Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Brahms loved Hungarian music and respected the Hungarians, and he was happy to hold concerts in Budapest. On one such trip in 1881, an entire concert was dedicated to his works; the performance of the second piano concerto with solo by the composer was actually the world premiere of the piece. If one can believe press reports of the time, Brahms played the principal part abounding in difficulties with tremendous technique and astonishing virtuosity. The recital by Tamás Vásáry and Ádám Balogh is partly a recreation of this concert because it is a good 140 years since the first symphony of Brahms was also played. One critic was so enthused by the composition that he wrote “if the composer had never written any other symphony than this sublime piece, still it would have been a fitting tribute to him.”