Roberto Diaz and Dover Quartet: DVOŘÁK - Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97
Roberto Diaz, viola
Dover Quartet
Performed on Sunday, January 29, 2017
Field Concert Hall, Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Antonín Dvořák traveled to the United States in 1892 for a new job as director of the National Conservatory in New York, a position he would hold for three years before returning to Prague. By the summer of that year (looking to get out of the city for some fresh air and country life) he traveled to Spillville, Iowa, a small town of largely Czech immigrants with a population of about 350. There he spent the summer months taking long walks, enjoying nature, and taking in the sounds and melodies of the American West.
Dvořák wrote a number of pieces inspired by his time ensconced in the Spillville community, including his E-flat quintet (string quartet plus viola). Many will hear references to the “Old West” in this piece, and others will hear the ever-present echoes of his native Bohemia. Really, it’s a bit of both: Dvorak exemplifies the “edge effect” in music, incorporating the sounds of his new environment into his existing musical language. These influences may be heard throughout the piece: some musicologists say the second movement uses patterns found in Native American drumming, and the slow movement’s second theme is unmistakably Dvořák’s realization of “My Country Tis of Thee.” Regardless of the balance of old and new world for Dvorak, all can agree that he was an artist with an important story of immigration who celebrated his newfound (albeit temporary) home in the United States.
-David Serkin Ludwig
Learn more about this work: • Roberto Diaz and Dover...
#CurtisIsHere

[@betaniajohnny209]

0:06 Movement 1 10:04 Movement 2 16:17 Movement 3 27:56 Movement 4

[@betaniajohnny209]

I've listened to this a million times and I keep coming back! It's so amazing!

[@lacorchea955]

Dvorak never dissapoints, he always have something good to say. And the Dover Quartet is excellent. And two violas... Guau.

[@elaines5750]

One of my absolute favorite pieces of chamber music ever.

[@Metasisic]

I'm so fond of the first movement, I don't the other movements.

[@elaines5750]

@@Metasisic Give them another chance! I love them all equally!

[@Metasisic]

The opening movement to this quintet is unbelievably powerfull and forceful, talk about feeling the music's passion, anyone defenitely would unless you have no ear what so ever.

[@karlwinkler66]

Supremely beautiful - thank you!

[@joeowens6180]

What a glorious piece of music gloriously played! I heard more of Bohemia in this piece, especially in the dance rhythms than I did of American, but that may be my fault. The playing was thrilling beyond all expression. Such oneness of sound, such total precision and such warmth of tone. The Dover Quartet is already among the great quartets playing before the public.

[@Axolautism]

Well, Dvorak was Czech so it would track that you hear Bohemian. I don't know much about this piece but if this rings more strongly of Bohemia than America, I'd guess he may have written the piece when he was homesick

[@elffromcolorado1376]

@@AxolautismSupposedly he started writing the piece before he was in America, but also parts of it were inspired by Native American drumming 🤔 But try as I might, I can’t seem to hear it.

[@Axolautism]

@@elffromcolorado1376 yes, I believe the first movement is supposed to capture what it was like arriving by ship to the Americas The second movement's main melody is meant to capture the voice of one of his best singers I've not heard of the native American inspiration before but that's really interesting so I'll have to look into it And also I believe his string quartet 12 is where he pulled some inspiration from black communities, if I recall correctly

[@doumne]

j'adore cet ensemble, Dover quartet et également Roberto Diaz, magnifique altiste. Ce quintette de Dvorak est une de ses plus belles œuvres de musique de chambre.Bravo à tous.

[@curtisinstitute]

Merci beaucoup! :)

[@robertgoss4842]

Tres bien! Merci, mon ami!

[@jonstewart464]

What a gem, thanks for sharing.

[@RikerEKC]

Guarneri Quartet for a new generation!

[@glennhall2729]

This is really freaking great.

[@greenviolist34]

Gorgeous!

[@robertgoss4842]

This was one of the very first CDs I ever bought, in the mid-1980's, and it remains among.my favorites. This stirring performance is one of the best I've heard. Thanks a million! Patreon page??

[@SlothYen1216]

so good..

[@Alejandro-mt1nm]

3:29 favv moment

[@socorrochoran3114]

Excelente

[@luisangelacostasanchez290]

La más bella música para darte sentido a la vida música de El Olimpo para terricolas

[@penultimateh766]

My god those last three notes. Why didn't every person in that room leap to their feet?

[@davidyoung6331]

Wonderful. Question! I am very pleased to note that the violist does not play the double stop in measure 119 of the second movement. I have always considered that the double stop in the score was a mistake. Do you also believe that the double stop was a transcription mistake? Can you tell me why you avoided the double stop? (at 12:41 she plays just one note where as most renditions the violist plays a double stop at this moment).

[@milenapajaro-vandestadt8780]

Sorry for my delayed reply! I’ve gone back and forth but I tend to be in agreement with you, it just sticks out and doesn’t add to the harmony while forcing the line to be chopped up because of an awkward fingering situation.

[@davidyoung6331]

@@milenapajaro-vandestadt8780 There are about 40 or 50 renditions of this quintet on KZbin and only a couple of very old recordings, and your recent recording do not play the double stop. I wish I could see the autograph score. I'm thinking there is a smudge that was interpreted as a note. As far as I know, all of the scores and parts have the double stop. There are other mistakes in published parts of Dvorak's chamber music, verified by top publishers (Henle, mostly). Are you aware of the mistake in the viola part, for two measures, starting four measure before rehearsal number "8" in the fourth movement in Dvorak's American String Quartet? There is also an error in the second movement, in both parts and score.

[@milenapajaro-vandestadt8780]

@David Young yes I am! I wish I could see the original manuscript too, I’m so curious. So many of his pieces have discrepancies between the different parts as well, or the parts and the score, which make me think maybe he was a little sloppy or unclear in his original markings!

[@stevenvinson1615]

@@milenapajaro-vandestadt8780 I mean, he was a violist 🤷

[@milenapajaro-vandestadt8780]

@@stevenvinson1615 🥸

[@grimjim100]

Very nice! have they heard the Esme qt.from Korea?

[@user-se5pi9ih6b]

5:44、30:40、33:42 beautiful viola!

[@nickyork8901]

and 12:02 🥰

[@trapsunset400]

25:00 ❤

[@gpcrawford8353]

I always believed that a troop of Native American Indians come into town and he Dvorak was enraptured by the rhythms that they created and put them in music. Strangely or coindence Smetana in his opera the Bartered bride had American Indians in one scene where Dance of the comedians enters

[@nandocordeiro5853]

Yes that’s true. When Dvorak was in Europe the folk traditions there influenced his music, so when he came to the US, he wished to do something similar with the music of Native Americans.

[@user-zx8vf7do6u]

13:02