During the past half century or so, just as in most places, radio programs in Hungary have provided and continue to provide the most extensive means for making audiences familiar with so called serious music. Radio programs tend to demand the largest audiences, even in countries as small as Hungary, with a population of approximately 10 million people. While this is true everywhere where radio broadcasting exists, it is by no means irrelevant what the value systems of the individual radio companies are in regards to music. Moreover, the determination as to what type of music gets emphasized, the division of broadcasting time and other means of support and promotion is, also highly significant.
In the Hungarian Radio there is approximate balance between programs devoted to general history of music, classical music of national origin, domestic and foreign folk music, contemporary music and serious jazz. However, it is obvious that balance doesn't mean strict equality of distribution either of broadcasting time or of other (mainly financial) means of support. Among the above mentioned types of music, Hungarian folk music and classical music (irrespective of national origin) receive the largest number of broadcasting minutes, while the greatest expenditure of financial and mental efforts are required by the creation, recording and presentation of Hungarian contemporary music. My current exposition doesn't deal with the activities of the Hungarian Radio in area of popular music. This latter, in its own way, can be valuable and artistic, but its appreciation and internalization are based on different mechanism as those of the earlier mentioned types.
With obvious over simplification, we can regard the radio's function as twofold: creation and broadcasting.
Before broadcasting (the essential function of all radios), programs have to be created and the Hungarian Radio has its own workshop not just for recording the works, but for helping them to come alive in the first place. This function is by no means universally present in all radios.
Traditionally, the Hungarian Radio has been regarded as the chief sponsor of the creation of music. Very important has been the commissioning of compositions followed by the recording of them and placing them in the broadcast program. With the ever narrowing of the available funds, these functions had to be curtailed, but it is important to emphasize that the function hasn't ceased but has only been reduced and forced into a more modest framework, as the inevitable consequence of the drying up of available funds.
As a shining example of a successful project during the past 2 years in this line was the invitation to composers for writing short pieces of contemporary music in homage to Bartok in commemorating the 50th anniversary of his death. The success of the enterprise was shown by receiving works from 42 composers, from 15 different countries. Among the composers who submitted works were such world famous musicians as Xenakis, Scerba, Donatoni, Bergman and others.
Another important aspect of the Hungarian Radio's activities is the maintaining of a first rate symphony orchestra, an adult and a separate children's chorus and a dance ensemble. By working intimately with these groups, the Hungarian Radio acts, also as an independent producer of concerts. In this context, I should mention this year's production of all of Beethoven's symphonies and piano concertos.
Special mention is deserved by the Hungarian Radios activities in assisting young composers and performing artists. These activities culminate in the long standing, regular program called "Fiatal Muveszek Podiuma" (Young Artist's Stage). Through this, compositions and performances of promising young artists get not only regular domestic exposure, but also occasional international promotion. A special production this year is a cycle of concerts commemorating the 30th anniversary of the initiation of the Radio's musical competitions. Sixteen still youthful former winners of the competitions will perform, and we can acknowledge with pride that careers of renown artists like Kocsis, Polgar, Jando, Szenthelyi, Szabadi, and others can be regarded as launched by the Hungarian Radio through its music competitions.
As sensed by every radio professional, the transmission of musical values to acceptance by audiences at large presents an often tough hurdle and requires a great deal of "missionary" effort on the part of the radio professionals as well as of willingness and ability on the part of the public. This includes the willingness of the audience to forgo the easier musical pleasures provided by the proliferation of commercial radio stations. This also places into sharp focus the different roles of commercial radios and non-commercial public broadcasting organizations.
Analysis of music is another important function of a public radio station. Since Hungarian music was for a very long time under the influence of mainly German and Austrian classical music, until recently there has been rather little interest of dealing with Hungarian music as such. Now it has gradually become recognized that, although the leading composers of Hungarian music in the past were largely "foreigners" who often didn't even speak Hungarian, there was something uniquely Hungarian about the music itself. This unique something were the elements and style of the "Verbunkos", a musical form originating in the military recruiting music of the 15th to 18th centuries.
The music of the best known Hungarian Gipsy musicians, like Bihari or Lavotta, was a distillation incorporating this style. The classical music of the great Hungarian composer, Liszt, who incidentally didn't speak Hungarian either, was thoroughly permeated by the "Verbunkos" style, too. The operas of Erkel represented a happy alloying of the "Verbunkos" style and Western music.
A very important task for public radio, that one shouldn't forget about, is the information of its public about the important events of the international musical scene. In this regard it is important to note that the Hungarian Radio for years been affiliated to EBU. in addition, the Hungarian Radio has an annual series of 6 to 8 concerts devoted to the music of this century. The emphasis of this cycle is naturally on Hungarian contemporary music, but it also gives a limited selection from contemporary music originating from beyond our borders. Modest as this enterprise is, it is important that international contemporary music is brought with in the reach of Hungarian audiences.