Dvorak: 6 Pieces, Op. 52 / Eclogues, Op. 56 / Furiants, Op. 42

Featuring

Stefan Veselka
Antonín Dvořák

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Composer Biography

Antonín Dvořák, the composer, was born in 1841 as the son of a butcher and innkeeper, and was initially expected to follow the family trade.

Recording & Production

This album, 'Complete Solo Piano Music, Volume 2', includes two pieces from Dvořák's Six Pieces, Op. 52, that were not published during his lifetime.

Composition History

Dvořák's music gained wider recognition and publication through the help of Johannes Brahms, who was impressed by Dvořák's Moravian Duets.

Compositional Technique

The Two Furiants, Op. 42, are based on a fast, fiery Bohemian dance characterized by time changes and a sharp hemiola rhythm.

Performer Biography

Stefan Veselka, the pianist on this recording, is related to the Czech composer Leoš Janáček.

Composer Biography

Dvořák earned his living as a viola-player in a band that later formed the nucleus of the Czech Provisional Theatre Orchestra, where Bedřich Smetana, another prominent Czech composer, was appointed conductor.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Dvořák's time as director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York was intended to provide a blueprint for American national music, following the example of Czech national music.