Two Little Pearls, B156
Opus number
–
Burghauser catalogue number
156
Date of composition
11 November 1887
Premiere - date and place
(?) 24 February 1889, Olomouc
Premiere performer(s)
(?) pupils of musical school
First edition
Mladý český pianista (F. A. Urbánek) No. 7, 1888, Prague
Parts / movements
1. In a Ring (Do kola) (Vivace)
2. Grandpa Dances with Grandma (Dědeček tančí s babičkou) (Allegretto grazioso)
Duration
approx. 2 min. 20 sec.
These two little dance pieces were written for the seventh issue of the collection Young Czech Pianist, published in Prague by Urbánek. They are technically undemanding works aimed at children, as expressly stated by Dvořák in the autograph: “Two pieces for the young pianist”. Despite its character as an occasional work, and its simplicity, the second piece is quite magical and arguably one of Dvořák’s best piano miniatures. The autograph went missing for many years but was rediscovered at the beginning of the 21st century.