Presents
Brahms Hungarian Dances for Violin & Piano
 |
Soundbites - |
 |
|||
|
BOOK 1 |
BOOK 2 |
BOOK 3 |
BOOK 4 |
||
Arranged by Joseph Joachim
Brahms' Hungarian Dances came about when he met the Hungarian violin virtuoso Ede Reményi in 1850 and accompanied him in a number of recitals over the next few years. Reményi introduced Brahms to "gypsy-style" music such as the csardas. Taken with the Hungarian style music he 'discovered, Brahms wrote 21 Hungarian Dances, originally for piano four hands. Only numbers 11, 14 and 16 were entirely original compositions. The better-known Hungarian Dances include Nos. 1 and 5, the latter of which was based on the csárdás "Bártfai emlék" (Memories of Bártfa) by Hungarian composer Béla Kéler, which Brahms mistakenly thought was a traditional folksong. Ultimately, these 21 dances were among the most popular and lucrative works he ever composed. His publisher, the ever greedy Nicholas Simrock, immediately asked Brahms for arrangements. Brahms obliged by orchestrating Nos.1, 3 and 10. Other composers have orchestrated the rest. Among the better known composers are Antonín Dvořák (Nos. 17 to 21), Andreas Hallén (Nos.2, 4 and 7), Paul Juon (No.4), and Hans Gál (Nos.8 and 9).
Outside of the arrangements for orchestra, the best known arrangements were for violin and piano made by Brahms' close friend the virtuoso violinist Joseph Joachim (1831-1907). The two often performed in concert recitals together and there is no doubt that Brahms not only saw Joachim's arrangements but also probably gave suggestions and helped. It is not known if the two performed them together, however, there are recordings made my Joachim and an accompanist from the early 1900s.
| (A) Book 1 Hungarian Dances 1-5 | $24.95 |
 |
| (B) Book 2 Hungarian Dances 6-10 | $24.95 |
|
| (C) Book 3 Hungarian Dances 11-16 | $24.95 |
|
| (D) Book 4 Hungarian Dances 17-21 | $24.95 |
|
| (E) Books 1-4, Hungarian Dances 1-21 | $84.95 |
|
