Piano Concerto in G minor, Op. 33

This is Dvořák's only piano concerto, and it is rarely performed because it does the opposite of what the genre usually demands: rather than showcasing the soloist as a virtuoso, Dvořák weaves the piano into the orchestral fabric as a kind of equal partner. The first movement, marked Allegro agitato, opens with an orchestral introduction before the piano enters, and the writing throughout is more concerned with colour and argument than display. Buried in the development section of that movement, horns and then oboes quietly state a rhythmic motif that closely prefigures the main theme of the New World Symphony, written nearly two decades later.

What to listen for

In the slow second movement, the opening piano theme is built almost entirely from even, unhurried note values with very little rhythmic punctuation, which gives it an unusually still, floating quality. A contrasting second theme then arrives with more melodic ornamentation and a lighter orchestral texture, shifting the mood noticeably. The finale brings a more energetic, dance-like character, pulling the work toward a direct, rhythmically driven close.

Recommended rendition

The 1976 live recording with Sviatoslav Richter as soloist and Carlos Kleiber conducting the Bavarian State Orchestra has been frequently cited for the intensity and conviction both musicians bring to this underplayed work.

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