Prímás

The prímás (or prímhegedűs) is the leading violinist in Romani orchestras,[1] and the organizer of concerts, helped by the assistant prímás (segéd-prímás). It appeared in the Hungarian culture and spread to the surrounding peoples, in Romania it is transliterated into primaș and in Slovakia into primáš.

The prímás is responsible for playing the main melody in Central and Eastern European Gypsy bands or Hungarian folk bands. They are the leading figures of the orchestras, and are highly respected. The Hungarian saying ő viszi a prímet also comes from here, it is used for someone who had a leading or the most important role in something.[2] His part is the violino primo.[3] A notable exception was Pál Tendl who used a cimbalom instead of a violin when leading the musicians.

The Hungarian word comes from the Ecclesiastical Latin primatis.[4]