Silhouettes op.8

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Silhouetten op.8 is a cycle for piano solo by Antonín Dvořák .

Emergence

In the autumn of 1879 Antonín Dvořák composed these 12 silhouettes . After the success of his work Slavonic Dances , he promised his publisher Fritz Simrock that he would primarily have his subsequent works published by him. However, he wanted Dvořák to have this work published by the publisher Franz Hofmeister in Leipzig, so Dvořák gave this work cycle a low number of opuses.

In nine of the twelve silhouettes, the composer uses his own themes from his first two symphonies and the song cycle “ Zypressen ”; for the remaining three pieces he used other works, probably from 1865. For the first, fifth, eighth, eleventh and twelfth silhouettes, he used themes from his first symphony ; in the third and sixth silhouettes Dvořák uses material from his 2nd symphony . In the middle part of the first silhouette, he uses his theme from the song “I stand here in the deep forest” (based on poems by Gustav Pfleger-Moravský ) from his song cycle “Zypressen”. Three years after its publication in 1880, Theodor Kirchner arranged this work for piano four hands.

Silhouettes

  1. Allegro feroce (C sharp minor, 6/8)
  2. Andantino (D flat major, 4/4 time)
  3. Allegretto (D flat major, 2/4)
  4. Vivace (F sharp minor, 3/4)
  5. Presto (F sharp minor, 3/4)
  6. Poco sustenuto (B flat major, 6/8)
  7. Allegro (D major, 6/8)
  8. Allegretto (B minor, 2/4)
  9. Allegro (B major, 2/4)
  10. Allegro grazioso (E minor, 6/8)
  11. Allegro moderato (A major, 3/4)
  12. Allegro feroce (C sharp minor, 6/8)

literature

  • François-René Tranchefort: guide de la musique de piano et clavecin , éd. Fayard p. 339-340
  • Antonín Dvořák: Silhouettes op.8. Piano . Editio Supraphon. In: Prague. 1981. Preface: XI – XII: Otakar Šourek.