SLAVONIC DANCES Op. 72, No. 2 (e-minor)

“The music of the people is like a rare and lovely flower growing amidst encroaching weeds. Thousands pass it, while others trample it under foot, and thus the chances are that it will perish before it is seen by the one discriminating spirit who will prize it above all else. The fact that no one has as yet arisen to make the most of it does not prove that nothing is there.” Antonin Dvorak About Antonin Dvorak: • Born September 8, 1841 in Bohemia, part of past Austrian Empire and today’s Czech Republic • Died May 1, 1904, in Prague, capital of Czech Republic • Classic example of “late bloomer”: son of local butcher spent first twenty years of his life as freelance musician, as a violist and organist, and playing in dance bands, church, and opera orchestra • was the first who recognized his extraordinary gift for creating beautiful melodies. • From 1892-1895, Dvorak directed the National Conservatory of Music in NYC. • His main goal in America was to discover American music and to engage young American composers with the music of their land.

Dvorak’s music: • Symphonies (9 in total): From the New World (Symphony # 9): used elements from American music such as spirituals and Native American music • Choral works: (90 minutes long vocal-instrumental sacred work • Concerti: Concerto & Concerto • Operas: • Song cycles: Gypsy Songs • Chamber music: string quartets; American String Quartet

Slavonic Dance Op. 72, No. 2: • Second piece in the second set of Slavonic Dances (8 dances in each set) • Both sets inspired by Czech folk songs, which coincided with a period of intense nationalistic fervor in Central and Southern Europe • Base on the dance called Starodavny (Old Times) • Originally composed for piano duet (in 1886) and arranged for orchestra on the urge of Dvorak’s publisher Simrock (1887) • Premiered on January 6, 1887 at the Czech National Theatre in Prague

Musical elements: • Melody: three melodies of different character • Rhythm: meter 3/8 and no meter changes; lot of dotted rhythms; tempo Allegretto grazioso with lot of tempo changes • Harmony: in e-minor with occasional modulations; ends with E major chord • Form: modified rondo form overall with many repeated sections • Texture: homophonic with polyphonic interplays • Sonority: full symphony instrumentation with tuba or ; only triangle • Expressive elements: o Dynamics: from ppp (end of the piece) to f but never ff; lot of sf o Articulations: lot of portato markings (portare is Italian for “to carry over); lot of tenuto markings o Agogical changes (tempo changes): lot of rit. And going back to A tempo

Technical consideration: • Playing in high registers. What does that mean on your instrument? ______• Accidentals: What does that mean on your instrument? ______• Off beat counting. What does that mean to you? ______

Heart of the piece: After learning about the composer and the piece, and after playing the piece for several weeks, what in your mind and heart this piece communicates to us as musicians and how could we communicate what we know and feel to our audience? ______