String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 ‘American’

​Antonin Dvorak in 1893 composed one of the most popular string quartets in the chamber music repertoire during his stint in the United States. He was the director of the National Conservatory in New York and was on a summer vacation then, in the Czech village of Spillville, Iowa. Dvorak finished the quartet in thirteen days. The melodies reflect those from his ‘New World Symphony’ which he completed just before starting the composition of this quartet. He wrote, “When I wrote this quartet ….. I wanted to write something for once that was very melodious and straightforward, and dear Papa Haydn kept appearing before my eyes, and that is why it all turned out so simple.”

Here are two albums to begin with:

​Dvorak String Quartets G major Op. 106 & F major Op. 96 ‘American’, Pavel Haas Quartet. Release Date: 1 Nov 2010. Label: Supraphon.

Dvorak American String Quartet & Quintet, Skampa Quartet. Release Date: 30 Jun 2017. Label: Champs Hill Records.

Dvorak String Quartet American & Smetana String Quartet No. 1, Wihan Quartet, Release Date: 5 Aug 2022. Label: Nimbus.

​Dvorak String Quartet American & String Quintet, Keller Quartet. Release Date: 17 Sept 2002. Label: Apex.

Reference: Schwarm, B., (2013), American Quartet Work by Dvorak, Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/American-Quartet