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TheBashalde (also known asBashaldé) are aRomani subgroup in theUnited States of America.[1] The subgroup is linked to a migration of Romani people to the United States in the late 19th century fromSlovakia, then within the borders of the historicalKingdom of Hungary. Many migrated from what is nowKošice (previously part of theSáros andZemplín counties in the Kingdom of Hungary). They settled in the cities ofBraddock,Homestead,Johnstown, andUniontown,Pennsylvania;Cleveland andYoungstown, Ohio;Detroit andDelray, Michigan;Gary, Indiana;Chicago, andNew York City andLas Vegas.[2] The Balshade were a community of settled Romani, and in the United States were well known for playing music for the Central European immigrant communities in which they settled.[3] These Romani were known for playing in cafes and restaurants, the name Bashalde emerged in the late 20th century; portions of them were also known as Romungre. In the early 1900s the Romani in Braddock, Pennsylvania, purchased an entire block of homes, making them the largest population of settled Romani in the United States.
A Bashalde orchestra consists of a lead violin referred to as a Primas, a second violin or viola, tenor violin, bass fiddle and a cimbalom. Their music was an important part of world roots music, and they performed throughout America in a variety of music genres. They brought to America the traditionalGypsy music from Hungary, which had developed in Europe for centuries. These Gypsy musicians were descendants of famous Gypsy orchestras such asJános Bihari, whose descendants today are the Lakatos family; female Gypsy violinistCzinka Panna;Pista Dankó;Rigó Jancsi; Imre Magyari; and Racz Laci. They created theCsárdás, which influenced such composers asJoseph Haydn;Franz Liszt, who wrote fifteen Hungarian rhapsodies;Johannes Brahms, who wrote twenty-one Hungarian dances;Antonín Dvořák;Pablo de Sarasate, who wroteZigeunerweisen;Georges Bizet, who wroteCarmen; andMaurice Ravel, who wroteTzigane.
By 1920, Cleveland had the largest population of Hungarians in America, second to Budapest. Cleveland Hungarians held hundreds of events every year and the Gypsies were the entertainment for all of these events.[4] Detroit's Delray district[5][6] had many Hungarian restaurants such as the Hungarian Village, where as many as four cimbaloms would be set up to play, and inBraddock, Pennsylvania, journalists from all over the world were writing about them. These Hungarian Gypsy musicians played all the major Hungarian events, and many American events for over 100 years, and in the finest restaurants in the country.[7] They also played many weddings and special occasions, including movies. For over 100 years, newspaper articles, books, and journals documented them and their traditions. One tradition is the Hungarian Gypsy funeral were as many as fifty to seventy-five musicians would play for the deceased in a funeral procession. Many of the funerals news reporters covered went through the Associated Press in newspapers all over the world. The best known Primas' (lead violin) came from this group such as Joska Rabb,[8] Ernie Kiraly, Max Bandy, Kal Bandy, Maxie Rigo, Martze Ballog, William Garber, John Brenkacs,[6] Louis Ballog,[9] Albert Balog, Geza Duna, Rudy Rigo, Emery Deutsch, Frank Richko, Maxie Fransko, Rudy Balog, Rudy Ziga, Arthur Rakoczi, Gusty Horvath,[10] Alex Udvary,[11] George Batyi, Tony Ballog,[12] Billy Rose, Martze Ballog, Willie Horvath, Bill Yedla, Albert Duna, Albert Horvath, and Bella (Bendy) Ballog.
The Gypsy Countess Verona,[13] was one of the most famous of these Hungarian-Slovak Roma. She married the Count Dean Szechy de Szechy Favla, of Budapest. She was one of the greatest cimbalom players in the world; she toured the world, made records and wrote music.
In 1924,Henry Ford, in an effort to get the young people away fromjazz and back into the old music, started his Old Fashion Dance Band.[14] Musicians from all over the world auditioned for a spot in the band. Thecimbalom player was a Hungarian Gypsy from Braddock, William Hallup.[15] They made records, traveled the world and played at all Ford's events. His cimbalom is in theHenry Ford Museum.
Steve Piskor Author
