The programme is opened with Brahms’ novel and rather impulsive Piano Concerto in B-flat major, which was, by the way, first performed in Hungary conducted by Sándor Erkel, where the piano solo was played by the composer himself. Brahms looked upon this piece as one of the peaks of his career, even though he was not often satisfied with his own work. This piece is followed by tears. Tears – in memory of Béla Bartók. The clearly Bartókian work inspired also by folk music was written by his former student and colleague, Sándor Veress in 1945. Tears burst out not only because of Bartók’s death but also the miserable state of the ruined Hungary. The concert is closed with Richard Strauss’ cheerful but tragically ending tone poem. Its subtitle is „After an Old Rogue's Tune—in Rondo Form”. The composer did not give a more detailed description. As he himself said, „what I had in mind when writing the various sections, if put into words, would often seem peculiar, and would possibly even give offense.”  All we know is that Till gets hanged at the end.