From humble beginnings to stardom, Antonin Dvořák straddled two centuries, two continents, rural and urban sensibilities and folk styles inspired by Czech and Slavic traditional music as well as by an American sojourn. At home in different worlds, his sublime String Quartet No. 12  the “American” was composed in Spillville Iowa during a blissful vacation, and legitimized utilizing folklore, spirituals, and vernacular art as material for the next generation of American classical composers. The Piano Quintet, a masterwork of Romantic-era chamber music, stands as one of the twin peaks of the repertoire written for piano and string quartet (Brahms’s Quintet being the other!). Brahmsian depth, Eastern European folk flavor and sheer melodic beauty characterize this joyful work. Also, a taste of Dvořák’s vocal output with selections from his Biblical Songs, the Gypsy Songs cycle and others reflecting his abiding affection for Czech and Bohemian culture.

Anna Polonsky, piano; Miranda Cuckson and Giora Schmidt, violins; Helena Baillie, viola; Yehuda Hanani, cello; Tyler Duncan, baritone

Tickets on sale in early September.