Dvořák - Silent Woods, Op. 68 No. 5, for Cello and Orchestra

Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904) Silent Woods, Op. 68 No. 5, for Cello and Orchestra Composed in 1883; premiered for cello and orchestra in 1896 in London Performed by Yo-Yo Ma (b. 1955), cello, with the Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Lorin Maazel (1930-2014) Recorded in 1986 at the Philharmonie, West Berlin Antonín Dvořák’s Klid (Silent Woods), Op. 68 No. 5, was originally composed in 1883 as part of a six-piece cycle for piano four-hands titled Ze Šumavy (From the Bohemian Forest). In 1891, at the request of the cellist Hanuš Wihan (1855-1920), Dvořák orchestrated the fifth piece, Klid, arranging it for cello and orchestra. This evocative work, which reflects the quiet beauty of the Bohemian woods, has since become a staple of the cello repertoire, frequently performed both as a standalone concert piece and in conjunction with his Cello Concerto in B minor.