Three Hungarian Dances (score & parts) - WW5

1. Hungarian Dance #19: Allegretto
2. Hungarian dance #20: Poco Allegro
3. Hungarian Dance #21: Vivace

Arranged by John Jay Hilfiger. Johannes Brahms held a fascination for gypsy or "Hungarian" music at least since, as a youth, he made concert tours as an accompanist to Hungarian violinist Eduard Remenyi. Certainly the influence of this tradition can be seen in Brahms' mature style: irregular rhythms, syncopation and flamboyance. The impact of gypsy music is even more notable in the Hungarian Dances, 21 pieces for piano, four hands. Brahms considered these works to be arrangements, since most of them are based on borrowed folk melodies. Perhaps this is why they were never given opus numbers. They were published in four books, the first two appearing in 1869, and the latter two in 1880.