In Praise of Petőfi

According to Gyula Szarka, Sándor Petőfi’s longing for freedom, sense of humor, and elemental dynamism can serve as an inspiring example for today’s younger generations as well. He believes that through music, Petőfi’s way of thinking and genius can be brought closer to everyone, and that everything the poet represented can be made alive again. Gyula Szarka’s music, infused with acoustic, folk, and world music influences, naturally aligns with the rhythm and tempo of Petőfi’s poems, enhancing their emotional impact.

The Kossuth Prize–winning performer and composer, and founder of the band Ghymes, has long been engaged with the life’s work of one of the most renowned and outstanding figures of Hungarian poetry, Sándor Petőfi. During his short life, the revolutionary poet and national hero wrote nearly a thousand poems. With his revolutionary perspective, accessible language, and passionate tone, he created a new style in Hungarian literature. Gyula Szarka has set many of Petőfi’s poems to music, bringing them to life on the wings of melody and giving their message a new dimension.

“Oh freedom! Let me gaze
Lightly into your eyes!
Let me kiss your face
With childlike loyalty.”

We celebrated the 200th anniversary of the poet’s birth in 2023. In honor of the bicentenary (Petőfi 200), the album Petőfi dicsérete (In Praise of Petőfi) was released, featuring popular poems such as Pató Pál úr, Reszket a bokor, Falu végén kurta kocsma, A tintásüveg, Megy a juhász szamáron, A szabadsághoz, and Szerelem és bor. The title track is not merely a biographical retrospective, but a sincere tribute to Petőfi’s ideal of freedom, rebellious spirit, and enduring national significance.

Performed by:

• Gyula Szarka – vocals, guitar
• Júlia Csiba – vocals, backing vocals
• Szabolcs Nagy – keyboards
• Gábor Kollmann – saxophone
• Balázs Tóth – saxophone
• Csaba Bese – bass guitar
• Attila Varjú – drums

With the participation of:

• Csaba Pindroch
• Budapest MediCantare Choir