A series of episodes about Czech composer Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904)
The Czech composer Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904) composed by far the most string quartets; a total of fourteen works of which more than half are considered to be standard repertoire. Only one of these string quartets made him famous all around the world: String Quartet no. 12 also known as the American Quartet.
For that very reason, we will pay attention to Dvořáks quartets for several weeks and today we start with String Quartet no. 6 in A minor, opus 12 from 1873.
This quartet was originally intended as a one part work. It was only at the revision one year later that the parts were separated and one part of the original music was left out. In 1887, Dvořák arranged twelve love songs from 1865 for strings with the same title’: ‘Cypresses’. We will finish today’s programme playing a selection of these songs
Antonin Dvořák – String Quartet in A minor. (no.6), Opus 12 (1873)
1. Allegro ma non troppo, 2. Poco allegro, 3. Poco adagio,4. Finale. Allegro molto
Performed by: Panocha Quartet
CD: Supraphon
Antonin Dvořák – Cypresses (arrangement from 1887 of the songs from 1865)
A selection:
Tracks 1. (Moderato), 2. (Allegro ma non troppo), 3. (Andante con moto), 4. (Poco adagio), 9. (Moderato), 10. (Andante maestoso), 11. (Allegro scherzando) and 12. (Allegro animato)
Performed by: Vlach Quartet Prague
CD: Naxos
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