Stabat Mater - Sérénade Pour Cordes [CD de audio] Prague Philharmonic Choir, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orc

Dvorak was like Anton Bruckner a firm Catholic believer. However, unlike Bruckner, Dvorák did not compose for religious occasions. It was the death of his daughter just two days after her birth in 1876 that profoundly marked the period of composition of the Stabat Mater and the work. The text comes from the 13th century, and Dvorák worked on the oratory for several years until its completion, in which all of his other children also died tragically. One can feel in the piece that Dvorák had become familiar with the oratorios of Händel and Mendelssohn. The Stabat Mater was well received by the public, and Dvorák himself conducted its English premiere in 1883. The Serenade for Strings Op. 22 is one of Dvorák's most popular works and dates from 1875. The piece is characterized by its joy of dance and melodic charm, especially in the melancholic second movement. The influence of Richard Wagner can be felt in the long, lyrical melodic lines that express Dvorák's personal melancholy and his Slavic soul in a moving way.