Composer

:

Antonin Dvorák

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Ballad

Publication Date

:

ca. 1884

Average_duration

:

6:07

Antonin Dvorák's Ballad for violin and piano in D minor, B. 139, Op. 15/1, was composed in 1879 and premiered in Prague the same year. The piece is in three movements and has a total duration of approximately 10 minutes. The first movement, marked Allegro ma non troppo, begins with a melancholic and lyrical violin melody accompanied by a simple piano accompaniment. The music gradually builds in intensity, with the violin and piano engaging in a dialogue of increasing complexity. The movement reaches a climax before subsiding into a quiet and reflective coda. The second movement, marked Lento ma non troppo, is a mournful and introspective adagio. The violin sings a long and expressive melody over a sparse piano accompaniment, with occasional interjections from the piano. The movement is characterized by its emotional intensity and its use of chromaticism and dissonance. The final movement, marked Allegro giocoso ma non troppo, is a lively and playful scherzo. The violin and piano engage in a lively and virtuosic dialogue, with the music alternating between fast and slow sections. The movement is characterized by its rhythmic energy and its use of syncopation and hemiola. Overall, Dvorák's Ballad for violin and piano in D minor is a highly expressive and emotional work that showcases the composer's gift for melody and his mastery of the violin and piano as solo instruments. The piece is notable for its use of chromaticism and dissonance, as well as its rhythmic vitality and virtuosic passages.

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