Bea Palya's I'll Be Your Plaything

For decades, the state-run music industry in Hungary has artificially isolated musical worlds. The 2010 album I'll Be Your Plaything is a concept album comprising at times drastically re-imagined cover versions of Hungary's most popular hits from the socialist era. As such it is a testament to music as a medium's aptness to reflect on public and personal pasts. The album moreover exemplifies how rich and appealing synthesis of sounds and traditions can be concocted when folk, classically trained, rock, and jazz musical artists collaborate. Along with this freedom to blend and synthesize, the album opens up some long overdue space for women; playing with personas, voices, and singing styles, Palya reflects on issues of femininity, maternity, sexuality, and coupledom across generations.

List of contents

List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Preface
1. Playing Music, Playing with Music: Bea Palya and Samu Gryllu's Musical Partnerships
2. Memory Work with Souvenirs, Bronzes, and Tunes of State Socialism
3. "Play it One More Time, Play it All Night Long": Recycling, Re-working, and Reflecting in Popular Music Discourse
4. Start Making a New Sense
5. "A Babe in Toyland" or Pop-cultural Feminism in Bea Palya's Music and Early Career (2005-2014)
6. In the Aftermath of "I'll Be Your Plaything": A Woman Writing her Self
References
Track Listing of "I'll Be Your Plaything"
Discography
Index

About the author

András Rónai has a PhD in Philosophy from University of Debrecen, Hungary. He is a music journalist extensively covering Hungarian popular music and the music industry, among other topics. His English language articles have been published in volumes like Made in Hungary: Studies in Popular Music (2017) and Popular Music, Technology, and the Changing Media Ecosystem (2020).

Summary

For decades, the state-run music industry in Hungary has artificially isolated musical worlds. The 2010 album I’ll Be Your Plaything is a concept album comprising at times drastically re-imagined cover versions of Hungary’s most popular hits from the socialist era. As such it is a testament to music as a medium’s aptness to reflect on public and personal pasts. The album moreover exemplifies how rich and appealing synthesis of sounds and traditions can be concocted when folk, classically trained, rock, and jazz musical artists collaborate. Along with this freedom to blend and synthesize, the album opens up some long overdue space for women; playing with personas, voices, and singing styles, Palya reflects on issues of femininity, maternity, sexuality, and coupledom across generations.

Foreword

An overview of the 2010 concept album that drastically re-imagines cover versions of Hungary’s most popular hits from the socialist era.

Product details

• Authors: Andras Ronai, András Rónai, Anna Szemere
• Assisted by: Fabian Holt (Editor)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2021
• EAN: 9781501354427
• ISBN: 978-1-5013-5442-7
• No. of pages: 128
• Dimensions: 126 mm x 194 mm x 10 mm
• Series: 33 1/3 Europe
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Music > General, dictionaries; Rock, Rock & Pop music, Individual composers & musicians, specific bands & groups, MUSIC / History & Criticism, MUSIC / Individual Composer & Musician, MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Pop Vocal, MUSIC / Genres & Styles / International, World Music, Pop Music, Popular Music, Musicians, singers, bands and groups, Composers and songwriters, Other global and regional music styles