Antonín Dvořák was born in Mühlhausen, Bohemia (now Nelahozeves, the Czech Republic), on September 8, 1841, and died in Prague on May 1, 1904. In addition to the solo cello, Silent Woods is scored for flute, two clarinets, two bassoons, horn, and strings. Approximate performance time is five minutes.

The work known as Silent Woods originated as the fifth of Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s set of six pieces for piano duet entitled From the Bohemian Forest, Opus 68 (1884). Later, Dvořák arranged this beautiful and lyric work for cello and orchestra. Dvořák included Silent Woods as part of a concert tour with the great Czech cellist, Hanuš Wihan, to whom the composer dedicated his Cello Concerto, Opus 104 (1895). Dvořák also created a version for cello and piano. Wihan and Dvořák performed the cello-piano arrangement at a March 1892 Prague concert.

Lento e molto cantabile—The cello immediately sings the flowing, descending principal melody. The key shifts from D-flat Major to C-sharp minor for the more agitated and melancholy central section (Un pochettino più mosso). A varied reprise of the opening section (Lento. Tempo Le molto tranquillo) leads to the work’s hushed, peaceful close.

Program notes by Ken Meltzer