Antal Gyorgy Csermak

At the time when nationalism was developing in Europe so was the potential and promise of this Hungarian violinist and composer. His early career brought him to Hungary from Bohemia (through Venice) and to the cities of Pest and Buda. Csermak was equipped with a scintillating approach to the violin and performed the music of Mozart, Haydn and Viotti. He then came into contact with the gypsy violinist and composer Bihari. Csermak was captivated. He had heretofore not been acquainted or moved by the character of strictly Hungarian music. The remainder of his life, with few exceptions, was spent in restless wanderings combining classical techniques, structures and abilities with the passions of the "verbunkos" (an Hungarian dance with a slow introduction followed by a fast section. . .). The ideas of Csermak (and gypsy composers) were employed by Liszt, particularly in his "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 4". ~ Keith Johnson