Photo: Európa Pont · CC BY 2.0 · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Márta Sebestyén
Person · female · Hungary · Budapest · born 1957 · recording since 1984
Hungarian singer of folk songs (born 1957)
official homepageofficial homepagesocialdatabasedatabasedatabasedatabase
Also known as Sebestyén Márta · Marta Sebastyan · Marta Sebestyen · 瑪塔·塞巴斯蒂安
Timeline
21 events▣ Album 12✦ Award 7◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1
1950s
1980s
· Debut release
Debut release: Jeles Napok
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
2010s
Biography
English biography353 words · 6 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1353574225
Biography
Márta Sebestyén (Hungarian: [ˈmaːrtɒ ˈʃɛbɛʃceːn]; born 19 August 1957) is a Hungarian folk vocalist, composer and actress.
Early life
Márta Sebestyén was born on 19 August 1957 in Budapest, Hungary. Her mother is a composer, and was a music student of Zoltán Kodály. Her father was an economist and author. When Sebestyén was seven years old, her father, returning from a trip to the U.S. as a visiting professor (under a grant from the Ford Foundation), brought home a large collection of ethnic music recordings from the Smithsonian Institution. Sebestyén was educated at Miklós Radnóti Grammar School, Budapest.
Career
Sebestyén is a founding member of Hungarian folk group Muzsikás. She is known for adaptations of Somogy and Erdély folk songs, some of which appear in Deep Forest's Boheme album, which received the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album in 1995. She has also adapted Hindi, Yiddish, Serbian, Bulgarian, Slovak folk songs into traditional Hungarian style. She sang in and contributed material to the album Kaddish by Towering Inferno (Richard Wolfson and Andy Saunders, 1993). She also sang "Rivers" on the multiple artist album Big Blue Ball released in 2008.
Sebestyén's song "Szerelem, szerelem", performed with Muzsikás, featured in the movie The English Patient (1996). Three more songs she recorded with Muzsikás appeared in the Japanese anime film Only Yesterday (1991) by Studio Ghibli: "Teremtés" ("Creation"), "Hajnali nóta" ("Morning Song"), and "Fuvom az énekem" ("I Sing My Song"). Costa-Gavras' 1989 film Music Box featured the opening half of Sebestyén's song "Mária altatója".
On 1 June 2010, Sebestyén was awarded the UNESCO Artist for Peace title.
Influence
Ivor Cutler was a fan of Sebestyén, citing her influence on several occasions, most notably in an article for The Guardian newspaper in January 2004. Cutler selected two of her songs for a CD (Cute, eh?) released in 1999 containing his favourite musical tracks. Cutler also chose songs by Sebestyén for his 1991 BBC Radio series, Cutler the Lax.
As primary artist
Márta Sebestyén and Muzsikás (Hannibal, 1987)
Apocrypha (Hannibal, 1992)
Kismet (Hannibal, 1996)
With various artists
The Rough Guide to the Music of Eastern Europe (World Music Network, 1999)
Big Blue Ball (Real World, Rykodisc, 2008)
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 28 | 89th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 15 | 85th |
| Studio albums | 12 | 92.8th |
| Awards recorded | 7 | 98.2th |
| Timeline events | 21 | 94.3th |
| Recording span (years) | 30 | 66.1th |
| Genres | 0 | 0th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (15 release groups · 12 studio albums)
Albums · 12
1984 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 39:25
1Siralmas a világ1:262Betlehem, Betlehem4:233Paradicsom mezeibe2:414Halljátok, új hírt mondok4:465A, a, a3:396A piac közepén5:017Regősének4:558Jézus az asztalnál4:409Apokrif7:1410Betlehem kis falucskában0:401985 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks
A1Segélj El UramistenA2Hegen-VölgyönA3Kimegyek Az ÚtraA4Haj RévészA5Szerelem, SzerelemB1Tavasz, TavaszB2KataB3Zugadoz Az ErdőB4AndrásB5Este Lett1986 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 43:04
A1Vetettem violát3:56A2Szeress egyet, s legyen szép4:18A3Három árva4:55A4Fújnak a fellegek1:28A5Hajnali nóta6:05B1Egy pár tánc Mezőségről6:16B2Széki magyar, a 'Misié'4:30B3Fúvom az énekem2:12B4Feher galamb szállt a házra5:18B5Teremtés4:061989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 40:11
A1Istvándiban / In Istvándi1:50A2Olcsó már a pásztor / Cheap Is Now the Shepherd3:59A3Ne menj, szívem / Don't Go, Sweetheart3:58A4Fiuméban / In Fiume6:02A5Duda-blues / Bagpipe Blues4:32B1Harminchárom kazán / Thirty-Three Boilers4:40B2Elment az én rózsám / My Sweetheart's Left3:32B3A trentoni kislányok / The Young Girls of Trenton3:35B4Idegen földön / In an Alien Land4:28B5Nógrádban / In Nógrád3:351992 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 47:15
1Tavasz, Tavasz4:452A Piac Közepén5:023Zugadoz Az Erdő3:524András6:095Betlehem, Betlehem4:256Ne Menj, Szivem3:597Hegyen-Völgyön3:548Apokrif7:169Szerelem, Szerelem4:4610Elment Az Én Rózsám3:071992 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:09:05
1I Pray to My Dear Lord5:572I'll Walk Under the Starry Sky5:253Dance From the Szekely Region3:534And I Thought4:545Dance From Bukovina2:546Fantasy for Double Flute1:267Erdely (Transylvania)6:448Little Bird3:209Wedding Song5:0410Figaro7:1311Gagy3:5112The Moonlight Shone Through My Window4:5513Dance From Kutafold3:2414Csango Hymn and 'Flower Song'4:1015Shephrd's Song5:551996 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 46:15
1Devoiko Mome4:532Sino Moi5:473Leaving Derry Quay / Eleni5:264Gold, Silver or Love6:295Hindi Lullabye7:536The Shores of Loch Brann / Hazafelé4:357If I Were A Rose (Ha én rózsa volnék)5:098Imam Sluzhba (The Conscript)6:031997 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 9 tracks · 55:58
1Füzesi lakodalmas (Wedding in Füzes Village)9:372Madocsai szőlő-őrző (A Song From Madocsa)3:043Kerekes héjsza és sebes (Round Dance of Gyimes)3:414Édesanyám Rózsafája (My Mother's Rosebush)6:065Ej, de széles (Oh, The Road Is Long)7:056Ha én rózsa volnék (If I Were A Rose)6:037Baj, baj, baj (Trouble, Trouble)7:178Gyimesi dallamok (Cry Only On Sundays)8:359Ej, csillag, csillag (Oh, Morning Star – Farewell To Soldiers)4:301998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 55:00
1Overture9:222Perfect Package7:153Freedom of Expression4:094The Sixth Sense7:015Communicator5:376Cellular Data7:087Short Message3:568Connecting People10:322004 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 49:46
1Ej, Istenem, add meg úgy (Moldva)5:412Fúvom az énekem (Moldva)2:113Tilinkó (Moldva)2:554Szőlő-őrző nóták (Tolna)4:355Verjen meg az Isten, rózsám (Mezőség)3:516Három árva (Moldva)4:557Vetettem violát (Moldva)3:528Mária altatója (Moldva)3:589Repülj, madár, repülj (Csík)4:0210A virágnak megtiltani (Mezőség)1:3411Hajnali nóta (Kalotaszeg)6:0312Apokrif (Moldva)6:092009 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 52:39
1Vision6:102Heritage3:413Flower Gatherers7:284Driving Away Sorrow4:005Invocation8:536Valiant Knights9:247Good King Matthias6:328Evening Prayer6:312014 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 51:38
1A 133. Zsoltár: "Mily Gyönyörűség, Íme Lásd... "2:462Az 1. Zsoltár: "Boldog Azki Nem Jár Gonoszok Tanácsán... "3:153A 8. Zsoltár: "Mikor Látom Egeidet... "2:394Az 58. Zsoltár: "Avagy Igazságot, Néma Igazságot Hirdettek-É?"2:495A 37. Zsoltár: "Ne Bosszankodjál A Hitetlenekre... "3:156Az 52. Zsoltár: "Mikor Dóeg Elfutott... "2:537Az 51. Zsoltár: "Midőn Nátán, Úr-Parancsra, Dávidhoz Ment... "5:288A 103. Zsoltár: "Áldjad Az Urat, Áldjad Én Lelkem... "3:479A 79. Zsoltár: "Isten, Szolgáid Tetemét Ölyvek Szaggatják... "3:5610A 22. Zsoltár: "Én Istenem, Én Istenem... "2:4011A 137. Zsoltár: "Babilonnak Folyóvize Mellett... "3:0512A 60. Zsoltár: "Bocsásd Meg Úristen Ifjúságomnak Vétkét"4:5513A 3. Zsoltár: "Dávid, Fiától, Absolontól Űzve... "2:4914A 139. Zsoltár: "Megvizsgáltál Uram, Engem... "3:1115A 18. Zsoltár: "Az Úr Az Én Váram, Kősziklám... "4:10
Album · 3
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Best of Márta SebestyénSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 54:291Én csak azt csodálom (Lullabye for Katharine)1:14 2Teremtés4:08 3Szól a kakas már3:10 4Repülj madár, repülj3:38 5Da je višjna2:31 6Hindi Lullabye7:54 7Istenem, Istenem3:48 8The Shores of Loch Brann / Hazafelé4:35 9Szeress egyet, s legyen szép4:21 10Szombateste búcsúztató3:15 11Tavasz, tavasz4:47 12Gold, Silver or Love6:32 13Szerelem, szerelem4:36 | Compilation | 25 February 1997 | |
| 2011 | Fly Bird, Fly: The Very Best of MuzsikásSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 26 tracks · 1:34:19Disc 1 1Koshid Wedding Dances (Chasid lakodalmi táncok)4:35 2Fly Bird Fly (Repülj madár, repülj)3:37 3Forgácskúti Lads' Dance (Forgácskúti legényes)2:48 4Old Song From Somogy (Régi somogyi ének)3:28 5Transdanubian Fast Csárdás (Dunántúli friss csárdások)2:43 6Playing the Jew's (Dorombjáték)2:13 7Cold Winds Are Blowing (Hidegen fújnak a szelek)3:13 8Haneros Halelu (Chanukka gyertyagyújtás)3:13 9Romanian Folk Dances VI: Măunțel (Román népi táncok, vi. - Aprózó)2:48 10Dances of Békás (Békási táncdallamok)3:24 11Prisoner's Song (Rabnóta)4:15 12The Unwelcome Guest (Eddig vendég)3:54 13Train (Vonat)3:38 Disc 21Violin Duo No.32: Dance From Maramaros & Dances of Maramaros - 32. Hegedüduo máramarosi tánc & Máramarosi táncok)4:07 2The Rooster Is Crowing (Szól a kakas már)3:08 3Hat a Jid a Wejbele (Hat Ein Jid Ein Weibele)2:01 4Old Wedding Song (Régi lakodalmas)4:46 5Dances of Csávás (Csárdás és szökő Csávásról)4:56 6Song to Saint Stephen (Ének Szent Istvánhoz)0:59 7My Sweet Gregory (Édes Gergelem)5:26 8Outlaw Song (Betyárnóta)4:50 9Music Box3:45 10Long Flute Melody (Pásztornóták Hosszúfurulyán)4:32 11Legényes From Kalotaszeg (Kalotaszegi legényes)3:25 12My Lord, My Lord (Istenem istenem)3:46 13Szapora4:49 | Compilation | 2011 | |
| — | Live at Liszt AcademySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 16 tracks · 1:13:281Csárdás és szökő csávásról5:21 2Marosszéki táncdallamok9:57 3A kállai kettős7:25 4Kodály Zoltán: Hegyi éjszakák3:59 5Kyrie Moldvából0:59 6Szól a kakas már3:08 7Kodály Zoltán: Zöld erdőben2:21 8Pe loc1:59 9In virtita4:20 10A Bakonyba' lakom0:25 11Bartók Béla: Senkim a világon2:00 12Édes Gergelem5:43 13Szép fejér pakulár6:01 14Mezőségi táncrend13:16 15Ének Szent Istvánhoz0:57 16Kodály Zoltán: Ének Szent István királyhoz5:37 | Live | — |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Márta Sebestyén head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 28 | 89th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 15 | 85th |
| Studio albums | 12 | 92.8th |
| Awards recorded | 7 | 98.2th |
| Timeline events | 21 | 94.3th |
| Recording span (years) | 30 | 66.1th |
| Genres | 0 | 0th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | SZOT prize | won | |
| 1991 | Franz Liszt Prize | won | |
| 1994 | Officer's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit | won | |
| 1999 | Kossuth Prize | won | |
| 2005 | Commander Cross of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic | won | |
| 2005 | Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic | won | |
| 2012 | Kölcsey commemorative plaquette | won |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sebesty%C3%A9n_M%C3%A1rta.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0d3177ea-becd-461c-a364-af1760c8f367discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0d3177ea-becd-461c-a364-af1760c8f367core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q236312seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1rta_Sebesty%C3%A9nbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1rta_Sebesty%C3%A9n
Why this artist is in the database
- List of folk musicians
Tier rule: notable long tail (listeners 0, 28 language versions)
Image: Európa Pont · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q236312 · MusicBrainz: 0d3177ea-becd-461c-a364-af1760c8f367
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