Family D5
Toki Horváth
Toki Horváth Gyula
Hungarian Roma — Kaposvár
Style: Hungarian Romani music / Cigányzene
Kaposvár restaurant violin. Népművészet Mestere, 1954. Rajkó as a child, own orchestra from 1938, then the Capital Folk Orchestra. Left Hungary in 1956. Died in Munich. A different musician from Ernő Toki Balogh, and from the Magyari family of the Hungária Szálló.
Magyar életrajzi lexikon (Arcanum): Toki Horváth Gyula (Kaposvár, 17 September 1920 – Munich, 13 October 1971), cigányprímás, Master of Folk Art 1954. From the age of five, second primás in his hometown’s best orchestra. From autumn 1931 a leader of the Budapest rajkó orchestra; with that band he played in England, Germany and France, 1935–38. Own orchestra from 1938. First leading primás of the 32-member Fővárosi Népizenekar, formed 15 December 1950. In 1954 his orchestra played in Moscow at the Tchaikovsky Hall, in Kyiv, and in other Soviet cities. Hungarian folk song first took a large place in his programmes. In 1956 a Western European tour; he did not return. He lived in Munich, with shorter and longer interruptions, until his death.
The Népművészet Mesterei register page that once carried the same career did not open this pass. The lexicon is the original in hand. A 2025 liner note that after Magyari Imre’s death in 1940 he was called “King of the Gypsies” is not in the lexicon. That crown is listed under Later.
This is not Ernő Toki Balogh, named on the 100 Tagú page as the band József Sárközi jr. played with in Spain at ten. Same professional world. Different chair.
Toki Horváth Gyula (Kaposvár, 1920. szept. 17. – München, 1971. okt. 13.): cigányprímás, a népművészet mestere (1954). 5 éves korától másodprímás szülővárosa legjobb zenekarában. 1931 őszétől a bp.-i rajkózenekar egyik vezetője. E zenekarral szerepelt Angliában, Német- és Franciao.-ban (1935-38). 1938-tól saját zenekarával lépett fel. Első vezető prímása az 1950. dec. 15.-én alakult 32 tagú Fővárosi Népizenekarnak. 1954-ben zenekarával Moszkvában a Csajkovszkij-teremben, Kijevben és más szovjet városokban adott hangversenyeket. Az ő zenei repertoárjában jutott először jelentős szerephez a magyar népdal. 1956-ban zenekarával Ny-európai körútra indult és nem tért vissza. Haláláig – hosszabb-rövidebb megszakításokkal – Münchenben élt.
Toki Horváth Gyula (Kaposvár, 17 September 1920 – Munich, 13 October 1971): gypsy primás, Master of Folk Art (1954). From the age of five, second primás in the best orchestra of his hometown. From autumn 1931 a leader of the Budapest rajkó orchestra; with that band he appeared in England, Germany and France (1935–38). From 1938 he played with his own orchestra. First leading primás of the 32-member Capital Folk Orchestra formed on 15 December 1950. In 1954 concerts in Moscow at the Tchaikovsky Hall, in Kyiv and other Soviet cities. Hungarian folk song first took a large place in his programmes. In 1956 a Western European tour; he did not return. Until his death he lived in Munich, with shorter and longer interruptions.
Lineage
Birth and death on a vertical line — generation by generation. Places are listed where we could find them.
Generation 1
Toki Horváth Gyula
Violin, primás · 1920–1971
Born Kaposvár, 17 September 1920. Died Munich, 13 October 1971. Népművészet Mestere 1954. Left Hungary 1956.
Orchestra years
When the band was founded, when it split, when a new generation took the stand.
1931
Generation joins
Leader at eleven
Budapest Rajkó
Népművészet Mesterei: from autumn 1931 a leader in the Budapest Rajkó orchestra. England, Germany, France.
1938
New orchestra
Own band
Toki Horváth orchestra
Own orchestra from 1938. First leading soloist of the Capital Folk Orchestra from 15 December 1950.
1956
Band ends
Does not return
Toki Horváth orchestra (Hungary)
Western European tour. Lived in Munich until 1971.
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