LDV18

The Quartet in C major op.61 differs fundamentally from the earlier quartets. In his new work, Dvořák does not use a single melody that could be described as Slavonic. He found his inspiration in Beethoven and Schubert. And this absence of any Slavonic dimension sets it resolutely apart in the composer’s output. Yet it must be regarded as a new stage in the evolution of Dvořák’s language and style, and unquestionably stands out as one of his finest works of chamber music. This quartet displays a Classical sense of balance and proportions, but also an astonishing depth of reflection and expression; its perfectly shaped themes are combined with a dense formal conception throughout the four movements. The first movement, while remaining subservient to sonata form, surprises one with the almost endless development of its principal theme, the extreme diversity of the variations on it, and the constantly inventive harmonic progressions. The second movement, with the discourse in dialogue of the principal motif and its imperious chromatic modulations, is one of his most striking adagios. Beethoven seems omnipresent in the Scherzo, especially in the irrepressible rhythms of the main section. The work culminates in the fourth movement, whose passionate joy finally makes way for a turbulent coda.