Violin Sonatina (Dvořák)

The Sonatina in G Major for Violin and Piano, Op 100 Antonín Dvořák wrote between 19 November and 3 December 1893 in New York. It is the last chamber music work, which he wrote on American soil.

It is dedicated to his children, especially the fifteen- year-old Ottilie and the ten-year Tonik, whose musical and reproductive skills she was adjusted. Dvořák himself characterizes the work in his letter to Fritz Simrock from January 2, 1894 as follows: "They ( Sonatina ) is intended for youth ( my two children dedicated ), but also large that adults should, talk with how they just can ... "

All four little phrases that have a structural, simple and clear structure, contain topics that, as the quartet in F major for 2 violins, viola and cello, Op 96, and the Quintet in E flat major for 2 violins, 2 violas and cello op 97, typical for Indian melodies and spirituals turns to fall back ( pentatonic, syncopated rhythm, etc.).

Released in 1894, it is by Simrock in Berlin.

A performance of the work usually takes about 18 minutes.

Genesis

The transcript of the sketch was made from 19 to 23 November 1893, the score of the first set was from 23 to 24, the second and third sets until 25 November and the fourth set until December 3, 1893 all in New York.

Record descriptions

1st movement: Allegro risoluto

3/4-time, Tonality: G major

The first movement is in the form of a sonata, which brings three issues on the development in the exposition. The main theme is one of three motivic elements composite, zweiunddreißigtaktiges song. It feed directly into the secondary theme in E minor, brings accompanied by undulating triplets imitations of the two instruments. The triplet is then transferred to the final theme. The implementation is kept relatively short and mainly processes the beginning of the main theme. The recapitulation then goes into a quiet final coda.

2nd movement: Larghetto

2/4-cycle, Key: G Minor

The opening melody of the second set to Dvorak while looking at the sparkling play of colors of the waterfall at Minnehaha Falls Saint Paul have recorded in Minnesota. It is followed by a made ​​up of two elements motivic phrase in B- flat major. This is followed by a brief interlude in G major, which sounds simple and Seeming over a pedal point. The set closes with the repetition of the opening theme. The painful, feeling thoughtful melody had this set are very popular, which the publisher Simrock prompting to publish it as an arrangement for various instruments under various names such as Indian Canonzetta, Indian lament, Indian lullaby etc.. This was done without knowledge of the composer.

3rd movement: Molto vivace

3/4-time, Tonality: G major

The third movement is a scherzo with perfectly symmetrical corner parts that begin with a strongly rhythmic motif. The trio is quiet in the first eight bars, then increases but by syncopated accents.

4th movement: Allegro molto, molto tranquillo, Allegro molto, molto tranquillo

2/4-cycle, Tonality: G major

In the fourth movement Dvořák falls back to the sonata form. The main theme undergoes a syncopation in the third cycle, which is repeated addressed in the following link thoughts. The dotted rhythm of the second subject, which stands as the second theme of the first movement in E minor, similar to the main theme of the first movement of the Quintet in E flat major, Op 97 and is referred to by Šourek as American peculiarity. The exhibition closes with a new theme in E- flat major, which surprises by its slow tempo ( Molto tranquillo ). The execution brings exclusively the main theme for development. In the recapitulation, the second theme appears in G minor, and the closing theme, also Molto tranquillo, in G major. The coda, which grows out of the first two bars of the main theme, increases in tempo as in the dynamics.