Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dances (solo piano)

About Johannes Brahms's Hungarian Dances (solo piano)

In 1850, Brahms met the Hungarian violinist Remenyi, who introduced him to the music of the Hungarian gypsies. This proved a most fruitful introduction, the most popular result of which were the Hungarian Dances, composed originally for piano duet.
The works were to win immediate popularity. Brahms himself arranged the first ten dances for solo piano and orchestrated Nos. 1, 3 and 10  – Dvorák, to whom Brahms had given early encouragement, orchestrated the last five.
The dances make use of gypsy melodies, although there are three completely original compositions by Brahms, Nos. 11, 14 and 16.
It seems that Wagner had the Hungarian Dances partly in his mind when he wrote with his usual acerbity "I know famous composers that you can meet at concert masquerades, one day in the guise of a ballad singer, the next in Handel´s Hallelujah wig, another time as a Jewish csardas player, and then again as genuine symphonists dressed up as number ten".

ID:83
Preview TitleKey Year Level
Hungarian Dance 1 - solo piano version in G Minor by Brahms piano sheet music AAB Hungarian Dance 1 - solo piano version 24 G Minor 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 2 - solo piano version in D Minor by Brahms piano sheet music AAC Hungarian Dance 2 - solo piano version 8 D Minor 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 3 - solo piano version in F Major by Brahms piano sheet music AAD Hungarian Dance 3 - solo piano version 17 F Major 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 4 - solo piano version in F-sharp Minor by Brahms piano sheet music AAE Hungarian Dance 4 - solo piano version 20 F-sharp Minor 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 5 - solo piano version in F-sharp Minor by Brahms piano sheet music AAF Hungarian Dance 5 - solo piano version 20 F-sharp Minor 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 6 - solo piano version in D-flat Major by Brahms piano sheet music AAG Hungarian Dance 6 - solo piano version 6 D-flat Major 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 7 - solo piano version in F Major by Brahms piano sheet music AAH Hungarian Dance 7 - solo piano version 17 F Major 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 8 - solo piano version in A Minor by Brahms piano sheet music AAI Hungarian Dance 8 - solo piano version 30 A Minor 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 9 - solo piano version in E Minor by Brahms piano sheet music AAJ Hungarian Dance 9 - solo piano version 14 E Minor 1872 8+
Hungarian Dance 10 - solo piano version in E Major by Brahms piano sheet music AAK Hungarian Dance 10 - solo piano version 13 E Major 1872 8+

Forum posts about the Hungarian Dances (solo piano) by Johannes Brahms

Brahms' Hungarian Dances by liszt-and-the-galops
Favorite and hardest of them? IMO, no. 4 is best. Don't have an opinion on hardest, though I think it might be no. 1....

Brahms Hungarian Dances by pianoworthy
I'm a bit surprised at how little attention the solo piano version these get (besides the 5th one). I think they are really great piano...

Brahms Introductory by akonow
My teacher suggested that I start a Brahms piece and I was looking at the waltzes and some Hungarian dances. I want a piece that kind of cap...

Brahms Hungarian Dances by akonow
What is the technically least demanding hungarian dance in your opinion? Are they all really 8+ ABRSM? I know they're really hard and I...

What Grade is Hungarian Dance? by victor_ching
Could I please know what grade Hungarian Dance by brahms is? Cheers...