Hungarian Dances
No. 1 in G minor, No. 3 in F major, No. 10 in F major – Urtext based on the Brahms Complete Edition of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna
[orch] duration: 7' picc. 2. 2. 2. 2 – 4. 2. 0. 0 – timp. perc – str
Today’s concert hall classics – The Hungarian Dances once helped the composer achieve his breakthrough
Description
Fascinated by the unfamiliar – by the distinctiveness of Hungarian culture – which was en vogue in the second half of the 19th century, Brahms was inspired to compose his 21 Hungarian Dances for piano. Today, they are best known in their orchestral versions.
In his adaptation of Hungarian folk songs, Brahms was not seeking to transpose original folk songs into art music. Rather, his source of inspiration was his friendship with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi, a freedom fighter who had fled to Hamburg and whom Brahms accompanied on the piano during his performances in dance halls. It was from him that Brahms learned the specific Hungarian tone. As early as 1853, Brahms wrote down melodies in the Hungarian style after Reményi, along with his first sketches for Hungarian Dance No. 3.
Following the first publication of the dances for piano four hands in 1869, Brahms became famous overnight. The dances were so popular that orchestral arrangements appeared shortly afterwards. The publisher Simrock then urged Brahms to orchestrate his Hungarian dances himself. In 1873, Brahms wrote orchestral versions of dances nos. 1, 3 and 10, which far surpass mere arrangements. The musical substance was often enriched by numerous motifs in the individual parts and in Dance No. 3 by a prelude. The premiere took place on 5 February 1874, with Brahms conducting the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig.
Further orchestrations by other composers followed. Particularly noteworthy is Martin Schmeling's version of the popular dances Nos. 5, 6 and 7, published by Breitkopf & Härtel. Brahms' Hungarian Dances are among his most popular works and have been used extensively in film and television. Breitkopf offers the appropriate Urtext edition from the Brahms Complete Edition published by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.
PB 5116
study score
EAN: 9790004210086
28 pages / 16.5 x 22.5 cm / 69 g / stapled
OB 3214-15
violin 1
EAN: 9790004300930
8 pages / 25 x 32 cm / 53 g / stapled
OB 3214-16
violin 2
EAN: 9790004300947
6 pages / 25 x 32 cm / 44 g / stapled
OB 3214-19
viola
EAN: 9790004300954
8 pages / 25 x 32 cm / 53 g / stapled
OB 3214-23
violoncello
EAN: 9790004300961
4 pages / 25 x 32 cm / 33 g / stapled
OB 3214-27
double bass
EAN: 9790004300978
6 pages / 25 x 32 cm / 41 g / stapled
OB 3214-30
wind parts
EAN: 9790004300985
50 pages / 25 x 32 cm / 226 g / folder
Description
Description
Fascinated by the unfamiliar – by the distinctiveness of Hungarian culture – which was en vogue in the second half of the 19th century, Brahms was inspired to compose his 21 Hungarian Dances for piano. Today, they are best known in their orchestral versions.
In his adaptation of Hungarian folk songs, Brahms was not seeking to transpose original folk songs into art music. Rather, his source of inspiration was his friendship with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi, a freedom fighter who had fled to Hamburg and whom Brahms accompanied on the piano during his performances in dance halls. It was from him that Brahms learned the specific Hungarian tone. As early as 1853, Brahms wrote down melodies in the Hungarian style after Reményi, along with his first sketches for Hungarian Dance No. 3.
Following the first publication of the dances for piano four hands in 1869, Brahms became famous overnight. The dances were so popular that orchestral arrangements appeared shortly afterwards. The publisher Simrock then urged Brahms to orchestrate his Hungarian dances himself. In 1873, Brahms wrote orchestral versions of dances nos. 1, 3 and 10, which far surpass mere arrangements. The musical substance was often enriched by numerous motifs in the individual parts and in Dance No. 3 by a prelude. The premiere took place on 5 February 1874, with Brahms conducting the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig.
Further orchestrations by other composers followed. Particularly noteworthy is Martin Schmeling's version of the popular dances Nos. 5, 6 and 7, published by Breitkopf & Härtel. Brahms' Hungarian Dances are among his most popular works and have been used extensively in film and television. Breitkopf offers the appropriate Urtext edition from the Brahms Complete Edition published by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.