Slavonic Dances No. 10 in E minor, Op. 72, no. 2 (B145/2)
Antonín Leopold Dvořák (1841-1904)
Written In: 1875
Originally Written: For piano (4 hands)
Dvořák originally wrote his Slavonic Dances as duo-piano pieces, in two sets separated by eight years. Opus 46 was completed in 1878 and was immediately popular throughout Europe, and Simrock, Dvořák's publisher, cominually requested more lighthearted compositions of the type. Simrock had published Brahms' Hungarian Dances in 1860, and hoped that Dvořák could continue in like manner in a piano style that was popular in European homes at the time. The second set of Dances was finally completed in 1886, and Simrock had, perhaps grudgingly, what they had asked for. Opus 72 was not quite as lighthearted as the first set, but sold for much more, bringing the composer almost ten times as much as the first.
Bringing international attention to Dvořák, Simrock then asked him to orchestrate them, which he did, along with several of the Hungarian Dances. Bohemia was at the time under Austrian rule, along with much of Central Eruope. These dances were Dvořák's opportunity to express and forward the culture of Bohemia, Serbia, Poland and the Ukraine. In Opus 46 and 72, you'll find dance styles such as the Polka, Furiant, Dumka and Sousedska.
Scored for: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, percussion, timpani, and strings. [2222-4230-tmp+3-str]
William Intriligator, guest conductor
William Intriligator is currently in his fifth season as Music Director and Conductor of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestra has experienced tremendous growth and success - raising musical standards and accomplishment overall, breaking attendance records, attracting new audiences and musicians, adding ballet and opera productions to the season, launching a chamber series, and doubling the number of education concerts.
Intriligator serves as an important ambassador for the arts in Dubuque, forging strong ties to community groups and organizations, raising the overall awareness of the symphony, and building a very strong rapport with audiences. He hosts a weekly radio program about the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and writes a monthly newspaper column. He was recently selected as a member of the Dubuque Arts and Culture Commission.
As a guest conductor, Intriligator has led performances with many fine ensembles across the country, including the Houston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Savannah Symphony, Honolulu Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, and the Duluth Superior Symphony. He was also a regular guest conductor of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for many seasons, leading the ensemble in concerts at home and on regional tours, and conducting their education concerts for three seasons.
Prior to his appointment in Dubuque, Intriligator served as Apprentice Conductor and Staff Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as Assistant Conductor of the Minnesota Opera. He also served as Resident Conductor of the Astoria Music Festival, a summer festival in Oregon, and as Music Director of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, the St. Paul JCC Symphony, and the Kenwood Chamber Orchestra, all in Minnesota.
Born and raised in Southern California, Intriligator studied oboe with Raymond Pancost and David Weiss, Principal Oboe of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He studied piano with Glenn Jacobson, Duncan McNab, and Bill Duna and violin with Junko Ota-Pecht.
Intriligator attended Princeton University, where he graduated summa cum laude in music. In addition, he was the first recipient of a Princeton diploma in conducting and was awarded the Isidore Sacks prize for most outstanding musician. Intriligator completed his doctoral and masters degrees in conducting at the University of Minnesota with Murry Sidlin, Keith Clark, and Mark Russell Smith as part of the Graduate-Apprentice Conducting Program.
His primary conducting teacher was the Rumanian-French conductor Charles Bruck, with whom he studied in Paris and for four summers at the Pierre Monteux School in Maine. He also studied conducting in Europe with Christian Thielemann and Michael Gielen, to whom he served for a year as Apprentice Conductor of the Southwest German Radio Orchestra.
Intriligator was invited twice as a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, where he studied with David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. He has also had master-c1asses with conductors Lawrence Foster, Janna Panula, Robert Spano, Daniel Lewis, Gustav Meier, Eiji Oue, and Leonard Slatkin.
Intriligator enjoys working with young musicians. He conducted a Northeast Iowa Regional Honor Orchestra last month. He guest conducted the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra in 2003, and he was invited by the Philadelphia Orchestra to lead the Philadelphia Region High School Honor Orchestra in 2002. While living in Minnesota, he was Conductor of the Youth Chamber Orchestra at the MacPhail Center for the Arts and Conductor of the Orchestra at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University.
Intriligator lives in Dubuque with his wife, Heather, and his newborn son, Gabriel.
