Classical Music | Cello Music

Recorded on 01/12/2007, uploaded on 01/12/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Dvořák made two attempts at composing a cello concerto during his career. The first, a concerto in A major, written in 1865 for a fellow member of the Bohemian Provisional Theater Orchestra, Ludiveet Peer, was abandoned before it was ever completed. Following this aborted attempt, Dvořák began to express his dissatisfaction with the instrument itself, commenting that the cello was well suited to its role in the orchestra but insufficient as a solo instrument. Several performers, including the renowned cellist Hanuš Wihan, asked Dvořák to compose a concerto for the instrument but to no avail.

Dvořák’s opinion, however, was changed during his time as head of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. In an exchange of mutual inspiration, Victor Herbert, a professor at the Conservatory, composed a Cello Concerto in E minor after having been part of the orchestra that had premiered Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony, also in E minor. In turn, Dvořák, after attending two performances of Hebert’s concerto, finally accepted Wihan’s request for a concerto. Begun in November 1894, the Cello Concerto in B minor was completed three months later in February.

Following its completion, Dvořák sent the concerto off to Wihan whom he intended to premiere the work. Wihan suggested several changes to the work, including the insertion of two cadenzas, which, in general, would increase the showmanship of the concerto. Dvořák accepted but few of these changes and only minor ones at that. Like his mentor, Johannes Brahms, Dvořák strove to create a sense of unity between soloist and orchestra, making the concerto a unified musical expression instead of a vehicle for showmanship and virtuosity. Despite his changes being unaccepted, Wihan still was to premiere the work and did so privately, with Dvořák, in 1895. However, for reasons unknown, the actual public premiere was given by Leo Stern, an English cellist, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Dvořák’s own direction.

Cast in the tradition concerto form, the Cello Concerto in B minor consists of three expansive movements. The first movement, in sonata form, embraces the Classical tradition of the double exposition with a lengthy orchestral introduction preluding the entrance of the soloist. Following the dramatic dialogue of the first movement is a lyrical Adagio, which displays Dvořák’s incredible skill for composing slow movements. Finally, the last movement, a spirited Rondo, was Dvořák’s tribute to his sister-in-law Josefina Čermakova who had recently passed away. Near the end of the movement, Dvořák quotes a melody from his first song cycle, Cypresses, which had been a favorite of Čermakova’s.

Published in 1896, Dvořák once again called on his friend Brahms to correct the proofs of his work. Upon hearing a performance of it, Brahms remarked, “If I had known that it was possible to compose such a concerto for the cello, I would have tried it myself!” Only his second attempt at composing a cello concerto, yet this time with years of experience on which to draw, Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor has become a staple piece in the literature.       Joseph DuBose

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