The slow movement of the Piano Trio Op. 65 reflects Dvořák's personal grief, as his mother had died six weeks before he began composing it.
Composer's Artistic Vision
At one point in his career, Dvořák tended to suppress the Czech elements in his music, embracing a more Germanic style, perhaps due to the pressure of international commissions.
Composer Biography
Dvořák composed six piano trios, but only four of them have survived to the present day.
Compositional Technique
The 'Dumky' Trio is unique for its six movements, all of which are 'dumky,' a capricious instrumental form alternating between melancholic and excited passages, derived from a type of epic ballad.
Composition History
Dvořák's international career was launched after Johannes Brahms noticed him and introduced him to his publisher, Fritz Simrock, in 1878.
Composer Biography
The year Dvořák completed the 'Dumky' Trio (1891) was one of the most significant in his career, including the premiere of his Requiem and multiple honorary doctorates.
Compositional Technique
The finale of the Piano Trio Op. 65 features the furiant, a fast Czech folk dance in triple time, which Dvořák frequently incorporated into his works.
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