Quartet No. 12, "American"

Nineteenth-Century Czech composer Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) spent the years 1892-1895 as the director of the National Conservatory in New York City. It was during these years that Dvorak composed his Symphony No. 9, "From the New World," and the composition of his American Quartet (String Quartet No. 12) followed not long after. The quartet includes many of the same hallmarks of the symphony, particularly the liberal use of the pentatonic scale and evocation of folk songs and spirituals. This transcription includes a few judicious cuts that make it a good option for student or amateur clarinet ensembles looking for a challenging but rewarding chamber work.