Dvorák’s famous Symphony from the New World abounds in melodic turns and phrases that call up the atmosphere of “Indian melodies” and spirituals. Among them are pentatonic (five-tone) tunes, and syncopated rhythms. Tender melodies from this same sound-world also reside in this Sonatina for violin and piano op. 100, written during his first residency in America between 1892 and 1894, transforming the four-movement Sonatina into a charming chamber-music piece. Dvorák dedicated the work to his children Otilie (aged 15) and Antonin (10), and it is in keeping with the abilities of the young pianist daughter and little violinist son. Nevertheless, Dvorák writes: “grown-up adults should also be able to take enjoyment in these pieces in the same way that they can”. The carefully-prepared Henle Urtext edition boasts an extensive preface concerning the source materials, and is based on the autograph and the first edition published by Simrock.
G. Henle Publishers stands for Urtext sheet music of the highest quality. The Urtext editions not only provide the undistorted and authoritative musical text but are also aesthetically pleasing, optimised for practical use and extremely durable. And then there is the strong, distinctive blue profile: (almost) all of the Urtext editions are bound in the characteristic blue cardboard.
Musicians trust Henle's blue Urtext editions because they:
- provide an undistorted, reliable and authoritative musical text
- offer superb, aesthetically appealing music engraving
- are optimised for practical use (page turns, fingerings)
- are of high quality and durable (cover, paper, binding)
- contain a short preface that introduces the work (particularly useful for AMEB exams) in German, English and French, as well as explanatory footnotes for particularly interesting passages in the score
- contain a description of the sources, an evaluation of the sources, readings and a documentation of the corrections made (= "Critical Report") in German and English, and often also in French