Our national symbols. Their history has become inextricably intertwined with the birth of the modern Hungarian nation. Over the last one and a half centuries, many people who have been affected by Hungarian culture and literature have endeavoured to give voice in a foreign language to our two national symbols.

Of the two works – Hymn (1823) and Summons (1836) – it was the latter, by Vörösmarty, that was the more successful in foreign language versions and other countries. The German translation of Summons was published in Hungary in 1845, and the same year also saw its translation into Swedish. The unquestionable parallels and similarities with Runeberg’s Finnish anthem, which was written in 1846 in Swedish, show the direct influence of Vörösmarty’s ode. After the 1860s, Summons spread through Central Europe. It was translated into Czech by none other than Jan Neruda, the outstanding poet and writer, while also unearthed was a paraphrase in which the Hungarian historical heroes were replaced by Czech characters; and in the Polish translation, it played a part in the struggle for independence.

This CD would be a great asset to educational institutions both in Hungary and other countries where Hungarian is taught, and also in cultural institutions abroad where the literary and artistic life of our country is popularised.

The CD booklet tells the story behind the production of the CD, contains a brief introduction to the roles played by Hymn and Summons in the formation of the Hungarian national consciousness, gives a chronology of the most important events in the history of the two works, and also provides a bibliography of the most noteworthy essays and articles for each of these two immortal poems.

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