Hungarian Dance No. 5: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

John Kinyon's Grade 2 arrangement makes this beloved Romantic masterpiece accessible without sacrificing the fire and rhythmic drive that make the original irresistible. The scoring keeps all the character intact while distributing the melodic and harmonic material thoughtfully across the band, giving every section something genuine to play. Audiences recognize this piece immediately, making it an excellent choice for contests, festivals, and community concerts where you want strong audience response paired with appropriate difficulty.

Hungarian Dance No. 5 captures the exuberant character of a folk celebration, building from an energetic opening theme through increasingly dense textures and brighter orchestration. The piece pulses with Romantic vitality and periodic rhythmic vitality, invoking the spirit of Hungarian folk music while maintaining the harmonic sophistication Brahms brought to everything he touched.

Concert bands at the Grade 2 level looking for repertoire that combines recognizability with musical substance. This arrangement works equally well for youth bands, community ensembles, and high school groups preparing contest selections or concert programs.

• Balance the first theme between woodwinds and brass carefully; the clarinet and cornet figures should sing clearly over the accompaniment without dominating the full ensemble texture.
• Maintain crisp articulation in the rhythmic figures throughout, especially the repeated motifs that drive the piece forward. This clarity prevents the piece from dragging even at moderate tempos.
• Shape the dynamic swells with the harmonic progression rather than mechanically hitting every written accent; let the music breathe and build naturally into the climactic sections.
• Mark and rehearse the ensemble's breathing points collectively, particularly in transitions between sections, so the piece flows as one statement rather than a collection of parts.

Program this as a concert opener or a second-half opener where you want immediate engagement and audience recognition. Its medium-easy difficulty pairs well alongside Grade 2-3 classical or contemporary pieces, and it serves equally effectively in contest rotation, pops concerts, or festivals celebrating the Romantic era.

• Reading and executing rhythmic figures with consistent articulation across multiple voice parts
• Balancing independent melodic lines within full ensemble texture
• Responding to dynamic shaping and harmonic progression
• Maintaining ensemble unity through sectional transitions and key changes
• Interpreting style-appropriate ornamentation and phrasing in Romantic-era music