Family
Bihari
Bihari János
Hungarian Roma — Nagyabony / Pest, 1764–1827
Style: Hungarian Romani music / Cigányzene
Bihari János. Magyar életrajzi lexikon: Nagyabony, 21 October 1764 — Pest, 26 April 1827. Violinist and composer of the verbunkos age. Abony’s city notice repeats those dates. An ancestor the café Lakatos families name. The Rákóczi March as his work is unproven.
Lexicon: father also a violinist. Around 1801 he came to Pest and formed the band that made him famous, usually five players — cimbalom and strings. 1811, Pozsony, at the diet. He also played in Vienna, including at the time of the Congress. A restless touring life in Hungary. Around 1818 often in Veszprém, with Ruzitska Ignác as patron and friend.
Peak in the early 1820s. 1822: Liszt heard him and wrote of him with high praise — the lexicon’s wording. From 1823 the career slowly declined. 1824: an accident; he broke the left arm. Virtuoso playing ended. He still fiddled, but had to give the primás chair to another. 1825: still played at the queen’s coronation in Pozsony. Old age, left alone.
The lexicon calls him the outstanding composer and performer of the early nineteenth century, the greatest representative of verbunkos, with Lavotta and Csermák as a virtuoso triad. Not all works given to him are authentic. The idea that he wrote the Rákóczi song and the Rákóczi March is an unproven assumption — the lexicon’s own caution. Káldy Gyula’s claim that Beethoven often heard him in Vienna stays Káldy’s claim.
Bihari János (Nagyabony, 1764. okt. 21. – Pest, 1827. ápr. 26.): cigány származású zeneszerző és hegedűművész. Atyja is hegedűs volt. 1801 körül Pestre jött s itt megalakította híressé vált bandáját, amely többnyire 5 tagból állott (cimbalmos és vonósok).
Bihari János (Nagyabony, 21 October 1764 – Pest, 26 April 1827): composer and violinist of Romani origin. His father was also a violinist. Around 1801 he came to Pest and formed the band that became famous, usually five players (cimbalom and strings).
Lineage
Birth and death on a vertical line — generation by generation. Places are listed where we could find them.
Generation 1
Bihari János
Violin · 1764–1827
Born 21 October 1764 · Nagyabony — Died 26 April 1827 · Pest
Lexicon. Verbunkos violin. Five-piece band in Pest from about 1801.
Orchestra years
When the band was founded, when it split, when a new generation took the stand.
c. 1801
New orchestra
Usually five — cimbalom and strings
Bihari’s Pest band
Lexicon: around 1801 he came to Pest and formed the band that made him famous, usually five players.
1824
Band ends
Left arm broken — primás chair given up
Bihari’s Pest band
Lexicon: accident, left arm broken. Virtuoso career ended. He still played, but had to let another take the primás.
Neighbours
Same country or city, but a different way of playing.
- Veres (Sárközi) — Hungarian Roma → Rotterdam / The Hague
- Lakatos — Hungarian Roma — Budapest (and Belgium, for a time)
- Sárközi / Sárközy — Hungarian Roma — Budapest
- Czinka — Hungarian Roma — Kingdom of Hungary, eighteenth century
- Kalyi Jag — Hungarian Roma — Nagyecsed / Budapest, from 1978
- Járóka — Hungarian Roma — Kisvárda / Budapest
- Boross — Hungarian Roma — Budapest
- Danyi — Hungarian Roma — Budapest