Antonin Dvorák, despite being much more comfortable writing for orchestra, did write several attractive, small works for solo piano, including the Humoresque that frequently shows up on classical greatest-hits collections. The piano compositions are not as well known partly because they were generally meant for home use. That's not to say that they are not constructed as well as Dvorák's concert music, just that they are a little less sophisticated. This short disc by Gena Raps includes his Eight Waltzes, Op. 54, and the ...
Read More
Antonin Dvorák, despite being much more comfortable writing for orchestra, did write several attractive, small works for solo piano, including the Humoresque that frequently shows up on classical greatest-hits collections. The piano compositions are not as well known partly because they were generally meant for home use. That's not to say that they are not constructed as well as Dvorák's concert music, just that they are a little less sophisticated. This short disc by Gena Raps includes his Eight Waltzes, Op. 54, and the Theme and Variations, Op. 36. The Waltzes began as sketches to fulfill a commission for dance music, so it is much easier to imagine these being used for dancing as opposed to Chopin's waltzes. They are still stylized dances, however, so rather than flowing along smoothly in 3/4 time, Dvorák throws in his favorite Slavonic rhythmic devices and the occasional extra beat. Raps, even though she plays with enough energy to feel the sway of the music, emphasizes the charm in these. She uses...
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.