Articles by Initial Letters

Memories of Vargyas Lajos (Budapest, 1914 –2007). A plaque in memory of the eminent, award-winning ethnomusicologist Vargyas Lajos, was recently installed at one of his former residences in Budapest. In 1974 when Pávai István was a musicology student at the Academy of Music in Kolozsvár/Cluj (Romania), he travelled to Budapest and sought out Vargyas. He was fortunate to visit Vargyas in his home on several occasions. Pávai describes Vargyas‘ “passionate style of debate and discussion… his philological greatness, selfless generosity". Pávai has a deep appreciation of and familiarity with Vargyas’ works. “In the 21st century one cannot get far in many areas of ethnomusicology, ethnography, and other areas without a firm knowledge and use of Vargyas’ work.” Vargyas’ was interested in the eastern heritage of Hungarian folklore and its place in the European environment. He was also interested in the rhythm of Hungarian verse and Hungarian folk ballads. Vargyas was an outstanding member of the generation of researchers that followed in the footsteps of Bartók and Kodály. Much of Vargyas’ work is available in the online archive at: vargyas.hu. By Pávai István.