Dvorák, Antonín

Antonín Dvořák – Waldesruhe (Kid)

(b. Nelahozeves, 8 September 1841 – d. Prague, 1 May 1904)

Preface
At the close of 1891, Antonín Dvořák was preparing to embark upon a farewell concert tour of almost forty Bohemian and Moravian towns before leaving for New York City to serve as director of the National Conservatory of Music. Accompanying Dvořák on the tour were violinist Ferdinand Lachner and cellist Hanuš Wihan. Other than the Dumky piano trio, op. 90/B. 166, Mazurek, op. 49/B. 90, and Romantic Pieces, op. 75/B. 150, Dvořák realized that there were few chamber works for him and his fellow musicians to showcase. As a result, Dvořák composed Rondo, op. 94/B. 181, for cello and piano, arranged the E minor and G minor Slovanský tance [Slavonic dance] for violin and piano, op. 46,2/B. 170 and op. 46,8/B. 172, respectively, and arranged Waldesruhe, op. 68,5/B. 173, for violoncello and piano.

Waldesruhe is drawn from the fifth movement “Klid” of his piano cycle for (four hands) Ze Šumavy [From the Bohemian forest], op. 68/B. 133. The work was premiered during the farewell concert tour in the city of Rakovnik, located in modern day Czech Republic, on January 3, 1892 by Wihan and the composer. Waldesruhe proved to be so popular that Dvořák scored the work for solo cello and orchestra, op. 68,5/B. 182, completing the score in late October, 1893.

Dvořák originally gave Waldesruhe a German title, Die Ruhe [The silence], a literal translation of the Czech “Klid.” When published in 1894, the publisher Fritz Simrock changed the German title to Waldesruhe [Silent woods].

Waldesruhe is cast in a three-part form. Marked “Lento e molto cantabile,” the opening theme is a syncopated, descending Db major melody presented by the cello. The theme is contrasted by the orchestral accompaniment which primarily moves in quarter and half notes. In bar 16, the melody passes to the woodwinds and brings the first section to a close.

The middle section, marked “Un pochettio più mosso,” begins in bar 26. The key changes from Db major to the C# minor, an enharmonic modal change, and quickly moves to E major, back to C# minor, and briefly explores other tonal areas. A prevailing rhythm found in this section is a rising and falling triplet figure. The triplet figure, beginning on an offbeat and heard against quarter and half note motion, is reminiscent of the works syncopated opening theme. Stronger hints of the syncopated theme brings this section to a close.

The third section, beginning in bar 43, is a return to the syncopated melody in Db major, this time, marked “Lento. Tempo Le molto tranquillo.” The triplet figure introduced in the middle section continues throughout the third section, creating greater unity between the sections.

James Floyd, 2013

For performance material for the orchestral version please contact the publisher Supraphon, Prague. Reprint of a copy from the Musikbibliothek der Münchner Stadtbibliothek, München.