The project brought the limelight to the Hungarian instrument, Tarogato and its modern version, glissonic tarogato (glissotar). The conversation of these instruments, and the excellence of their players, proves that the traditions are not fading memories, the objects of the past but can be the values of our days and messenger of the future if they are bravely recreated and rethought.
Dániel Váczi has been working since 2016 with Tóbiás Terebessy on the development of woodwind instruments making continuous pitch (glissando). The first model is the glissotar that is a hybrid tarogato-soprano saxophone. József Tóth, one of the most important tarogato builder, gave assistance to the development.
In the framework of the project, we issued a call for scores for composers to write short pieces for the new instrument. 63 composers sent 75 pieces from 27 countries (5 continents!). Selected pieces were recorded, and eight works were premiered at a concert in Spring 2021 in the Hold Street Church in Budapest. In this concert, glissotar was presented in conversation with a traditional tarogato and other instruments, with a program containing written pieces and improvisation. In Autumn 2021, we held a public lecture for children and youth (in Hungarian). We also produced a short film about the story of the instrument (with English subtitles).
The project was supported by the Hungarikum Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture.
More information about the glissotar can be found on the webpage of the glissonic.