Hungarian Dance No. 4: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$62.00 USD

Hungarian Dance No. 4: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Hungarian Dance No. 4: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-12788
Price: 62.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Johannes Brahms / arr. Merle J. Isaac

Grade: 3

Item: 00-12788

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Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Hungarian Dance No. 4: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Highland/Etling String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 140

UPC: 038081003191

SKU: 00-12788

More about this title

About the Composer: Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms stands as one of the nineteenth century's most consequential composers, bridging Romantic expression with Classical rigor. His four Hungarian Dances occupy a unique place in his catalog: written early in his career, they brought him widespread fame and remain among his most frequently performed works. For string players, these pieces reveal Brahms's gift for writing idiomatically for the medium while maintaining the fire and virtuosity of the original piano versions.

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Why we love this

Merle J. Isaac's string orchestra arrangement captures the raw energy of Brahms's original without sacrificing the work's structural integrity or harmonic sophistication. This Grade 3 version opens the piece to orchestras that might lack the technical demands of a full symphonic reduction, yet it never condescends to the ensemble. It's exactly the kind of arrangement that wins contests and builds genuine ensemble pride.

What to expect

The piece pulses with the drive of a traditional Hungarian dance, alive with rhythmic vitality and punctuated by moments of unexpected lyricism. Brahms layers folk idiom with sophisticated harmonic language, creating something that feels both immediate and rewarding on repeated hearings. Your ensemble will feel the excitement of playing an authentic masterwork arrangement.

Who it's for

This arrangement suits orchestras seeking a crowd-pleasing festival entry with legitimate musical substance. It works equally well for conductors building programs around Romantic repertoire or for ensembles preparing a diverse concert that needs both energy and tunefulness.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the rhythmic drive early in rehearsal. The syncopated patterns that define this dance need absolute clarity from your section leaders before attempting tempo.
Balance the melody line across your first violins and violas during the lyrical middle section. This passage rewards warm, connected phrasing.
Pay attention to the dynamic swells marked throughout. They're essential to the dance character and prevent the piece from feeling static.
Let the final statement breathe slightly before the closing rush. Brahms writes a moment of arrival here that your ensemble should savor.

How to use it

Program this as a second-half opener on a concert heavy with slower, more introspective works. It restores energy without feeling jarring and demonstrates your orchestra's versatility. The piece also serves as an excellent festival selection where judges expect musical substance alongside technical accessibility.