Antonín Dvořák (Czech; 1841-1904)—Piano Quintet No. 2, Op. 81 (1887)  

1. Allegro, ma non tanto 
2. Dumka: Andante con moto  
3. Scherzo: Molto vivace (Furiant) 
4. Finale: Allegro  

Dvořák’s first work to receive a public performance was his Piano Quintet No. 1 in A major, Opus 5, in 1872. He was scraping by as a provincial composer unknown outside of Prague. His international reputation ballooned as he developed a voice that blended the Romantic lyricism of his famous Austrian and German counterparts with his Bohemian identity.  

In 1887, he returned to his first piano quintet, but having abandoned it, had to ask a friend for a copy of the score. His revisions weren’t performed for nearly two decades after his death, but the project inspired a second quintet in A major. Opus 81 was premiered in Prague in 1888, and had the touch of a more mature Dvořák, and quickly gained a reputation as a repertoire staple. 

The cello sings a stately baritone melody over a gently rocking piano, and together, they descend into an aggressive forte with the whole ensemble. Dvořák sticks with the routine of sonata form, but feels it rhapsodic. With creative harmonic transitions and unending melodic ideas, the music pours out, organically evolving through wide-ranging moods. The exposition blends seamlessly into the generous development that covers the gamut of rhythmic reconfigurations, climactically arriving at the original melody, satisfyingly filled out by the whole ensemble.  

For centuries, minstrels traveled the Ukrainian countryside with lutes (the kobzar), performing sung epics called duma (plural dummy, diminutive dumka). Ethnographical work on the topic in the 1870s brought the genre to the attention of Dvořák, who prolifically incorporated original “dumkas” into his works, imbuing his voice with an appealing Slavic tone. Here, the viola presents the plodding melody as the piano provides the ornate lute-like accompaniment. The contrasting section provides a wistful reprieve.  

The most common translation of “furiant” is fiery, but a more nuanced description may be “swagger” or “confidence.” The exciting Bohemian men’s folk dance alternates beat patterns of twos and threes, and Dvořák often paired it with the dumka to create a lively contrast, stylizing it as a triple-meter scherzo with surprising accent patterns. The vibrant approach here transports the listener to a rural village setting, with the calming tranquillo section evoking the natural beauty of the Bohemian countryside. 

The spirited finale is flush with melodic play and even includes a developmental fugue. Dvořák navigates his identity throughout the work, with the inner movements effectively exploring national identity, and the outer movements demonstrating craft within the parameters of the classical canon. Certainly, each movement is expertly crafted, but the arch is carefully considered to softly demonstrate his nationalism with appeal to international audiences, adroitly balancing exoticism and familiarity with exceedingly technical competence.  

Ludwig van Beethoven (German; 1770-1827)—String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95, “Serioso” (1810) 

1. Allegro con brio 
2. Allegretto ma non troppo 
3. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso – Più allegro 
4. Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato – Allegro 

In 1810, Beethoven was nearing the end of what historians characterize as his middle, or “heroic” period. The year prior, Napoleon’s forces again occupied Vienna, causing Beethoven’s aristocratic supporters to flee. The defiant Beethoven remained in the city, where he slowly withdrew from social life amidst the depressing burdens of his deafness and financial insecurity. 

Opus 95 was the only quartet that Beethoven assigned a title, and was dedicated not to a wealthy aristocrat, but to his friend Nikolaus Zmeskall. These departures from his typical model set the stage for other innovations predictive of his late quartets. Beethoven challenges the conventions of the composer/listener relationship with underexplained ironies, setting up the subjective emotionalism of the Romantic era to come. The quartet is dense with formal experimentation, and his newfound interest in music of the Baroque era makes its mark with an emphasis on counterpoint.  

The opening movement’s expected sonata form is unusually condensed. The work is ignited by a binding figure, presented in an anxious unison. Beethoven churns through startling key changes throughout, and finds respite in a lyrical melody. He dismisses the expected expositional repeat, quickly moving into a short-lived development. The return of the exposition is abbreviated, and the aggressive coda ends with a sigh.  

The second movement isn’t short of harmonic intrigue. The lonesome bassline introduces a rich melody, but a stoic fugue clouds the mood. The opening melody returns with a greater intensity. The hushed closing takes a surprising turn with a final chord that ties seamlessly to the Allegro. The “Serioso” title derives from the Scherzo’s tempo marking, which is appropriately ferocious. Two contrasting trio sections have a nervous energy as simple hymn-like textures are agitated by a restless violin. 

The Larghetto solemnly introduces the final movement that hums along in a flying 6/8, wrapt in tense anxiety. Settling into an unsatisfying quietude, the movement does an about-face, launching into an explosive F major Allegro. The final flurry has caused much discourse. The expected triumph over such fraught music is a welcome echo of his heroic style, but the exaggerated jubilation bears the tone of sarcasm. This is not the winking wit of Haydn, but a new kind of musical irony: the truth is as important as the ambiguity. 

The work arises from Beethoven’s distress, but he appeared cautious about its reception. He withheld the quartet from publication until 1816, sending it to conductor Sir George Smart, hoping to broaden his appeal in the British market. Even so, he still seemed hesitant about sharing the work, requesting it never be performed in public, and that it was composed “for a small circle of connoisseurs.”  

-Chaz Stuart, 2025