Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104, isundoubtedly one of the mostpopular works from the worldwide cello repertoire, and it is the lastcomposition by Dvorak (1841-1904) written in America during his three-year stay when he workedas thedirector of the National Conservatory of Music in New York (1892-1895). Thecomposerwas not particularly fond of the cello as a solo instrument because he wasconvinced itcould only sound wonderful in the orchestra or chamber ensemble, since only itsmiddlepitch was refined (as he once commented: 'up there it mumbles and down there itrumbles'),yet it is interesting to note that he wrote this concerto for the cello, apiece sincerely andunreservedly admired by artists and audiences the world over. This title is acritical editionbased on the composer's manuscript and is part of the first Complete CriticalEdition ofWorks by Antonin Dvorak. Only exceptionally does this edition use a more modernmethodof cello notation for direct transition from bass to treble clefs - in thesecases the cellosounds the way it is written. For this edition the composer's adaptation forpiano wassupplemented and revised by Karel Solc. The violoncello part is published in arevisionby Ladislav Zelenka, former member of the famous Bohemian Quartet.