The Hungarian Rondo by Árpád Balázs is cheerful, good-humoured music, a finely formed work crafted withgreat professional skill.

Its structure is clear: the double recurrence of the rondo theme results in a five-part form. The two episodes differ in character. The first consists of increasingly densely woven imitations that chase eachother playfully; the second evokes the mood of bagpipe tunes. In the latter, above the melody moving evenly incrotchets in the middle parts a pastel-tinted cloud of woodwind notes floats upwards, while the sound is extended downwards by the deep-toned brass stepping lower by semitones. A brilliant device by the composer! In thecourse of its repeats the rondo theme appears more and more richly garbed; particularly the sparkling semiquavers of the woodwind make it ever more decorative.

The Hungarian Rondo is the kind of music that drives your cares away.