String Quartet No. 11 (Dvorák)
Encyclopedia
Antonín Dvořák
composed his String Quartet No. 11 in C major, Op. 61, B. 121, some time between late October and early November 1881 to fulfill a commission from the Hellmesberger Quartet
.
In October, 1881 Dvořák finished the sketches for his new opera Dimitrij
, when he learned in the Vienna
newspapers, that the Hellmesberger Quartet is proposing the performance of his new string quartet in December 1881. He was thus forced to interrupt the work on the opera, and began to compose a quartet. The composition was supposed to premiere on 15 December 1881 in Ringtheater
, but because of the catastrophic conflagration in the building of Ringtheater the performance was postponed. It isn't known today when the first performance occurred. The Czech première took place on 5 January, 1884; the quartet was played by Ferdinand Lachner, Julius Raušer, Josef Krehan and Alois Neruda.
:
Dvořák began to compose in F major, but he probably wasn't satisfied with that version, since later (on 25 October 1881) he decided to create an entirely new work, in C major. The string quartet
contains four movements
and lasts around 30 minutes. Two themes
based on a polonaise
for cello
and piano
, B. 94, written two years earlier, reappear in the spirited scherzo
of the third movement.
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
composed his String Quartet No. 11 in C major, Op. 61, B. 121, some time between late October and early November 1881 to fulfill a commission from the Hellmesberger Quartet
Hellmesberger Quartet
The Hellmesberger Quartet was a String Quartet formed in Vienna in 1849. It was founded by Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr. and was the first permanent named String Quartet.-Composition:...
.
In October, 1881 Dvořák finished the sketches for his new opera Dimitrij
Dimitrij
Dimitrij is an opera by Antonín Dvořák in 4 acts, set a libretto by Marie Červinková-Riegrová. More specifically, it belongs to the genre of Grand Opera. The work was first performed in Prague, at the Nové České Divadlo on 8 October 1882, after Dvořák began composition during May 1881...
, when he learned in the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
newspapers, that the Hellmesberger Quartet is proposing the performance of his new string quartet in December 1881. He was thus forced to interrupt the work on the opera, and began to compose a quartet. The composition was supposed to premiere on 15 December 1881 in Ringtheater
Ringtheater
The Ringtheater was a popular theater in Vienna, Austria. It was located in the First District , Schottenring 7. It was destroyed in a fire in 1881, and today the site is the federal headquarters of police for Vienna.-Construction:...
, but because of the catastrophic conflagration in the building of Ringtheater the performance was postponed. It isn't known today when the first performance occurred. The Czech première took place on 5 January, 1884; the quartet was played by Ferdinand Lachner, Julius Raušer, Josef Krehan and Alois Neruda.
Structure
The composition consists of four movementsMovement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
:
- AllegroTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
- Poco adagio et molto cantabileCantabileCantabile is a musical term meaning literally "singable" or "songlike" . It has several meanings in different contexts. In instrumental music, it indicates a particular style of playing designed to imitate the human voice. For 18th century composers, the term is often used synonymously with...
- Allegro vivoVivo-Computer and technology:* Video In Video Out* Vivo Software, streaming format, acquired in 1998 by RealNetworks* VivoActive, Vivo Software's video format* Vivo S.A., a major Brazilian mobile phone company...
- Finale. VivaceVivaceVivace is Italian for "lively" and "vivid". It is pronounced in the International Phonetic Alphabet.Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood ....
Dvořák began to compose in F major, but he probably wasn't satisfied with that version, since later (on 25 October 1881) he decided to create an entirely new work, in C major. The string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
contains four movements
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
and lasts around 30 minutes. Two themes
Theme (music)
In music, a theme is the material, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based.-Characteristics:A theme may be perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, separate from the work in which it is found . In contrast to an idea or motif, a theme is...
based on a polonaise
Polonaise
The polonaise is a slow dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time. Its name is French for "Polish."The polonaise had a rhythm quite close to that of the Swedish semiquaver or sixteenth-note polska, and the two dances have a common origin....
for cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, B. 94, written two years earlier, reappear in the spirited scherzo
Scherzo
A scherzo is a piece of music, often a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony or a sonata. The scherzo's precise definition has varied over the years, but it often refers to a movement which replaces the minuet as the third movement in a four-movement work, such as a symphony, sonata, or...
of the third movement.