Barenreiter Suk Josef - Meditation On The Old Czech Hymn "ST Wenceslas" Op.35a - Parties Separees

Summary of This Score

Suk, Josef
Meditation on the Old Czech Hymn "St Wenceslas" for String Quartet op. 35a

Josef Suk, then second violinist of the Bohemian Quartet, composed this "Meditation" in response to a historical constraint: from 1914 onward, the ensemble was required to open its concerts with the Austrian national anthem. Suk chose to add a page inspired by the ancient Bohemian sacred chant "St. Wenceslas," whose text implores the protection of the patron saint and the well-being of the Czech people. In the hall, the subtext is immediately understood, giving the work a rare power of suggestion, between prayer, contemplation, and identity affirmation.

Written in a single movement, this meditation unfolds a choral and expressive writing typical of early 20th-century Central European chamber music repertoire: violin lines in cantabile, viola enriching the harmony, cello grounding the discourse, with a marked sense of progression and restrained tension. The Bohemian Quartet gave its premiere on September 27, 1914. An arrangement for string orchestra was then premiered on November 22, 1914 by the Czech Philharmonic; it is distinguished by some details and the addition of a double bass part.

This Urtext edition emphasizes clarity and reliability of the musical text while providing a reading context through a preface in Czech, English, and German, as well as a critical commentary in English. An ideal choice for rehearsal work, style study, and concert interpretation, in a work both accessible and deeply meaningful.

Technical specifications

Musical Genre

Classical

Composer	Josef Suk	Genre	Classical score (chamber music, string quartet)
Edition	BA 9583 (Urtext, set of parts)	Languages	Czech / English / German (preface); English (critical commentary)
Instrumentation	1st Violin, 2nd Violin, Viola, Violoncello	Pages	3/3/3/3 (separate parts)