Dvořák: Nocturne in B Major, Op. 40

While Professor Carol is still in the Czech Republic, let’s continue with the Czech theme for one more week. Last week we listened to Smetana. Another giant of Czech music, who followed very much in the path of Smetana, was Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904). We tend to know him best for his “New World” Symphony (Symphony No. 9), composed during Dvořák’s 3-year stint as head of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. The New World Symphony did much the same thing for American music that Smetana and Dvořák did for Czech Nationalism. It used American folk songs, or tunes reminiscent of local folk songs, to build an authentic American sound for the symphonic form.

This short Nocturne deserves a couple of repeated listenings. You will become familiar quickly with its contours and find (I think) a depth that might elude you on the first hearing. Of course, it’s always a good idea to listen to a new work twice in one sitting.

The Nocturne (night piece) tends to be a short character piece and was popular primarily in the 19th century. If you are familiar with Chopin’s Nocturnes for piano, you will find that this piece has many of the same attributes. It has a soothing melody and rich harmonies. It follows a basic three-part structure with a contrasting middle section. After a short introduction in the form of a single-line theme, Dvořák casts the entire first section (from 0:38 to 3:58) over a pedal point. A pedal point is a sustained note in the bass (think organ pedal) that remains constant despite the changing harmonies. The upper parts seem to float over this steady drone. It’s a very effective musical device.

You may remember that the ensemble, A Far Cry, was featured in an earlier post.