Mezo: Field

Serbian Hungarian Félix Lajkô is one of Europe’s most remarkable violin players – a true virtuoso, but a quixotic and maverick character. His last violin album was a Top of the World in Songlines #88. But his first instrument was the zither – like many Hungarian kids – and his affection for the instrument hasn’t diminished. So Mezo: Field is Lajkô’s zither album and he is photographed on the cover clutching it like an oversized schoolboy.

The citera is probably the most popular plucked folk instrument in Hungary, but it’s pretty primitive and jangly. Would you ever want a whole zither album? Actually the flamenco-like playing on the opening ‘Csardas’ is like nothing you’ll hear anywhere else and the even-more-virtuoso title-track has the plucked and hammered strings of citera and cimbalom cascading over each other. It is crazy but gripping. Said cimbalom is played by Michael Kurina, while Lajko’s regular musical accompanist, Antal Brasnyo, is also here on viola with Ferenc Kurina on bass. There are 14 tracks and they are like imaginative and picturesque etudes, with titles like ‘Summer’, ‘Railway’ and ‘Factory’. It’s the best citera album you’re ever likely to hear, but I hope it’s a temporary diversion from the violin.