For over 15 years Standford was fortunate enough to visit Hungary quite regularly, and in 1978 met the virtuoso cimbalom player Agnes Szakaly who, in addition to performing with the Budapest Opera Orchestra and other ensembles, was also touring recitals of the expanding repertoire of new works for cimbalom. With Szakaly’s help Standford learnt enough about the instrument to write Dialogues for Cimbalom and Chamber Orchestra at her request in 1981. 

There are three 'dialogues' between the cimbalom and small orchestra of flute, oboe, three clarinets, horn, harp and strings: 1 Vivace, 2 Adagio: 'In Memoriam', 3 Toccata: vivace.

These dialogues continue without a break and each contain one persistent idea with variants: in the Vivace a rhythmic grouping of 4+5+3; in the Adagio a descending melodic phrase; and in the Toccata: vivace alternating rhythmic groupings of 4+6. The central section is dedicated to the memory of clarinettist and conductor Yona Ettlinger who died suddenly in 1980. It is for that reason the distinctly ‘Hungarian’ passage of Brahm's Clarinet Quintet is quoted briefly.