Moravian Duets

Moravian Duets (in Czech: Moravské dvojzpěvy) by Antonín Dvořák is a cycle of 23 Moravian folk poetry settings for two voices with piano accompaniment, composed between 1875 and 1881. The Duets, published in three volumes, Op. 20 (B. 50), Op. 32 (B. 60 and B. 62), and Op. 38 (B. 69), occupy an important position among Dvořák's other works. The fifteen duets of Op. 32 are the most famous part of the cycle. Popular interest in the Moravian Duets was the starting point for subsequent works which propelled Dvořák to international fame.

In the mid-1870s when Dvořák was not yet a well-known composer, he worked as a music teacher for the family of Jan Neff, a wealthy wholesale merchant. Neff and his wife were active and enthusiastic singers. With Dvořák at the piano, they often would sing solos and duets together with their children's governess. Dvořák began to arrange the first Moravian Duets at Neff's request. He used as the source for his arrangements the collection Moravian National Songs, compiled by František Sušil (1804–1868), the pioneer collector of Moravian folk songs. Dvořák, however, did not content himself only with the musical arrangement of the folk melodies, he began to compose entirely new music for the folk-song texts.

In March 1875 Dvořák composed the first volume of Moravian Duets, the "Three Duets for Soprano and Tenor, with Piano Accompaniment, Op. 20". His sponsor, Neff, was very delighted with them and he therefore asked Dvořák to compose more duets, this time for two female voices. Dvořák again agreed and, between May 17 and 21, 1876, composed the initial five songs, "Duets for Two Sopranos", which he designated in the manuscript as II. Cycle. These duets were originally published separately as Op. 29, then later combined with the Op. 32 publication. The remainder of the second volume was composed between June 26 and July 13, 1876, for soprano and contralto this time, entitled III. Cycle, Op. 32. A year later, in September and October 1877, Dvořák wrote another four duets, published as Op. 38. Dvořák returned to his Moravian Duets several years later in 1880, rearranging selections from Op. 32 for vocal quartet. These works were given number 107 in the Burghauser catalogue. Dvořák completed his large series of duets in 1881 with a final duet, a setting of Moravian folk poetry for soprano and alto, with piano accompaniment: Na tej našej střeše laštověnka nese (Lo, a swallow winging), B. 118.

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