Antonín Dvořák - Piano quartet D major, Op. 23/ Piano Quartet No.2 in E-flat major, Op.87

Antonín Dvořák in 1882

 

8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czech composer, one of the first to achieve worldwide recognition. Following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predecessor Bedřich Smetana, Dvořák frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia.

 

Piano quartet D major, Op. 23

00:00 Allegro moderato
16:14 Andantino
27:13 Finale. Allegretto scherzando

Josef Koďousek (viola), Sukovo trio [Josef Suk (housle), Josef Chuchro (violoncello), Josef Hála (klavír)]

 

Quartet D major is related with his older brother Symphony E flat major in a one aspect: Dvořák tried to compose work in three movement-scheme. He put together the scherzo and the finale. However, it was his last piece in this form. The second movement, Andantino, are moving variations distantly resembling Dvořák's following slow movements (like a Dumka in the famous Quintet, Op.81)

 

Piano Quartet No.2 in E-flat major, Op.87

0:00 – 1. Allegro con fuoco
8:37 – 2. Lento
19:28 – 3. Allegro moderato, Grazioso
26:47 – 4. Finale. Allegro, ma non troppo

The Piano Quartet in E flat major is Dvorak’s second, and also his last, work for this instrumental ensemble. Fourteen years separate this work from his previous Piano Quartet in D major. Dvorak was finally goaded into writing the piece after his publisher Simrock had spent a long time trying to persuade him to do so, reminding him in letters on several occasions: “I should like to receive a piano quartet from you at last – you promised me this a long time ago! Well? How is it faring?” The quartet was written in the summer months of 1889 at Dvorak’s country residence in Vysoka. The first documented performance took place in Frankfurt on 17 October of the following year, followed by performances in Munich on 3 November, in Prague on 23 November in Dvorak’s presence, and in Manchester on 24 November. Simrock published the work that same year. (antonin-dvorak.cz)