About this edition
Antonín Dvořák's three Slavonic Rhapsodies, Op. 45, composed in 1878, followed close on the triumph of the first set of Slavonic Dances and carried the composer's newly Bohemian voice from the salon onto the symphonic stage. Rather than quoting folk tunes, Dvořák invents his own themes in the spirit of Czech epic poetry and dance: the martial brilliance of the D major, the brooding G minor with its wistful march episode, and the luminous A-flat major, whose celebrated harp solo evokes a bard tuning his instrument before reciting a tale. Together they form a compact orchestral trilogy that displays Dvořák's melodic generosity, vivid instrumentation, and instinct for national color at the moment his international reputation was taking flight.
This volume reproduces the first edition issued by N. Simrock of Berlin in 1879, engraved from plates 8077, 8080, and 8083. Simrock had published the Slavonic Dances the previous year at the urging of Johannes Brahms, and the firm swiftly became Dvořák's principal publisher; the Rhapsodies appeared under its imprint at the beginning of a collaboration that would shape the rest of the composer's career. The works were quickly taken up across Europe, with Joseph Joachim leading the Third Rhapsody in Berlin. As the earliest published version, the Simrock full score long served as the standard performing text and remains an essential witness to the music's original form.
About this edition:
- Format: complete full orchestral score of all three rhapsodies
- Reproduced from the 1879 N. Simrock first edition, a public domain source
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Clean, readable engraving suitable for study, teaching, and conducting
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition reproduces a public domain historical score, bringing a cornerstone of the Czech orchestral repertoire into an affordable, well-made printing. We hope it serves conductors preparing a performance, students tracing Dvořák's growth, and everyone who simply loves this music.
