After a twelve-year interval Dvo ák once again turned his attention to the String Quartet in summer 1893. He had been musical director in New York since autumn 1892 and spent the summer in Spillville (Iowa) where agroup of Czech immigrants had settled thus making him feel at home. The beautiful natural surroundings led him to write this unconventional String Quartet in the tradition of Beethoven?s ?Pastoral? even down to the imitation ofbirdcalls. Since the first performances certain rhythmic and melodic characteristics have been traced back to the influences of the folk music of Native Americans and African Americans which led to the soon popular workbeing called the ?American Quartet?. For the first time since 1955 the Quartet is once again being published in an Urtext edition.

Complete Edition-22 Fiddle tunes from the golden age of sail featuring dance tunes shanties (work songs) recreational ?forebitters? and composed melodies which give the landlubber?s take on the romance of the sea. Edward Huws Jones explains that ?during the heyday of sail the busiest sea-routes of all were the North Atlantic crossings especially between Liverpool and the American cotton ports; it was the heady mixture of African-American and Irish music which gave birth to the mid-century flowering of the sea shanty. Meanwhile English-speaking vessels were sailing to the Cape India Australia and many other far-flung destinations carrying a two-way traffic of song and dance.?Thetunes in this collection can all be played as unaccompanied Fiddle tunes which is how they would have been played in the days of sail. But as in other books in the Fiddler series the flexible format allows a wide variety of different combinations and ensembles. Suitable for intermediate and elementary standard performers.

During his time in America (1892-95) Dvorák suffered with homesickness. It was whilst living in New York that he began his String Quartet In A Flat Major but he did not complete the piece until afterhis return to Bohemia in December 1895.There is no trace of the influence of Indian or African-American music in this his final chamber work; rather the piece is striking for the amount of cantabile themes and motives and their contrasting and artistic treatment. It seems that his relief at seeing his children and family again directly influenced the work. Dvorák himself wrote in a letter during its composition that 'Almighty God hasgranted us this cheerful moment and thus we all feel unutterably happy'.This Henle publication is the first Urtext edition of the Quartet since 1955.