Dohnányi, Debussy, Dvořák

One of the composer’s first mature pieces and arguably his best chamber work, Dohnányi’sSerenade in C major shimmers with Hungarian colors and contrapuntal inventiveness. Debussy abandoned the traditional sonata form in his String Quartet in G minor, favoring instead a cyclical form introduced by Franz Liszt that relies on the manipulation of a single, recurring motif. Colors and rhythms lead the way over structure and harmony, creating music that appeals not to the mind but the senses. Dvořák’s String Sextet in A major gained traction in major cities across Europe and America almost immediately after its Berlin premiere at a private gathering hosted by the celebrated violinist Joseph Joachim. The expanded instrumentation engenders the piece’s vibrancy, as does the folk idiom apparent in the sextet’s inner movements titled Dumka, referencing a meditative Slavic folk ballad, and Furiant, which is a fiery Czech dance.