Legend, Op 59, No 10 for clarinet ensemble

This is the last of Dvorak’s four hands piano suite of ten short pieces, which he orchestrated shortly after publication (1880).

Authorities on Dvorak have speculated that his Legends are musical descriptions of Catholic saints, however Dvorak himself never acknowledged that they were (or were not). Still, it is interesting to speculate which saint each piece represents.

This particular one has a chorale-like opening with rubato that creates a beautiful sense of forward motion, then relaxation. The ending is in essence the same as Dvorak’s orchestral score, which features the clarinets.

Listen

Performed by CarolinaClarinet Quartet