Echo of Songs (Cypresses), B. 152

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

Cypresses (Echo of Songs), for string quartet, 1865/1888/1927

The true provenance of Dvořák's charming 12 instrumentals for string quartet conventionally titled "Cypresses" is somewhat complicated. In 1865, a young 24-year-old Dvořák fell in love with a 16-year-old piano student (whose younger sister would eventually become his wife). In an ardent swoon of unrequited love, he composed a cycle of 18 love songs for voice and piano setting texts by a Moravian poet from a volume titled Cypresses: A Collection of Lyric and Epic Poems by Gustav Pfleger-Moravský. Dvořák spent years fiddling with the songs in various arrangements and repurposing some of their materials in other compositions. 23 years after that first flush, in 1888, Dvořák, now 47, finally sent the songs to his publisher Simrock to be published with the title "Love Songs". Around the same time, Dvořák selected 12 of the songs and transcribed them for string quartet. In the process, he changed the order resulting in the following sequence based on the original numbers: 6, 3, 2, 8, 12, 7, 9, 14, 4, 16, 17 and 18. He also provided a new title: "Echo of Songs." These remained unpublished until 1927, 17 years after Dvořák's death. It was the publisher, not Dvořák, that attached the title "Cypresses", an obvious link to the original poems by Pfleger-Moravský. This explains the three dates associated with the 12 love songs for string quartet: the original songs in 1865, the transcription for string quartet around 1888, and their final publication in 1927. While universally knows as the Cypresses, one is tempted to honor Dvořák's original poetic intention of calling them collectively "Echo of Songs" as, indeed, they are.

As Dvořák transcribed the songs quite faithfully, each of the Cypresses pursues a lyrical song form typically featuring a solo vocal line (most often in the first violin) beautifully set within the four-part texture of the string quartet. Dvořák wields the experience of composing at least 11 string quartets in these arrangements: The "accompaniments" feature rich, colorful textures using a range of string techniques, counterpoints and rhythmic nuances. Both the scoring and the endearing melodic invention of these pieces identify their composer almost immediately. While most of Cypresses express their amorous intent with gentle, lovely tunes at a moderate tempo, a few cry out in despair and anguish, agitated and dark in a manner recalling Schubert (e.g. No. 2 and No. 13 in the final numbering). Still others feature contrasts, suddenly changing from moderately paced lyricism to bright, giddy exuberance with a mercurial vitality common to much of Dvořák's music. One of his earliest compositions (in its original form), the Cypresses reveal a youthful ardor as well as mature skill with nascent features that would prevail as part of Dvořák's enduring musical personality.

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) needs no introduction. He is one of the best known composers of all time. However, today, his fame rests upon only a few of his works which are repeatedly performed in concert, while other just as deserving works languish in obscurity. Of course, concertgoers will be familiar with his Symphony No.9, From the New World, but how many know Nos. 7 and 8 which are equally as fine. In the realm of chamber music, and specifically his works for string quartet, his Op.96, "The American", is almost the only work of his ever programmed. Occasionally, Op.105 or perhaps Op.106 will be programmed, but these are only three of his 16 string quartets, of which several others, such as Op.34, Op.51, Op.61 and the Cypresses, qualify as masterworks. Sadly, these fine works are rarely if ever heard.

The Cypresses were composed in 1865 and were originally a series of 18 lyrical songs for voice and piano. The text was taken from poems by the poet Gustav Pfleger-Moravsky. These were among the 24 year old Dvořák's first compositions. In these songs he expressed his ardent love for a young woman. Highly personal, Dvořák chose never to publish the songs in their original form, yet they were too dear to him to ignore altogether and he returned to them again and again as a mature composer. He often quoted their themes in works far removed from their original format and finally thoroughly revised 12 of the songs which he released in two batches in 1882. In 1887, he took the 12 revised songs and made his famous and far more important arrangement of the works for string quartet. In these works, Dvořák, with a few minor exceptions, not only left the melodic themes intact but also did not change the harmonic and rhythmic aspects.

These lovely pieces can be played individually as encores or in a group of 4 or 5 to make a short program selection, or, of course, in their entirety. In the original edition, Dvořák chose to only publish 10 of the 12 songs, having decided that two were unsuitable. 80 years later, another publisher chose to include these two rejected songs. We have kept faith with the composer and have reprinted the original edition.