Jeffrey Hall wrote:

>Dear CM fans, I am enamored of the beautiful, passionate melody in
>Hungarian Dance No. 4 by Johannes Brahms.  I listen to the Abbabo/BPO
>recording on DG.  The playing is just fantastic.  The melody in question
>is from the outer movements.  The piece is in ABA format and the great
>melody is A.  What other pieces of classical music feature such
>magnificent, emotional gypsy music? Thanks for all responses.

I cannot guarantee official "Gypsy" music, but you will probably enjoy
the Slavonic Dances op. 46 and 72 by Dvorak, and the magnificent String
Sextets (op. 18 and op.36 of Brahms.) Give a listen to the Dvorak "Slavic"
String Quartet, also ...  op.51 B.92, one of my favorites.

The Roumanian Dances by Bartok (usually for violin and piano, but they also
show up in other combinations ...  we once had a recording for cembalom!)
and the Brahms Clarinet Quintet also leap to mind.

Mimi Ezust