Since the time of his childhood in Transylvania, Ligeti had been familiar with both Hungarian and Romanian folk music. He makes reference to approximately fifty folk song arrangements similar to Négy lakodalmi tánc which he had completed in the early phases of his compositional career. The four individual song texts highlight a wide range of aspects of a wedding. The first poem describes the bride's happiness and how beautifully she will be dressed, but also displays her hesitance, insecurity an...

I A menyasszony szép virág (A bride is a splendid flower) - II A kapuban a szekér (A surrey arrived at the gate) - III Hopp ide tisztán, szép pallútt dëszkán (Hop on the duckboards, stay spick-and-span) - IV Mikor kedves Laci bátyám szépen hegedülne (If my darling Uncle Laci played a nice tune)