Piers Lane, the pianist on this album, has performed in over forty countries and five times as a soloist at the BBC Proms in London's Royal Albert Hall.
Composition History
The contemplation of Dvořák's first piano quintet led him to compose his second piano quintet, which he completed in just over six weeks in 1887.
Composer Biography
During the 1860s, Dvořák lived in considerable poverty, earning a living by playing viola in the Czech theatre in Prague and teaching music.
Composition History
Dvořák's Piano Quintet No. 1 in A major, Op. 5, composed in 1872, almost did not survive because he tore up and burned his own manuscript, but a copy had been made.
Compositional Technique
Dvořák did not own a piano at the time he composed his first Piano Quintet, yet he handled the combination of piano and strings with confidence.
Notable Performances
The premiere of Dvořák's Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81, took place on January 8, 1888, in Prague, featuring four of the finest Czech string players and conductor Karel Kovarovic at the piano.
Compositional Technique
The slow movement of Dvořák's Piano Quintet No. 2 is titled 'Dumka,' a favorite form of the composer that alternates slow and faster sections.
