences at the restaurant ‘Les Atéliers de la Grande Ille’ in Brussels, their musical home throughout this period. He has collaborated with Vadim Repin and Stéphane Grappelli, and his playing was greatly admired by Sir Yehudi Menuhin
, who always made a point of visiting the place to hear Lakatos. In March 2004, Lakatos appeared to great acclaim with the London Symphony Orchestra
in the orchestra’s ‘Genius of the Violin’ festival alongside Maxim Vengerov
.
When Roby Lakatos mixes so-called ‘classical music’ with the magic of Hungarian-gypsy vitality, it is not disrespectful toward the classical tradition, but it reflects the deep tradition rooted in the cultural heritage of the Romani people and offers new, refreshing pleasures to the listener and music lover. And just as Liszt, Brahms and others used Hungarian overtones in their compositions, so now the public profits from the reuniting of these classics with their Romani roots. This enlivens all those men and women in whose veins still pulses at least a little bit of the blood of the wandering spirit.
Roby Lakatos has released four albums for avanticlassic to date: Prokofiev project with Polina Leschenko
, Christian Poltéra and Martha Argerich
; Fire Dance; Klezmer Karma with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra
, yiddish singer Myriam Fuks and accordionist Aldo Granato and; Roby Lakatos with Musical Friends with Stéphane Grappelli
, Vadim Repin
, Randy Brecker
, Tony Lakatos, Marc Fosset and the Vieuxtemps Quartet.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. He is renowned for his mix of classical music with Hungarian Romani music and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
themes.
Romani violinist Roby Lakatos is not only a scorching virtuoso, but a musician of extraordinary stylistic versatility. Equally comfortable performing classical music as he is playing jazz and his own Hungarian folk idiom, Lakatos is the rare musician who defies definition. He is referred to as a gypsy violinist or ‘devil’s fiddler’, a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer and arranger, and a 19th-century throwback, and he is actually all of these things at once. He is the kind of universal musician so rarely encountered in our time—a player whose strength as an interpreter derives from his activities as an improviser and composer. He has performed in the great halls and festivals of Europe, Asia and America.
Born in 1965 into the legendary family of Romani violinists descended from János Bihari
János Bihari
János Bihari was an influential Hungarian Romani violinist. He is one of the founders of Romani academic music and the musical genre verbunkos....
, ‘King of Gypsy Violinists’, Roby Lakatos was introduced to music as a child and at the age of nine he made his public debut as first violin in a Romani band. His musicianship evolved not only within his own family but also at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, where he won the first prize for classical violin in 1984. Between 1986 and 1996, he and his ensemble delighted audiences at the restaurant ‘Les Atéliers de la Grande Ille’ in Brussels, their musical home throughout this period. He has collaborated with Vadim Repin and Stéphane Grappelli, and his playing was greatly admired by Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, who always made a point of visiting the place to hear Lakatos. In March 2004, Lakatos appeared to great acclaim with the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
in the orchestra’s ‘Genius of the Violin’ festival alongside Maxim Vengerov
Maxim Vengerov
Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov is a violinist, violist, and conductor who was born in the Soviet Union.-Youth:Born on 20 August 1974 in Novosibirsk, Russia, to a family with musical tradition....
.
When Roby Lakatos mixes so-called ‘classical music’ with the magic of Hungarian-gypsy vitality, it is not disrespectful toward the classical tradition, but it reflects the deep tradition rooted in the cultural heritage of the Romani people and offers new, refreshing pleasures to the listener and music lover. And just as Liszt, Brahms and others used Hungarian overtones in their compositions, so now the public profits from the reuniting of these classics with their Romani roots. This enlivens all those men and women in whose veins still pulses at least a little bit of the blood of the wandering spirit.
Roby Lakatos has released four albums for avanticlassic to date: Prokofiev project with Polina Leschenko
Polina Leschenko
Polina Leschenko was born in St Petersburg into a family of musicians and began playing the piano under her father’s guidance at the age of six. Two years later she made her solo début with the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra in St Petersburg. She studied with Sergei Leschenko, Vitali Margulis, Pavel...
, Christian Poltéra and Martha Argerich
Martha Argerich
Martha Argerich is an Argentine pianist.-Early life:Argerich was born in Buenos Aires and started playing the piano at age three...
; Fire Dance; Klezmer Karma with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra
The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra is a chamber orchestra based in Budapest, Hungary.The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra took the name of the great composer, to pay homage to the genius who became inseparable with the establishment of Hungarian music and whose spirit irradiates the musical life of...
, yiddish singer Myriam Fuks and accordionist Aldo Granato and; Roby Lakatos with Musical Friends with Stéphane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli was a French jazz violinist who founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the first all-string jazz bands....
, Vadim Repin
Vadim Repin
Vadim Repin is a Belgian Russian violinist who currently lives in Austria....
, Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker
Randal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, Tony Lakatos, Marc Fosset and the Vieuxtemps Quartet.
Albums
- 1991: "In Gypsy Style"
- 1998: "Alouette König der Zigeunergeiger"
- 1998: "Lakatos Gold"
- 1999: "Post Phrasing Lakatos Best"
- 1999: "Live From Budapest"
- 2001: "With musical friends"
- 2002: "Kinoshita Meets Lakatos"
- 2002: "Deborahs theme: As Time Goes By"
- 2004: "The Legend of the Toad"
- 2005: "Firedance"
- 2006: "Klezmer Karma"
- 2006: "Rodrigo y Gabriela" (one track: Ixtapa)
- 2008: "Roby Lakatos with Musical Friends"
- 2008: "Boleritza" (two tracks: Mamo Temera, 17_14)