The Repertoire

Suite No. 1 in G Major for solo cello, BWV 1007

‍ ‍– Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

• I. Prelude

Shetland Set for violin and cello

– Alasdair Fraser (b. 1955) and Natalie Haas (b. 1983)

Serenade in C Major, op. 10 for violin, viola, and cello

‍ ‍– Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960)

• I. Marcia

Quartet in G minor, K. 478 for violin, viola, cello, and piano

‍ ‍– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

• I. Allegro

• II. Andante

• III. Rondo: Allegro

Quintet No. 2 in A Major, op. 81 for two violins, viola, cello, and piano

‍ ‍– Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

A masterpiece of late romantic chamber music composed in 1887, scored for piano and string quartet. It is highly regarded for its melodic richness. 

The quintet is a mixture of Dvořák's personal form of expressive lyricism with elements from Czech folk music. Characteristically, those elements include styles and forms of song and dance, but not actual folk tunes; Dvořák created original melodies in the authentic folk style.

• I. Allegro, ma non tanto: This movement opens with a noble theme in the cello and the piano provides arpeggiated chords before the ensemble shifts to a new theme in F-sharp minor and then to C major.

• II. Dumka: Andante con moto: The second movement is based on the Ukrainian and Slavic folk form known as the dumka, which alternates between slow and fast sections. It opens with a delicate, wistful piano theme in F-sharp minor.

• III. Scherzo (Furiant): Molto vivace: This movement is a spirited Furiant, a Bohemian folk dance characterized by strong rhythms. The trio section introduces interesting rhythmic interplay with passages in both three-against-four and two-against-three groupings.

• IV. Finale: Allegro: The finale is a lively rondo that opens with a burst of energy from the strings, accompanied by syncopated piano rhythms.