Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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The significant and superb solo piano output of Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) remains one of the most neglected of any major Romantic Era composer, so when a new recording or edition appears it is always cause for joy.
Among the publishers, it is no surprise that Bärenreiter are the most dedicated to promoting Dvořák’s work, as they are with all Czech composers, and the most recent addition to their catalogue of this composer’s piano music arrived a few months back: a new edition of the Suite in A major Op.98, a substantial five-movement work suitable for players at diploma level.
Dvořák in America
Dvořák has been credited with establishing a national idiom that combined the European tradition with the inspiration he found in Czech, Moravian, and Slavic folk traditions. Despite the anti-Czech sentiment and criticism he sometimes received, his international standing grew throughout the 1870’s and 1880’s, during which time he composed some of his most popular and enduring works.
In 1892, Dvořák moved to America to take up the position of director at the National Conservatory of Music in New York City, a post for which he was offered an incredibly generous salary which, in the event, didn’t consistently materialise. Nevertheless, his three-year stay proved transformative, both for American music, and for the composer himself, his cultural immersion in his new setting inspiring him to fresh creative heights.
Dvořák was first introduced to traditional Spirituals by Harry Burleigh, an African-American composer whose gorgeous Through Moanin’ Pines I have previously recorded and shared here, and which I selected to include in The Joy of Graded Piano: Grade 5.
Dvořák subsequently embraced and advocated for the idea that this treasury of song, as well as Native American music, ought to serve as the cornerstone for a uniquely American musical identity.
As well as establishing the trajectory for the American music which followed, this inspired some of Dvořák’s most popular compositions. The “New World” Symphony and “American” Quartet are, in particular, infused with a profound essence of American sound and spirit, while preserving their composer’s characteristic European style.
Suite in A major
The Suite in A major Op.98 was written in just eleven days, and completed on 1st March 1894, shortly after the triumphant success of the “New World” Symphony. Writing to his publisher, Dvořák suggested it to be his best solo piano work to date, and he immediately set about orchestrating it.
The orchestral version, known as the American Suite, became established as another of Dvořák’s most popular works. However, despite the composer’s enthusiasm for it, the original solo piano version has attracted considerably less attention, and is still too rarely performed.
The Suite in A major has five movements as follows:
- Moderato
- Molto vivace
- Allegretto
- Andante
- Allegro
Fans of Dvořák’s music from this period will feel immediately at home hearing the opening Moderato: the gentle pentatonic melody punctuated by subtle syncopation as each phrase nears its cadence. I recommend listening to Inna Poroshina’s superlative recording on your preferred streaming platform.
The subsequent Molto vivace underlines the virtuosic nature that runs through much of the composer’s piano music, while the exuberant scherzo Allegretto, and the expressive lyricism of the Andante, would more comfortably have suited gifted pianists in the salon or parlour: the approachable joys of this music are certainly undeniable, but don’t underestimate the difficulty!
Still more deceptive, and again endowed with characteristic syncopation, the final Allegro (marked Vivace in the composer’s original draft), leads headlong to the Suite‘s resoundingly optimistic, playful conclusion.
The New Edition
I never conceal my enthusiasm for Bärenreiter scores, which so often combine serious academic weight with a practical, performer-friendly presentation, and frequently extend the piano repertoire with fresh, innovative editions of neglected music. This score is no exception.
Within the publisher’s vivid colour scheme, Dvořák’s piano scores have been allocated a deep orange colour, and within, Bärenreiter’s commitment to quality cream paper sporting clear, spacious music engraving is undiminished.
Iacopo Cividini’s editorial clarity is equally superb, happily maintaining the high standards that we have come to expect from the publishing house. In keeping with Bärenreiter’s urtext approach, editorial fingerings have not been added.
The publication opens with Cividini’s in-depth and highly readable Preface, which traces the history of the work and its sources, and notes that this new edition uses Simrock’s 1894 first edition as its primary source.
The Critical Commentary, including further information about the other manuscript sources, is offered as a free online resource rather than being printed within the music edition itself.
Closing Thoughts
The Bärenreiter catalogue offers benchmark editions of many of Dvořák’s important piano works, including the famous Humouresques Op.101, the Poetic Tone Pictures Op.85, and the early Silhouetten Op. 8.
The Suite in A major Op.98 is certainly a welcome addition to this library, and I hope that its reappearance in such a fine edition will encourage more to discover and perform this wonderful music.
In its orchestral form, the American Suite is a widely performed and internationally popular work. Dvořák’s original solo piano version of the Suite is no less enjoyable, and should not be missed!
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