en-Slavonic Dances by Dvorak

At the concert, these three dances will be appreciated by both its performers and the audience. Music for the pleasure of playing and listening!

Jean-Luc Abras, Traversière Magazine n°148 - 1er trimestre 2024

Among the most famous works of the symphonic repertoire, the Slavonic Dances Opus 46 n°1 and n°3 and Opus 72 n°2 composed by Anton Dvorak are now grouped together in a collection of transcriptions for two flutes and piano produced by Jean-Christophe.

If sixteen Slavonic Dances in all were written by the Czech composer, the first eight dances are grouped together in the Opus 46 published in 1878. Given the success obtained and the encouragement of his publisher Simrok, Dvorak wrote a second part of eight new dances, opus 72, which saw the light of day eight years later. Originally composed for piano four hands echoing the Brahms's Hungarian Dances, Dvorak orchestrates his Slavic Dances himself.

This collection is based both on the original version for piano as well as on the orchestral colors which shed particular light on the genesis of the transcriptions.

Opus 46 No. 1 Presto Furiant. Furiant is a fast-tempo, three-beat Czech folk dance that often resembles the polka. By a game of hemiola, it alternates between measures in 2/4 implicit and measures in three beats.

Opus 46 No. 3 Poco allegro Polka. A popular Czech dance par excellence, this two-step dance originated in Bohemia.

Opus 72 No. 2 Allegretto grazioso Dumka. Of Ukrainian origin, the Dumka is nostalgic in character.