Dvorák, Antonín Leopold . (1841 - 1904). Slavische Tänze. Op. 72. Für Pianoforte zu 4 Händen. Heft IV: Tänze 13 - 16.. Berlin: Simrock. 1886. First edition. Illustrated title page, printed in red, black and white. Lithographed. [PN] 8698. Title; 2-27 pp. In very fine condition. A scarce edition of these marvelous works in their original arrangement, published simultaneously with the composer's orchestrated versions. Fuld p. 505.
The Slavonic Dances are one Dvorák's the most frequently performed compositions. The Berlin publisher Fritz Simrock had learned about Dvorák through Johannes Brahms, and after the enormous success of Simrock's first Dvorák publication - "The Moravian Duets" - he commissioned a set of dances. Dvorák interrupted work on his "Slavonic Rhapsodies" and between March 18th and May 7th of 1878 composed the first eight Slavonic Dances. Six days after he started with the first dance, he wrote a letter to Brahms in Vienna saying: "Mr. Simrock asked me to write a couple of Slavonic dances. Not being sure how to commence, I did my best to get hold of your famous Hungarian Dances which I'm taking the liberty of using as a pattern for my Slavonic Dances.” In 1878, Simrock published both the piano and orchestra versions of the first set. They were so successful that eight years later he requested another series of dances from Dvorák and in an 1886 letter to Simrock (June 11th, 1886), the composer reported that "...everything is going smoothly now. I love working on the Slavonic Dances and believe they will be quite different (no jokes or irony!)." Composed between June 9th and July 9th of 1886, this new series - again for four-hand piano, followed by the orchestral version - was hugely successful.
The Slavonic Dances are one Dvorák's the most frequently performed compositions. The Berlin publisher Fritz Simrock had learned about Dvorák through Johannes Brahms, and after the enormous success of Simrock's first Dvorák publication - "The Moravian Duets" - he commissioned a set of dances. Dvorák interrupted work on his "Slavonic Rhapsodies" and between March 18th and May 7th of 1878 composed the first eight Slavonic Dances. Six days after he started with the first dance, he wrote a letter to Brahms in Vienna saying: "Mr. Simrock asked me to write a couple of Slavonic dances. Not being sure how to commence, I did my best to get hold of your famous Hungarian Dances which I'm taking the liberty of using as a pattern for my Slavonic Dances.” In 1878, Simrock published both the piano and orchestra versions of the first set. They were so successful that eight years later he requested another series of dances from Dvorák and in an 1886 letter to Simrock (June 11th, 1886), the composer reported that "...everything is going smoothly now. I love working on the Slavonic Dances and believe they will be quite different (no jokes or irony!)." Composed between June 9th and July 9th of 1886, this new series - again for four-hand piano, followed by the orchestral version - was hugely successful.
Dvorák, Antonín Leopold . (1841 - 1904). Slavische Tänze. Op. 72. Für Pianoforte zu 4 Händen. Heft IV: Tänze 13 - 16.. Berlin: Simrock. 1886. First edition. Illustrated title page, printed in red, black and white. Lithographed. [PN] 8698. Title; 2-27 pp. In very fine condition. A scarce edition of these marvelous works in their original arrangement, published simultaneously with the composer's orchestrated versions. Fuld p. 505.
The Slavonic Dances are one Dvorák's the most frequently performed compositions. The Berlin publisher Fritz Simrock had learned about Dvorák through Johannes Brahms, and after the enormous success of Simrock's first Dvorák publication - "The Moravian Duets" - he commissioned a set of dances. Dvorák interrupted work on his "Slavonic Rhapsodies" and between March 18th and May 7th of 1878 composed the first eight Slavonic Dances. Six days after he started with the first dance, he wrote a letter to Brahms in Vienna saying: "Mr. Simrock asked me to write a couple of Slavonic dances. Not being sure how to commence, I did my best to get hold of your famous Hungarian Dances which I'm taking the liberty of using as a pattern for my Slavonic Dances.” In 1878, Simrock published both the piano and orchestra versions of the first set. They were so successful that eight years later he requested another series of dances from Dvorák and in an 1886 letter to Simrock (June 11th, 1886), the composer reported that "...everything is going smoothly now. I love working on the Slavonic Dances and believe they will be quite different (no jokes or irony!)." Composed between June 9th and July 9th of 1886, this new series - again for four-hand piano, followed by the orchestral version - was hugely successful.
The Slavonic Dances are one Dvorák's the most frequently performed compositions. The Berlin publisher Fritz Simrock had learned about Dvorák through Johannes Brahms, and after the enormous success of Simrock's first Dvorák publication - "The Moravian Duets" - he commissioned a set of dances. Dvorák interrupted work on his "Slavonic Rhapsodies" and between March 18th and May 7th of 1878 composed the first eight Slavonic Dances. Six days after he started with the first dance, he wrote a letter to Brahms in Vienna saying: "Mr. Simrock asked me to write a couple of Slavonic dances. Not being sure how to commence, I did my best to get hold of your famous Hungarian Dances which I'm taking the liberty of using as a pattern for my Slavonic Dances.” In 1878, Simrock published both the piano and orchestra versions of the first set. They were so successful that eight years later he requested another series of dances from Dvorák and in an 1886 letter to Simrock (June 11th, 1886), the composer reported that "...everything is going smoothly now. I love working on the Slavonic Dances and believe they will be quite different (no jokes or irony!)." Composed between June 9th and July 9th of 1886, this new series - again for four-hand piano, followed by the orchestral version - was hugely successful.