Antonín Dvořák

Biblical Songs op. 99/B. 189

BIBLICAL SONGS, Op. 99/B. 185, on texts from the Book of Psalms, were written in March of 1894, during Antonín Dvorák's (1841-1904) stay in the United States. The composer turned to the Bible against a personal background of grave and disturbing news: Hans von Bülow, the famous conductor, a close friend and ardent devotee of Dvorák, had died a month earlier in Cairo, ad Dvorák's 80-year-old father lay gravely ill in distant Bohemia - he died on March 26, two days after the last of the BIBLICAL SONGS was completed. Dvorák chose for these songs verses from the Czech version of the Book of Psalms, gradually changing from expressions of despair and supplication to jubilation. The songs were first published (with Czech, English, and German texts) in 1895, and some of the songs premiered on September 26, 1895 at Mladá Boleslav, O. Schellerova singing. Dvorák orchestrated the first five songs as Op. 99/B. 189 in 1895, which premiered in Prague on January 4, 1896, by baritione František Šír and the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by the composer. In 1914, conductor Vilém Zemánek orchestrated Nos. 6-10. This edition of all ten songs was edited by Antonín Cubr, while just Zemánek's orchestration of Nos. 6-10 have been further edited by Jarmil Burghauser and Jan Hanuš. Instrumentation: 2.0.2.0: 2.2.0.0: Timp.Perc(1): Hp: Str(9-8-7-6-5 in set): Solo A or B.