Collection of Annae Szirmay-Keczer

The Collection of Songs and Dances of Anna Szirmay-Keczer belongs to the oldest recollections of music used as entertainment by the Hungarian aristocracy. Today, we can also consider it one of the most important remnants of Slovak baroque music. The musical public knows it by the name Anna Szirmay-Keczer - Melodarium. This is an older name given to the collection by Jozef Kresánek who carried out detailed research and was the first to categorized these individual tunes. His analytical issue of Melodiary was published by OPUS in 1983. In the introduction, Kresánek indicated that, based on a number of contemporary arguments, it was unlikely that Anna Szirmay-Keczer was actually the author of the work. The second significiant benefit of his research is an analytical approach to the style of individual tunes. These two factors became decisive in the selection, processing and studying of Collection by the Solamente naturali ensemble. The Collection manuscript was delivered to Matica slovenská in the town of Martin by Protestant priest, passionate patriot and collector Karol Szereday in 1867. On the basis of the latest research, it can be said thet he developed the title page where he wrote about the Collection: Tunes of old Slovak songs from gentlewoman Anna Szirmay born Keczer from the years 1625 - 1630 (Nápevy starých slovenských zpjevanek od urozené Anny Szirmay rozené Keczer 1625 - 1630). Solamente naturali´s proces of studying the composition is based on regional and instrument-specific features of the individual melodies. The early music chamber ensemble Solamnete naturali was founded in 1995 by its artistic leader and concertmaster Miloš Valent as a creative and flexible combination of musicians dedicated to the presentation of music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Dynamic and vibrant in character, Solamente naturali performs in variable formations depending on the repertoire and given occasion.