Album insights
Antonín Dvořák was born on September 8, 1841, the oldest of eight children. Before celebrating his tenth birthday, he received violin lessons in the village school, but little is known about his early progress. The official language of the Habsburgs was German at the time, posing a significant disadvantage to his career due to his inability to express himself in this language. In 1853, Antonín was sent to Zlonice, where he lived with a maternal uncle and received lessons in language and music from the adept amateur musician and organist Antonín Liehmann. The focus seemed to shift from language to music education, with emphasis on harmony, bass figures, piano, organ, violin, and notably the viola, which later became the composer's favorite instrument.
Initially opposed by his elder, Antonín eventually joined the organ school in September 1857 with Liehmann's efforts to have him study in Prague. Although he emerged as the second among twelve students in his second year, his certificate suggested that he was primarily engaged in practical skills, with a disparaging emphasis on being "practical." The dismissal note mentioned his weakness in theory.
By the end of 1859, we see an eighteen-year-old without visible income, lacking in technical aspects of composition, striving voluntarily for knowledge and experimentation. Between 1859 and 1871, he embarked on a rigorous journey of self-discipline, self-education, and discreet diligence, composing vast amounts of music and burning most of it later on. His focus was on classical masters as he tirelessly started over, aiming to refine his craft.
The G major String Quintet of 1875 differed from Dvořák's other quintets by omitting a second viola and incorporating a double bass line beneath the cello's solo, notably evident in the slow movement's sparse pizzicato and intertwined melodic lines. Dvořák avoided an overly Brahmsian richness, keeping the work closely tied to quartet structures.
The significance of "Opus 77" lies in its transitional evidence towards a mature understanding of formal balance and thematic content, being more intriguing for its overall atmosphere and expressive qualities than specific melodic characteristics. Its placement alongside a mature masterpiece is quite revealing.
The success of the Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Opus 81, results from a successful fusion of skills. Dvořák, a conscientious organist and sensitive pianist, had limited inherent compositional skill for the piano's idiomatic fluency and fireworks in earlier works. However, in this quintet, there's a seamless flow between creativity and expressive means, transcending formal structures for harmonic unity.
Dvořák's ability to blend laughter and tears is noted, as few composers faced such odds of success, rising late to international acclaim with humility and gratitude ingrained in his character. Despite his achievements, he remained modest, often yearning for the small inn in Nelahozeves where he felt at home, ready to join in musical celebrations. His essence, found in the Opus 77 Quintet's slow music and later works, reflects a humble spirit rooted in nature and introspection. His endearing remark that he learned "from the birds, the flowers, the trees, God, and myself" speaks volumes about his simplicity and gratitude.