Description

Dvorák described the work he was composing in 1890 to a friend, saying "At certain points it will be like a serious song, at others like a happy dance." The word "Dumka" (plural "Dumky") actually describes a Slavic dance-form with a noticeable alternation between melancholic and lively, dance-like passages. While the Dumka is a recurring theme in Dvorák's chamber music, it typically appears only as a single movement. However, the unusual form of this piano trio features a succession of six distinct "Dumky," each with its own highly expressive character. This unconventional structure makes the work one of the Czech master's most beloved compositions.