String Quartet No. 6 (Dvořák)

Antonín Dvořák composed his string quartet number 6 in A minor, B. 40 Op. 12. in November and December 1873, finishing it on 5/12/1873.^[1] He later revised it, but at this stage left the work unfinished. After a reconstruction by Jarmil Burghauser, with minimal additions, a first recording was made by the Prager Streichquartett, for Deutsche Grammophon, in March and April 1977.^[2]

Background

The original version of Dvořák's string quartet B.40 was in one continuous movement.^[2] On revising it, probably in 1874, Dvořák began to split the music into the conventional four movements, removing one section, the Andante Appassionato B.40a, completely. He did not complete the task. For its first recording in 1977, Jarmil Burghauser found that certain passages were missing, but was able to use analogous portions from elsewhere in the piece. This process is detailed in the sleeve notes of the CD recording^[2] and summarised below. The quartet received its performance premiere on 9 October 1990, in Prague, by the Kocian Quartet.^[3]

Structure

#	Performance Marking	Tempo	Key/Notes
1.	Allegro ma non troppo	4/4	A minor/D major/A major
2.	Poco allegro	6/8	F major/B flat major
	trio		NB foot of trio marked 'scherzo DC' tho' movement as a whole is not titled 'Scherzo'
3.	Poco adagio	2/4	E major/C major/ 1 bar of 3/4 then into e major 2/4
4.	Finale. Allegro molto	2/4	A major/G flat major with triplets/A major

In order to complete the work, Burghauser's editorial insertions were as follows^[2]

1- Allegro ma non troppo: no recapitulation- adapted from exposition

2- 'scherzo': first half of the opening section- taken from first (rejected) version

4- finale: part of the exposition- taken/drawn from recapitulation, and

transition from development to recapitulation- "Only a few bars in transition from development to recapitulation were added freely".

The quartet was printed in 1983 as part of the complete critical edition of Dvořák's works.^[4]

Notes

↑ imslp.org List of works by Dvořák
1 2 3 4 Sleeve note of the Deutsche Grammophon CD Boxed Set, pp. 36-37
↑ English language version of page about Dvořák's String Quartet No 6 at a Czech site
↑ Parts published by Barenreiter/Supraphon Urtext edition/ Kriticke Vydani (H6549) in 1983

References

Burghauser, Jarmil (1977). Notes translated by John Coombs- Dvorak: The String Quartets (429-193-2) (CD Box Set). Antonín Dvořák. Germany: Deutsche Grammophon. 429-198-2, tracks 1-4.
Herbert and Trufitt, Peter J F and Ian T. Antonin Dvorak complete catalogue of works, (The Dvorak Society occasional publications no. 4), 4th revised edition, 2004. The Dvorak Society for Czech and Slovak Music. ISBN 0-9532769-4-5. p. 20/21.
Prager Streichquartett (1977). SQ No. 6 429-198-2, from Boxed Set: Dvorak Complete Works for String Quartet (CD). Germany: Deutsche Grammophon.

External links

English language version of page about Dvořák's String Quartet No 6 at a Czech site

String quartets	String Quartet No. 1 in A major String Quartet No. 2 in B♭ major String Quartet No. 3 in D major String Quartet No. 4 in E minor String Quartet No. 5 in F minor No. 6 in A minor, Op. 12, B. 40 Andante appassionato in F major B.40a No. 7 in A minor, Op. 16, B. 45 String Quartet No. 8 in E major No. 9 in D minor, Op. 34, B. 75 String Quartet No. 10 in E♭ major (Slavonic) String Quartet movement in F major String Quartet No. 11 in C major String Quartet No. 12 in F major (American) String Quartet No. 13 in G major String Quartet No. 14 in A♭ major Cypresses quartet (Dvořák)

Other	Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor (Dumky) Romantic Pieces Serenade in D minor for Wind Instruments Silent Woods Sonatina in G major String Quintet No. 2 in G major String Quintet No. 3 in E♭ major (American) String Sextet in A major Terzetto in C

Piano music

Named for Dvořák

Portal:Classical music

String quartets by Antonín Dvořák

No. 1 in A major, Op. 2, B. 8 No. 2 in B flat major, B. 17 No. 3 in D major, B. 18 No. 4 in E minor, B. 19 No. 5 in F minor, Op. 9, B.37 No. 6 in A minor, Op. 12, B. 40 Andante appassionato in F major B.40a No. 7 in A minor, Op. 16, B. 45 No. 8 in E major, Op. 80, B. 57 No. 9 in D minor, Op. 34, B. 75 No. 10 in E flat major, Op. 51, B. 92 (Slavonic) Quartet movement in F major, B. 120 No. 11 in C major, Op. 61, B. 121 12 Cypresses, B. 152 No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, B. 179 (American) No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, B.192 No. 14 in A flat major, Op. 105, B. 193

List of compositions by Antonín Dvořák

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