Josef Suk

4 Pieces Op. 17

Josef Suk (1824-1935) was a bit in the shadow of the two famous Czech composers Antonín Dvorák and Bedrích Smetana. This affected Suk especially because Dvorák was also his father-in-law, a fact that made his artistic emancipation all the more difficult. After Dvorák's death, however, he rapidly succeeded in finding his own musical language and in going his way as a musician. Josef Suk, like his recently deceased grandson of the same name, was also a violinist, working in particular as second violin of the Czech String Quartet founded in 1891. He wrote, surely for his own personal use, '4 Pieces for Violin and Piano' Op. 17 published in 1900 - a highly romantic music spiced with Bohemian sounds. Exciting performance pieces which are rewarding for both instrumentalists.