The Caradoc Quartet, comprising local musicians Claire Tocknell (violin), Lesley Newing (violin), Mary Porter (viola) and Jane Annette (cello) are joined by Gill Styles (piano) to perform Dvořák’s Quintet for piano and strings in A major op.81.
The quintet, written in the summer of 1887 received rave reviews when it was first performed the following year.
“Musicians of the old school, musicians of the new and those of no school at all, agreed that Dvořák’s Quintet is a superb composition … perhaps a more touching passage than the return to the tempo primo in the slow movement has never been written…” The Musical World LXV111/47 (1st December 1888).
The quintet has four contrasting movements: 1 Allegro, ma non tanto, 2 Dumka: Andante con moto, 3 Scherzo (Furiant): Molto vivace and 4 Finale: Allegro.
Elements of Czech folk music are heard throughout the quintet; the second movement Dumka is based on a type of instrumental music involving sudden changes in mood from melancholy to exuberance; the third is a Furiant, a type of rapid, fiery Bohemian dance with frequently shifting accents. Although Dvořák does not include any traditional folk song tunes, his melodies are written in an authentic folk song style.
This is a wonderful work with beautiful melodies and a superb interplay between the traditional string quartet and solo piano.
