Hungarian Melody in B minor D817 (1824)

The origin of the Hungarian Melody in B minor was a chance encounter with a kitchen maid whom Schubert heard singing the tune when he was staying at Zseliz as music teacher to the two daughters of Count Johann of Esterházy. Later incorporated (with a different middle section) in the Divertissement à l’hongroise for piano duet, it is a particularly delightful demonstration of Schubert’s interest – which he shared in common with many Viennese composers – in the Hungarian-gypsy idiom.