String Sextet (Dvořák)

String Sextet (Dvořák)

Antonín Dvořák´s String Sextet in A major Op. 48, (B. 80) for two violins, two violas and two cellos was composed for the most part in May 1878. It was Dvořák´s first work to be premièred abroad [sleeve note of the Supraphon recording (11 1461-2 131)] .

The period 1875-1879 was very important in Dvořák´s life. The composer received a government grant in that time, and that enabled him to concentrate solely on composing. The sense of responsibility led Dvořák to hard and prolific work [sleeve note of the Supraphon recording (11 1461-2 131)] , and one of the results of his activity was also the "String Sextet in A major".

Dvořák´s German publisher Simrock offered the work to his friend and collaborator Joseph Joachim (famous violinist and leader of the string quartet), and he together with other artists performed the work privately on 19 July 1879. The composer was present and was very enchanted by the performance. The next day he wrote to his friend Alois Göbl: "...Joachim waited with eagerness for my arrival and even organized a soirée for my sake. During the celebration they´ve played my new quartet and sextet. They played with great understanding and enthusiasm..." [sleeve note of the Supraphon recording (11 1461-2 131)] .

The composition was published by Fritz Simrock in 1879, the critical edition of the work was printed in 1957 [Burghauser, p. 112] .

Structure

The composition consists of four movements:

*I. Allegro. Moderato
*II. Dumka. Poco allegretto
*III. Furiant. Presto
*IV. Finale. Tema con variazioni. Allegretto grazioso, quasi andantino

The work was composed at the same time as the Slavonic Rhapsodies (Op. 45) and Slavonic Dances (Op. 46), it´s written in similar style, and can be also called "Slavonic" [sleeve note of the Supraphon recording (11 1461-2 131)] . Two inner movements are partly stylisations of Dumka and partly of the folk Furiant. The first movement is written in the sonata form, and the last part is composed in the form of variations, in the soft, meditative mood.

Footnotes

References

*Jarmil Burghauser: "Antonín Dvořák". Prague: Koniasch Latin Press, 2006. ISBN 80-86791-26-2

External links

* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,,1560647,00.html English info]

Selected recordings

*"String Quintet No. 2, String Sextet". Supraphon 1992. (11 1461-2 131). [http://www.supraphon.cz/cs/katalog/databaze-titulu/detail-titulu/?idtitulu=2013307] (Panocha Quartet)


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