Off the Cuff: Dvořák’ s Cello Concerto
{ program notes
Dvořák
the New York Philharmonic, inspiration struck. In November 1894, he began his Cello Concerto, and by February 9, 1895, the score was largely complete. One of his masterpieces, it remains today perhaps the greatest of all cello concertos.
The first movement opens mysteriously and with barely suppressed excitement as clarinets and other woodwinds murmur the principal theme; this quickly builds to a fortissimo declaration by the violins. The second theme, a marvelous, flowing melody with a touch of sentimentality, is introduced a few moments later by the solo horn; it will reveal its full personality a bit later when sung by the cello. After the orchestra’ s exposition, the soloist enters with a very grand statement of the principal theme in bold chords.
The development section of this sonata-form movement is striking in that, instead of being a dramatic working out of thematic fragments, it centers on a lengthy slower-tempo version of the principal theme by the cellist and solo flute in haunting duet. Here Dvořák explores the darker, more introspective side of his hitherto extroverted theme.
The slow movement stresses the cello’ s ability to sing with the pathos and feeling of the human voice. Its heart is a poignant central section for the soloist and woodwinds, introduced by four stormy orchestral measures. Here we are listening to a paraphrase of Dvořák’ s song“ Leave Me Alone” of 1887. The composer had just learned of the serious illness of his wife’ s elder sister, Josefina Kaunitzová, and this quote from a favorite song of hers pays tribute to an old love. In the 1860s, Josefina, a beautiful
Off the Cuff: Dvořák’ s Cello Concerto
Music Center At Strathmore Friday, February 17, 2017— 8:15 pm
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Saturday, February 18, 2017— 7 pm
Series Supporting Sponsor:
Marin Alsop, conductor Johannes Moser, cello
Antonín Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor, opus 104 Allegro Adagio ma non troppo Finale: Allegro moderato JOHANNES MOSER
The concert will end at approximately 9:15pm on Friday and 8pm on Saturday.
Saturday, February 18: Join us for an after-party in the Meyerhoff lobby featuring live entertainment, food and drink specials.
Marin Alsop
For Marin Alsop’ s bio., please see pg. 7.
young actress, had come with her sister Anna for piano lessons with Dvořák. The composer fell hopelessly in love with her, but, as there was no reciprocation, he— like Mozart with his Constanze— married the younger sister.
Shortly after Dvořák returned to Bohemia in the spring of 1895, Josefina died. The composer returned to his nearly completed concerto and appended a remarkable grieving epilogue to its finale. This rondo-form movement begins merrily, though, with a vivacious rondo refrain, jingling with triangle. But there are more bittersweet moments here than one usually finds in concerto finales,
Johannes Moser
For Johannes Moser’ s bio., please see pg. 31.
including an impassioned duet for the cello with solo violin. As the movement seems to be drawing to a close, it flows instead into the epilogue in which we hear a wistful reminiscence of the first movement’ s theme and of Josefina’ s song from the second. Then Dvořák pulls himself together and delivers a fast, electric finish.
Instrumentation: Two flutes including piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, strings.
Notes by Janet E. Bedell, Copyright © 2017
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