Greenville Symphony

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Program Notes

Guest Artists

Dvořák’s American String Quartet

February 14 & 15, 2026

Program

Lee Mills, Music Director
Thomas A. and Shirley W. Roe Podium Fund

Gunter Theatre
Saturday, February 14 | 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 15 | 3:00 pm

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Miguel del Águila (1957-) Wind Quintet No. 2 I. Back in Time II. In Heaven III. Under the Earth IV. Far Away		25’

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op.96, “American” I. Allegro ma non troppo II. Lento III. Molto vivace IV. Finale: vivace ma non troppo		15’

Program Notes

Dvořák’s American String Quartet
Program Notes by Paul Hyde

Wind Quintet No. 2
Miguel Del Aguila (born 1957)

Miguel del Aguila was born in Uruguay and became a naturalized American citizen. He is widely recognized for his contributions to contemporary American music.

Del Aguila’s Wind Quintet No. 2 is a compact, theatrical journey in four contrasting movements that fuses ritual, dance, darkness, and exotic color within a roughly 25-minute span.

Composed in 1994 and premiered that year, the work was recognized for its vivid storytelling and craftmanship, receiving a Kennedy Center Friedheim Award in 1995. Del Aguila treats the quintet as a dramatic ensemble rather than a collection of solo instruments. Del Aguila expands the expressive range of the wind quintet through four distinct and vividly colorful movements.

The first movement, “Back in Time,” has an ancient, primitive character. It opens with a simple theme for flute, establishing a ritualistic atmosphere. The music’s simple melodic cells are transformed through shifting textures but retain a sense of an ancient song.

“In Heaven” follows as a delicate, stylized Caribbean dance with novel effects for a movement that is spirited and often whimsical.

“Under the Earth” is a dark, mournful and even frightening depiction of death that emphasizes the low registers of the ensemble. As del Aguila writes of this movement, “The wind quintet is often thought of as an ensemble dominated by the high instruments with limited bass support. I tried to prove the contrary with this movement which explores not only the expressive depth of the wind ensemble but the extreme low registers of some of the instruments.”

The finale, “Far Away,” offers a striking contrast, bursting into an energetic, Middle Eastern–tinged scene that layers Arabic inflections, oboe solos, and a recurring drone resembling a didgeridoo to produce an exotic, feverish texture with considerable interplay among the instruments that leads to a fiery conclusion.

The piece succeeds through theatrical pacing, knowledgeable wind writing, and a keen ear for cross-cultural gestures. Its narrative clarity and technical daring make it a staple of the contemporary quintet repertoire.

String Quartet No. 12, ‘The American’
Antonin Dvorák (1841-1904)

Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 — commonly known as the “American Quartet” — is a radiant fusion of European craftsmanship and American inspiration. The work includes the sort of memorable tunes and exuberant rhythms that often characterized Dvorak’s music.

Composed in 1893 during Dvořák’s summer stay in Spillville, Iowa, this quartet reflects the composer’s fascination with the musical landscape of the United States, particularly the folk traditions of Native Americans and African Americans.

Dvořák had come to America to serve as director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. His time in Spillville, a Czech immigrant community, offered a peaceful retreat and a sense of cultural familiarity. It was here, shortly after completing his Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” that he wrote the quartet in just over two weeks. Despite its nickname, Dvořák never explicitly labeled the piece “American,” but the moniker stuck due to its distinctive character and context.

The quartet is structured in four movements, each brimming with melodic charm and rhythmic vitality.

The first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, opens with a buoyant theme introduced by the viola, followed by a lively interplay among the strings. The music is infused with pentatonic (five-note) scales and syncopated rhythms, evoking the spirit of the Native American music and spirituals Dvorak heard while visiting America.

The second movement, Lento, offers a soulful, contemplative melody that some scholars believe echoes African American spirituals. Its serene atmosphere contrasts beautifully with the energetic outer movements.

The third movement, Molto vivace, is a spirited scherzo that showcases Dvořák’s gift for rhythmic invention. Its dance-like motifs and playful exchanges between instruments suggest influences from both Czech and American folk traditions.

The finale, Vivace ma non troppo, is a rondo that brings the quartet to a jubilant close. Some have interpreted its rhythmic drive as reminiscent of a train journey — a nod to Dvořák’s travels across the American Midwest.

What makes the “American” Quartet so enduring is its seamless blend of cultural elements. Dvořák didn’t merely imitate American music; he absorbed its essence and wove it into his own style and vocabulary. The result is a work that feels both familiar and fresh, rooted in tradition yet open to new horizons. Today, the quartet remains a staple of the chamber music repertoire, celebrated for its warmth, lyricism and cross-cultural resonance.

Paul Hyde, a longtime arts journalist, is an English instructor at Tri-County Technical College. He writes regularly for the Greenville Journal, the S.C. Daily Gazette, EarRelevant, ArtsATL, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Readers may write to him at paulhydeus@yahoo.com

Guest Artists