Antonín Dvořák - String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48

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@joshscores3360 3 жыл бұрын

Dvorak wrote his String Sextet in A major within a mere fourteen days in May 1878, immediately after completing the piano version of his first series of Slavonic Dances during the period between his work on the first and second Slavonic Rhapsodies. The sextet thus originated in the middle of his so-called Slavic period, in which the composer endeavoured to introduce Slavic folk elements into his music. This work, published by Simrock in September of the following year, was important for the public reception of his work in general since it was Dvorak’s first chamber piece to be performed abroad, and this even before its Czech premiere. Violinist Joseph Joachim, one of the finest musicians of his day, was so taken with the work when he first heard it that he decided to get together with other musicians on 29 July 1879 for a private performance of the piece at a gala evening held in Dvorak’s honour, attended by the composer. The same musicians performed the public premiere in Berlin on 9 November 1879. Joachim was also responsible for introducing the work to English audiences soon afterwards, when it was performed in London twice during the same season (in February and March 1880). Within a few months of its premiere, the sextet was also presented by various other ensembles in music venues around Europe and overseas: Dresden, Cologne, Prague, Wiesbaden and New York, among others. The Sextet in A major is highly suggestive of Slavonic folklore. Formally, this trait is further emphasised by the fact that the second movement - for the first time in Dvorak’s oeuvre - is marked “Dumka” (a musical form derived from a folksong originating in Little Russia), and the third movement is entitled “Furiant” (a stylisation of a Czech folk dance). Dvorak extended the traditional quartet ensemble to include a second viola and cello, which helped to create the rich tone colour and vibrant sound. With respect to sound density, melodic wealth and the character of the chosen thematic material, this is one of the works in which Dvorak came closest to his great example, Franz Schubert, without forfeiting his own originality and distinction as a musician. The piece is typical for its sunny atmosphere and spontaneous appeal on the concert platform. A documented statement from conductor Vaclav Talich is proof of this. When he first heard Dvorak’s sextet in 1941, he declared: _“Oh my word! This is so beautiful! Beautiful musical ideas, a beautiful structure and a beautiful sound! God himself must have been walking the Czech Lands when his humble servant Dvorak bequeathed to us a work of such excellence and sanctity...”._ The first movement of the sextet is written in traditional sonata form with three themes, while the second subject is exposed in the irregular key of C sharp minor, and the final theme in C sharp major. The movement is also a testimony of Dvorak’s highly inventive contrapuntal treatment and imaginative harmonies. The decision to mark the second movement as a “dumka” is certainly justified, given the melancholic nature of the main subject; otherwise, the movement lacks the typical trait of Dvorak’s other dumkas, namely the alternation of two contrastive passages. The secondary theme is noteworthy for its markedly Hungarian tone, which is one of the features common to Schubert’s chamber music. The third movement, marked as “furiant”, adopts the lively, stirring expression of this folk dance, but without the typical alternation of two-beat and three-beat rhythms. The movement follows the traditional scherzo scheme A-B-A, while both parts contain clear echoes of the Slavonic Dances he had just completed at that time (specifically No. 1 in C major, whose second subject provides material for an almost exact quotation). The fourth movement is conceived as a theme and variations, involving a periodic melody embroidered within a remarkable harmonic progression oscillating between the keys of B minor, A major and F sharp minor. This tonal ambiguity again brings it into line with Schubert’s oeuvre. After the introduction of the theme we hear six variations which essentially follow the harmonic plan of the theme while varying the melodic and rhythmical structure, at the same time allowing the voices to weave an intricate contrapuntal fabric. (antonin-dvorak.cz)

@awsickler Жыл бұрын

I love this piece so much

@gerardbegni2806 6 сағат бұрын

Convincingly Writing s string sextet is not an easy task at all. Dvorak succeeded perfectly in encapsulating his ideas in the counterpoint suggested by the formula. He had in hands the two sextets of his friend Brahms, which was an excellent writing example.