''Táncdalfesztivál'' (literally ''Festival of dance music'') was series of
Hungarian pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
competitions and exhibition shows, airing on the
National Television from 1966 to 1994.
Significance
In a country with only one television channel, Táncdalfesztivál was the premier chance for young musicians to showcase their skills and become well known in the Hungary of the '60s. It was the starting point in the career of the era's most popular performers, like
Kati Kovács
Kati Kovács (born Katalin Anna Sarolta Kovács 25 October 1944), is a Ferenc Liszt and Kossuth Award-winning Hungarian pop-rock singer, performer, lyricist and actress.
She is one of the most famous singers of Hungary with dozens of recorded ...
,
Pál Szécsi
Pál Szécsi (19 March 1944 – 30 April 1974) was a Hungarian pop singer, one of the most popular of all time, who achieved unprecedented cult status during his lifetime.
Biography
Pál Szécsi was born on 19 March 1944 in Budapest. His fathe ...
,
Klári Katona or
Zsuzsa Koncz
Zsuzsa Koncz (born Zsuzsanna Koncz) (, born 7 March 1946, Pély) is a Hungarian pop singer, whose lyrics (mostly written by János Bródy) were sometimes highly critical of the country's pre-1990 political system.
Her career started after he ...
.
As television sets were just becoming widespread, it also meant a good opportunity to musicians already popular from the radio, but never seen performing live. Performers who gained fame through the show include
Éva Mikes,
Mária Toldy
Mária is a Hungarian and Slovak form of Maria (given name) or Mary (given name).
* The name is found in the Mária Valéria Bridge between Hungary and Slovakia on the middle of the bridge named after Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria and may ...
,
Katalin Sárosi,
János Koós
János Koós (born Kupsa; 20 November 1937 – 2 March 2019) was a Hungarian Pop music, pop singer, who became successful in the 1960s after participation in the talent show ''Táncdalfesztivál''.
Early life
János Koós (né Kupsa) was born i ...
, and
László Aradszky. According to
János Bródy
János Kristóf Bródy ( Hungarian: Bródy János, born 5 April 1946) is a Hungarian pop singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer and scriptwriter. Successful both with the bands Illés and Fonográf and in his solo career, writing lyrics for si ...
, the Táncdalfesztivál series played a key role in the renewal of the contemporary Hungarian music scene, which spread beyond national borders.
The TV show had similar, equally successful radio counterparts called
Tessék Választani and
Made in Hungary.
Chronology
The classical Táncdalfesztivál was held annually between 1966 and 1972, followed by irregularly held competitions having varying name and scope until 1994.
*1966 Táncdalfesztivál '66
*1967 Táncdalfesztivál '67
*1968 Táncdalfesztivál '68
*1969 Táncdalfesztivál '69
*1971 Táncdalfesztivál '71
*1972 Táncdalfesztivál '72
*1977 Metronóm '77
*1981 Tánc- és popdalfesztivál
*1986 Interpop Fesztivál
*1988 Interpop Fesztivál
*1992 Volt egyszer egy fesztivál
*1992 Egri Táncdalfesztivál
*1993 Pop-rock fesztivál (Mitax Organ)
*1993 II. Egri Táncdalfesztivál
*1994 A Magyar Televízió Táncdalfesztiválja
Sources
*István Zoltán Kiss. Magyar könnyűzenei lexikon 1962-től. Budapest: ZAJ-ZONe, 1998.
*Dénes Gáncs, János Zoltán. A dallam diadala – A táncdalfesztiválok története. Budapest: La Ventana, 2004.
External links
tancdalfesztival.lap.hu- a site collecting links related to Táncdalfesztivál and its performers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tancdalfesztival
Hungarian television shows
Talent shows
1960s Hungarian television series
1970s Hungarian television series
1980s Hungarian television series
1990s Hungarian television series