Josef Suk
Late Romantic · 1874–1935
Josef Suk was Antonín Dvořák's student and then his son-in-law. Born in a Bohemian village in 1874, he studied with Dvořák at the Prague Conservatory and married his daughter Otilie. For most of his life he also played second violin in the Czech Quartet, touring Europe in thousands of concerts, and he later taught composition at the conservatory where he had trained.
His early music is warm and Dvořák-like. Then, within fourteen months, Dvořák died and Otilie died too, at only 27. Out of that double loss came the Asrael Symphony, named for the angel of death, an hour of grief worked through in music, and Suk's later work never fully left its shadow. His grandson and namesake became a famous violinist.
Start with the Serenade for strings, written at eighteen after Dvořák advised him to compose something cheerful, then the Asrael Symphony when you have a quiet hour.
42 works in the catalog, across 4 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.
Chamber
- 4 Pieces for Violin and Piano, op. 17
- Ballade and serenade, for cello and piano, op. 3
- Ballade in D minor, for violin and piano
- Elegie for Piano Trio, op. 23
- Meditation on an Old Czech Hymn 'St. Wenceslas' for strings or string quartet, op. 35a
- Piano Quartet in A minor, op. 1
- Piano Trio in C minor, op. 2
Keyboard
- 2 Piano Pieces
- 6 Pieces, for piano, op. 7
- About Mother, 5 pieces for piano, op. 28
- Andante
- Bagatelle
- Capriccietto in G
- Episodes, op. 13
- Jaro, op. 22a
- Letni dojmy, op. 22b
- Listek do pamatniku
- Love Song for piano, op. 7, no. 1
- Lullabies for piano, op. 33
- Minuet
- Nálady, op. 10
- Pieces, op. 22a "Spring"
- Pieces for piano, op. 22b "Summer Impressions"
- Psina spanelska
- Scherzino
- Sneni
- Vesnicka serenada
- Zivotem A Snem for piano, op. 30
Orchestral
- Fairy Tale, op. 16 'Pohádka', suite from 'Raduz and Mahulena'
- Fantastic Scherzo op. 25
- Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, op. 24
- Serenade for strings in E flat major, op. 6
- Symphony in C minor, op. 27, "Asrael"
- A Winter's Tale, op. 9
- Pohádka Léta, tone poem op. 29
- Praga, symphonic poem op. 26
- Ripening, symphonic poem, op. 34
- Serenade in E flat major, for strings, op. 6
- Symphony in E major, op. 14
Vocal
- 10 Songs, for chorus and piano 4-hands, op. 15
- Mass, for chorus and organ in B
- Three-part choruses for female voices
Related composers
Keep a listening journal.
Opus is free on the App Store.
