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
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.
Ernst von Dohnányi
Serenade in C major for String Trio, Op. 10