Bagatelles Op.47 For Piano Quartet

Dvorak was working on his first series of Slavonic Dances when it was requested that he write a piece for a private circle of chamber enthusiasts, musician friends with whom the composer occasionally performed as violist or harmonium player. Over thecourse of a few days in May 1878 he produced a quartet for two violins, cello and harmonium, originally entitled Malickosti (Bagatelles); the printed version later introduced the title Bagatelles. Although the themes are less complicated and fewerdemands are made on the players, this cannot be described as music "in a simpler style". The score and parts, published as part of the first Complete Critical Edition of Works by Antonin Dvorak, were edited for publication by Frantisek Bartos.