The Prague Symphony Orchestra will enter the new year with Dvořák’s Slavic Dances
The traditional New Year’s concert of the Symphony Orchestra m Prague FOK will include the music of Antonín Dvořák, which will be performed in the Smetana hall of the Municipal House under the baton of FOK chief conductor Tomáš Brauner.
In 1878, the important Berlin music publisher Simrock published the Moravian Duets on the basis of the intercession of the then already famous Johannes Brahms Antonín Dvořák. Because they met with an extraordinary response, an experienced businessman sensed significant commercial potential in the hitherto unknown Czech author and invited her to compose a cycle of four-hand piano pieces in a similar spirit. Playing the four-handed piano was a popular pastime in the burghers’ salons at the time, and therefore the demand for new compositions of this type was always guaranteed. Simrock requested Czech dances, which were supposed to be a counterpart to Brahms’ already famous Hungarian Dances. Dvořák immediately set to work and, judging by the preserved sketch of the first line, the initial sketch of the work was perhaps only a matter of a few hours. The whole composition then took three weeks. Parallel to the piano form Slavic dances then Dvořák immediately started writing their orchestral versions as well.
Although the Dvořák Dances were originally intended to be a period of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, which are actually variations on existing folk tunes, Dvořák ultimately decided to compose a highly stylized cycle in the spirit of folk music, but using his own themes. Piano version of the first row Slavic dances it was published by Simrock as early as August 1878, royalty-free. Dvořák received it only for the orchestral version, which was published in the same year. In its four-hand piano form, the Slavonic Dances were played mainly at home concerts in town halls, the orchestral version of the work literally became a household name on Czech and European concert stages overnight. In just the first year since its publication, the Dances were performed in Prague, Dresden, Hamburg, Nice, Berlin, London, Braunschweig, Pilsen, Chemnitz, New York, Bonn, Boston, Graz, Cologne, Luzern, Oldenburg and Tábor.
Dvořák’s Slavic Dances are a frequent and rewarding concert addition, whether in the piano version, chamber arrangements, or orchestral version, but performances of both complete series are rare. However, they are traditionally listed at New Year’s concert of the Symphony Orchestra m Prague FOK. It won’t be heard this year either, under the baton of the chief conductor of the Prague Symphony Tomas Brauner will be heard in the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House on Sundays as well January 1, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
What does he have? Tomas Brauner relationship to the music of Antonín Dvořák, which will also be heard at his other concerts with the FOK in February 2023, and how I evaluate the autumn part of this season of the Symphony Orchestra hl. m Prague FOK? He will reveal during the holiday season in an interview with Martina Klausová at Classic Prague. The premiere is ready for Sunday, December 25 at 4:30 p.m. You can listen to the replay on Monday, December 26 at 11:30 a.m.
Photo: Petra Hajská