Silent Woods (Dvořák)

Silent Woods (Czech: Klid) is the translated title of the composition by Antonín Dvořák initially published under the German title Waldesruhe. It is the fifth part of the cycle for piano four-hands, Ze Šumavy (From the Bohemian Forest) Op. 68, B. 133, composed in 1883. The work is also transcribed by the composer for cello and piano (B. 173) and for cello and orchestra (B. 182).^[1]

The original piano cycle Op. 68 was composed in 1883 on demand of Fritz Simrock. As it was popular in the late nineteenth century to make arrangements of popular works for other instruments, on 28 December 1891 Dvořák made an arrangement for cello and piano of the fifth piece, for a farewell concert tour he gave with violinist Ferdinand Lachner and cellist Hanuš Wihan in the first months of 1892 before embarking for the New World. The arrangement became so popular that Dvořák made a new arrangement for cello and orchestra on 28 October 1893. The arrangements were first published in the fall of 1894 by Fritz Simrock, who changed the German title given by Dvořák – Die Ruhe (The Silence), a literal translation from the Czech Klid – to Waldesruhe (Silent Woods).

Like the other pieces in Op.68, Silent Woods is a lyrical character piece, bearing the tempo marking Lento e molto cantabile for the main, dreamy theme in D♭ major, which is reprised (Lento. Tempo I) after a light intermezzo (Un pochettino più mosso) in C♯ minor.

Discography

Jacqueline du Pré, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, EMI Records (1970)
Yo-Yo Ma, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa, Sony CD (1994) and Kultur DVD (2007)
Harriet Krijgh, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Gustavo Gimeno, Capriccio (record label) (2015)

References

^ "Silent Woods (Klid), for cello &… | Details". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-12-30.

Pospíšil, Milan. Preface to: Antonín Dvořák – Waldesruhe für Klavier und Violoncello. G. Henle Verlag, München, 1999
François-René Tranchefort (1987). Guide de la musique de piano et de clavecin. Fayard.

Antonín Dvořák

Operas

Alfred (1870)
King and Charcoal Burner (1874)
The Stubborn Lovers (1874)
Vanda (1875)
The Cunning Peasant (1877)
Dimitrij (1882)
The Jacobin (1887)
The Devil and Kate (1898)
Rusalka (1901)
Armida (1904)

Orchestral music

Symphonies	No. 1 in C minor (The Bells of Zlonice) No. 2 in B♭ major No. 3 in E♭ major No. 4 in D minor No. 5 in F major No. 6 in D major No. 7 in D minor No. 8 in G major No. 9 in E minor (From the New World)
Other	A Hero's Song Carnival Overture Czech Suite Scherzo capriccioso Hussite Overture In Nature's Realm Legends My Home Nocturne in B major Othello Overture Serenade for Strings in E major Slavonic Dances Suite in A major (American) Symphonic Variations The Golden Spinning Wheel The Noon Witch The Water Goblin The Wild Dove Tragic Overture

Concertos

Cello Concerto in B minor
Cello Concerto in A major
Piano Concerto in G minor
Violin Concerto in A minor
Romance in F minor for violin and orchestra

Vocal music

Moravian Duets
Psalm 149
Saint Ludmilla
Stabat Mater
Requiem
Mass in D major
The Spectre's Bride

Chamber music

String quartets	No. 1 in A major No. 2 in B♭ major No. 3 in D major No. 4 in E minor No. 5 in F minor No. 6 in A minor Andante appassionato in F major No. 7 in A minor No. 8 in E major No. 9 in D minor No. 10 in E♭ major (Slavonic) String Quartet movement in F major No. 11 in C major No. 12 in F major (American) No. 13 in G major No. 14 in A♭ major Cypresses
String quintets	No. 1 in A minor No. 2 in G major No. 3 in E♭ major (American)
Piano trios	No. 1 in B♭ major No. 2 in G minor No. 3 in F minor No. 4 in E minor (Dumky)
Piano quartets	No. 1 in D major No. 2 in E♭ major
Piano quintets	No. 1 in A major No. 2 in A major
Other	Romantic Pieces Serenade in D minor for Wind Instruments Bagatelles Silent Woods Violin Sonata in F major Sonatina in G major String Sextet in A major Terzetto in C major Ballade