《"Appassionato”from Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op.17, No. 2》

Josef Suk (1874-1935)

A Czech violinist and composer, Josef Suk was Dvořák’s most prized pupil, and subsequently married his daughter. With his works heavily influenced by Viennese composers of an earlier era, notably by those of Schubert and Brahms, his strong personality and immense creativity has already been sensed even in his earlier works. After his marriage in 1898, his works became more emotional, and his use of harmony became more mature. Later in life, he began to make more use of Slav folk music in his works, helping to inject new vitality into Czech music; this use of folk music can be seen in many of his later works. Suk was a prolific composer, and is still regarded as a national icon in the Czech Republic to this day. The time when Suk was a member of the Czech Quartet (1892–1933) was one of his most creative periods, a time when he composed a large number of chamber pieces. He finished four pieces for violin and piano in the spring of 1900, and subsequently performed them with the Czech Quartet in Western Europe and in Russia. These pieces reflect the romanticism typical of Suk’s work and influence of Slav folk music. work and influence of Slav folk music.