MIM: Started as a solo project in 2000 by accordionist and drummer Jeremy Barnes (formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel) and named after a line in Cervantes’ Don Quixote, A Hawk and a Hacksaw became a duo in 2004 when Barnes met violinist Heather Trost. Starting out from their home base in New Mexico, the pair began an adventure that took them to Zece Prajini, Romania, and then to Budapest, Hungary.
Joined by an ever-evolving lineup of musicians, A Hawk and a Hacksaw seeks to create and document an ecstatic sound much like the village bands of old, with the communal aspect of folk tradition and musicianship as the principal factors.
I was very interested in seeing this show – Hungarian gypsy music was absolutely something I know little to nothing about. (1) Hungarian musicians are slim to none and (2) there’s a definite reason that Hungarian musicians are scarce and little known.
The music could best be described as Mariachi Polka in a minor key. I did not so much enjoy the show as survived through it; perhaps a lot like the Hungarian ancestors that developed it.
Heather herself was a great violist. Her talent was evident and she played an interesting fiddle/horn instrument that I had never seen before. She also created interesting sounds by pulling or dissecting the strings. It was the highlight of the show.
Even with this, the majority of the songs just highlighted the worst screechy tendencies of both the fiddle and the accordion. Hungarian gypsy music gives both instruments a bad reputation. On several occasions, I felt the instruments were playing different songs and well – not well.
But the show as successful at achieving one of my goals: exposure to different styles and cultures of music. I did learn a lot from this show – and I now know to stay away from Hungarian gypsy music again.
