Books by Antonin Dvorak

The Carnival Overture, Op.92 - second of the set of three concert overtures originally entitled as "Nature, Life and Love", followed fast on the heels of its predecessor. Work started on July 28 and the piece was completed on September 12 of 1891. The first performance was given (along with its two companions) on April 28, 1892 in Prague's National Theatre with the composer conducting the resident orchestra. The original title of the overture was "Life" which was ultimately abandoned for the more poetic Karneval. The score offered here is a reissue of the 1955 critical edition of Frantisek Bartos and Antonin Cubr first published in the Dvorak complete works by the state publishing concern. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. IMSLP page Wikipedia article

The first of the three Slovanské rapsodie was composed from February 13 to March 17 of 1878 and received its premiere (along with the second) in Prague's Provisional Theatre on November 17 of the same year in a concert where Dvorak introduced himself as both composer and conductor. Rather than following a classical form, the rhapsodies were intended as absolute music to be enjoyed on their own terms, avoiding any external program. Though conceived as a set of three, the works have mainly been performed separately in the intervening years, which is actually somewhat in character with their independent nature. This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1959 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Antonin Pokorny and Karel Solc. In contrast so many of the on-demand scores now available this one comes with all the pages with each image thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable, then beautifully printed on quality stock with an attractive glossy cover.

Composed in the late summer of 1876, Dvorak's first effort at a full-blown concerto shows signs of an unusual amount of revision in the composer's hand - especially for the solo piano part. This might explain the delay in the concerto's premiere, which was given at the Provisional Theatre in Prague on March 24, 1878 with Karel Slavkovsky as soloist accompanied by the Provisional Theatre Orchestra under the baton of Adolf Cech. The composer himself wrote: "I see I am unable to write a Concerto for a virtuoso; I must think of other things."The ungainly solo part no doubt also played a role in the work's dely in publication, which didn't take place until 1883. Even after this, and despite much beauty in the music itself, performances were scarce due to the difficulty and charchter of the solo part. The solo part was revised heavily by the Czech pianist Vilém Kurz (1872-1945), whose version was premired by his daughter Ilona Kurzová and the Czech Philharmonic on December 9, 1919 and is the one most often performed today.This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1956 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Jiri Berkovec and Karel Solc, which includes both the composer's original solo part and the re-arranged one made by Kurz. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. The matching large score and orchestral parts are now also available from Serenissima Music.

Last of the four late tone poems inspired by Bouquet, a collection of ballads by Karel Jaromir Erben based upon Czech folklore, Wild Dove was composed from October 22 to November 18 of 1896 and given its first performance in Brno on March 20, 1898 under the direction of Leos Janacek. The four tone poems were awarded first prize by the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1899. This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1955 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Antonin Pokorny and Karel Solc. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. IMSLP page Wikipedia article

The composer worked on this symphonic poem from January to April of 1896. The title refers to a Czech folk ballad in which a king falls in love with Domicka while riding and requests his step-mother to bring the young woman back to his castle. The evil step-mother and her daughter kill the hapless girl, with the daughter disguises herself as Domicka, marrying the king just before his departure to war. A magician finds Domicka's remains in the forest and tricks the false bride to give up the missing part of Domicka's remains in return for a Golden Spinning Wheel. The work was premiered in London on October 26, 1896 with Hans Richter conducting the London Symphony. This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1958 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Jarmil Burghauser. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. IMSLP page Wikipedia article

The third of the four late tone poems inspired by "Bouquet", a collection of ballads by Karel Jaromir Erben based upon Czech folklore, The Noon Witch was composed from January 11 to February 27 of 1896 and formally premiered in London on November 21 of that year under the baton of HHenry Wood. This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1958 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Jarmil Burghauser. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. Matching full score and orchestral parts are also available from Serenissima Music.

The first of four late tone poems inspired by "Bouquet", a collection of ballads by Karel Jaromir Erben based upon Czech folklore, The Water Goblin was composed from January 6 to February 11 of 1896. The folk legend concerns a horrific tale about a water goblin who pulls a girl beneath a lake when she ventures too close, fathers a child with her and ultimately murders the child when the girl attempts to escape his watery lair. The four tone poems, with their connections to Czech folklore, were awarded first prize by the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1899. This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1958 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Antonin Cubr. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. IMSLP page Wikipedia article

Dvorak had long refused the repeated requests for a cello concerto from his friend, the renowned cellist Hanus Wihan (1855-1920) until he attended the premiere of Victor Herbert's second concerto in New York in the fall of 1894 during his tenure as director of the National Conservatory. The second movement of Herbert's concerto was in B minor, which might have been a factor in Dvorak's choice of the same key for his own concerto, which was started in New York on November 8, 1894 and completed on February 8 of the following year. Despite the dedication to Wihan, the first performance was given by the English cellist Leo Stern in London's Queen's Hall on March 19, 1896 with the composer conducting the London Philharmonic. This new study score is a reprint of the critical edition prepared by Fratisek Bartos for the Collected Works issued by the Czech State Publisher in 1955. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. IMSLP page Wikipedia

Orchestra: 2+1, 2, 2, 2 - 4, 2, 3, 0, timp, strISMN: 979-0-58021-069-2

Comissioned by the Committee for the Completion of the National Theatre, Dvorak composed this work in exactly one month (August 9 to September 9) of 1883. The original plan was as an introduction to a proposed triology set the the Hussite era by the Theatre's director Frantisek Subert. Subert never completed the project, but the overture was premiered at a gala concert in National Theatre on November 18 with Moric Anger conducting. This new study score is a digitally enhanced reissue of the full score first published in 1957 by the Czech State Publishers as part of the Dvorak collected works, edited by Antonin Pokorny and Karel Solc. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. The matching orchestra parts and large score are also now available from Serenissima Music.

Dvorak composed this deservedly popular work 1878 shortly after the premiere of his opera The Cunning Peasant. Scored for a 'harmonie' ensemble of 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 horns and contrabassoon, with an cello and string bass added to support the bass line. The composer conducted the premiere on November 17, 1878 in a concert of his music held in Prague's Provisional Theatre. Published early the next year, it has been in the repertoire ever since. The score offered here is a reissue of the 1956 critical edition of Frantisek Bartos. In contrast so many of the on-demand scores now available this one comes with all the pages with each image thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable, then beautifully printed on quality stock with an attractive glossy cover. The matching large score and parts are also available from Serenissima Music.

Composed over the space of just 12 days (May 3-14, 1875), Dvorak's five-movement serenade has been a favorite since its first performance was given in Prague under the baton of Adolf Cech with the combined string sections of the orchestras of the Czech and German theatres. The new study score offered here is a digitally-enhanced reprint of the score first issued in 1955 as part of the Dvorak complete works by the Czech State publishing house SNKLHU, edited by Frantisek Bartos. Available now for the first time in an affordable, easy-to-read size. Unlike so many of the on-demand scores now available, this one comes with all the pages and the images have been thoroughly checked to make sure it is readable. The score is beautifully printed on off-white stock with a quality cover IMSLP page Wikipedia article