played in Hungary, from 1974 to 1982, in various styles, from jazz to progressive rock. They also designed and built their own synthesizers. Later they continued recording as P.R.Computer. Panta Rhei were well known in Hungary for their classical adaptations (in particular from Bela Bartok and Edward Grieg) and their instrumental compositions. Their music was heavily influenced by ELP, Nice, King Crimson, etc.

The band recorded 2 LPs, and about 6 singles, and numerous pieces for film and ballet. Their LPs sold over 100,000 copies in Hungary and Eastern Europe. A CD of some of the previously unpublished music was released in 1998. In 2002 a book about the band was published, accompanied by a CD with a collection of songs recorded between 1975-79. Their Bartok recordings were never released, due to objections by the Bartok family.

In the Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock
    Original Members:
 
    Kalman Matolcsy, keyboards
    Sandor (Alex) Szalay, guitar 
    Andras Szalay, bass 
    Eniko Acs, vocals 
    Csaba Beke, drums

 

Recordings by Panta Rhei

On this website you will find a collection of Panta Rhei songs in MP3 format. There were some problems with the encoding in the earlier version of this website. We believe that these have now been fixed, and the songs are now re-encoded with MP3PRO. Click on the song titles below to download.

There are still a few songs missing (shown in blue), they will be posted as soon as we can get a decent version of them.


Bartok (1976-77)

All the pieces are Bartok adaptations, some from the Microcosmos. Ostinato, Allegro Barbaro and Dance Suite were recorded live. On Ostinato the drummer is Miklos Kiss. The first three songs would have been on the unreleased single.

Quarts (2,152kB)
Harlequin (2,383kB)
Rumanian Dances (5,079kB)
Dance Suite (live) (11,418kB)
Ostinato (live) (3,691kB)
Allegro Barbaro (live) (4,246kB)

Panta Rhei (LP 1980)

The first LP of the group. The recording company was reluctant to issue an instrumental LP. The group stopped playing live shortly after this recording. Drums: Andras Schmitt, Vocals: Andras Laar. Recording engineer: Istvan Sipos. The LP sold about 30,000 copies.

Ut a varosba (1,271kB)
Mozaik (2,492kB)
Illuzio (2,731kB)
Feregdal (1,885kB)
Emlek (2,037kB)
Tel (3,032kB)
Tavasz (2,561kB)
Nyar (2,070kB)
Osz (2,572kB)
Teli dal (1,594kB)

p.r. computer (LP 1983)

This is a fully electronic recording, using the home designed Muzix81 system, taped in 1983. The group consisted of Kalman Matolcsy, Andras Szalay, Alex Szalay. Some songs also appeared on Epilogus. Recording engineer: Istvan Kiss. The LP sold about 80,000 copies.

Well tempered computer (3,215kB)
Arctic light (3,132kB)
The Pendulum (1,744kB)
Chase (1,969kB)
Andromeda (3,599kB)
Speeding ticket (1,616kB)
Rondo (2,036kB)
Ultraviolet (2,984kB)
Toccata (2,748kB)
Impression (848kB)
Caleidoscope (3,509kB)

Epilogus (CD 1998)

The first piece is an adaptation of Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite, with the Bartok Choir of the Eotvos University, taped in 1976. The rest were recorded in 1984-1987, by K. Matolcsy, Andras and Alex Szalay. Some songs were included from p.r.computer.

Peer Gynt Suite (20,757kB)
Tropical fever (2,966kB)
Grand Canyon (4,379kB)
Mandarin (2,961kB)
Breaking waves (2,929kB)
Riviera (2,544kB)
Purple river (2,281kB)
Avalanche (2,508kB)
Walk in the forest (2,481kB)
USA (2,417kB)
Memories (1,699kB)

Panta Rhei 75-79 (CD 2002)

A collection of songs, which were recorded one by one, or as singles. Many of these are sung by Eniko Acs. There are also a few fusion pieces, with Endre Sipos, Karoly Friedrich, Janos Kegye and Laszlo Des on brass. The engineers were Istvan Kiss and Istvan Szita. This CD appeared in 2002, as part of a book about the band.

Oreganyo (1,612kB)
Csendes dal (2,774kB)
Talan (1,788kB)
Pogacsalany (1,330kB)
Napban es ejben (3,113kB)
Itt van a delutan (2,804kB)
Nem hiszem el (2,796kB)
Mandarin (3,173kB)
Elvarazsolt erdo (1,665kB)
Jegvirag (2,159kB)
Talakozas (2,323kB)
Alfa Centauri (1,912kB)
Tarsak kozott (2,645kB)
Liderc (2,048kB)

Misc recordings (1975-79)

A few songs, which never made it to the previous CDs, or different versions of previously recorded material. Dies Irae, Alfa Centauri and Napkitores, as well as the original versions of Mandarin, Grand Canyon and Tropusi laz were recorded for projects by movie director Gabor Body.

Dies Irae (3,166kB)
Napkitores (6,648kB)
Mandarin (4,284kB)
Grand Canyon (5,406kB)
Tropusi laz (7,583kB)
Kortanc (1,184kB)
Korforgalom (3,155kB)
Jossz-e mar (3,055kB)
Sok az onbizalom (4,048kB)

Film music (1976-89)

About 50 songs, all instrumental (often without a title), used as stock material for short films. The engineer was Istvan Horvath, recorded in the Electronic Music Studio of the Hungarian Radio.

1978-82
Elmegyek (1,486kB)
Cirkusz (1,815kB)
Olympos (4,635kB)

1983
Arnykepet latok (1,336kB)
Aki mer az nyer (1,044kB)
Intuiciok (2,628kB)
Palyaudvar (1,510kB)
Rege (2,299kB)
Szerenad (1,983kB)
Vallatas (1,722kB)
Tempo (1,294kB)
Az elefant keringoje (1,681kB)
Teli mese (1,787kB)
Almodozas (1,365kB)
Kraftwerk (2,077kB)
hp01-01 (2,138kB)
hp01-05 (1,367kB)
hp01-09 (1,039kB)
hp01-10 (1,728kB)
hp01-12 (2,065kB)
hp01-13 (2,338kB)
hp01-14 (1,650kB)
hp01-15 (1,473kB)
hp02-01 (1,422kB)
hp02-02 (1,787kB)
hp02-03 (1,659kB)

1985
Almaim (2,265kB)
Fujiyama (1,571kB)
Tavolsagi beszelgetes (1,783kB)
Veszkijarat (1,523kB)
Merenylet (1,484kB)
Erdei seta (1,567kB)
7es buszon (1,256kB)
Vadlovak (1,452kB)
1986
Himnusz (1,286kB)
Nyitany (2,524kB)
Orient Expressz (1,717kB)
Sakk-automata (1,591kB)
1987
Szellovas (1,806kB)
Valasz(??) (1,540kB)
Stingray (3,828kB)
Ciklon(??) (1,236kB)
Szabadban (1,325kB)
Gyermekdal (890kB)
1988
Csillagszoro (1,175kB)
Csucsforgalom (1,294kB)
Eastern funky (1,419kB)
Hajnal (2,303kB)
Safari (2,025kB)
Ter (1,967kB)
Bujkalo (1,418kB)
Hazateres (1,557kB)
Karneval (1,470kB)
Lampalaz (1,746kB)
hp07-02 (4,255kB)

Demos (1983)

Various demos, in preparation for p.r.computer. Mostly recorded in the Electronic Music Studio of the Hungarian Radio, engineer Istvan Horvath.

Demos
Andromeda - demo (2,969kB)
Eszaki feny - demo (1,870kB)
Impresszio - demo (397kB)
Kaleidoszkop - demo (1,703kB)
Speeding ticket - demo (1,403kB)
Well tempered... - demo (2,090kB)
Itt van a delutan (instr) (1,698kB)
Emlek (instr) (3,944kB)
Teli dal (instr) (2,654kB)

Misc live (1975-82)

A few live recordings, a small part of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and a part of ELP's Tarkus.

Pictures at an Exhibition (956kB)
Tarkus (3,938kB)
Akarat mindenkorra (3,112kB)

You can buy the Epilogus CD and the book+CD about the band at Periferic Records. Find other places that advertise or review the Epilogus CD by a web search.

A few years ago, the band was referred to in a review of Hungarian rock music at Central European Review with the picture of Csaba Beke at the top of the page.

Alex Szalay Last Modified: Oct 12, 2003.