String Quartet No. 9

Dvořák wrote his String Quartet in D minor in December 1877 within the space of twelve days. In its prevailing wistfulness, the work introduces traces of the evocative mood of his previous composition, the final version of the cantata Stabat mater . At the time he was finishing the quartet, Dvořák received a letter from Johannes Brahms , in which the famous Maestro writes favourably about his Moravian Duets and informs Dvořák that he had recommended them for publication with his Berlin publisher Simrock . In a gesture of gratitude, Dvořák pledged to dedicate the Quartet in D minor to Brahms. Brahms was honoured to receive this dedication and decided to recommend this work together with the previous Quartet in E major to Simrock as well. The latter, however, was not interested in the works, thus the Quartet in D minor was published at a later date by Schlesinger. Brahms also recommended that Dvořák take another careful look through the score and remove any minor inaccuracies. Dvořák acted upon this suggestion, as we learn from his letter to Brahms dated 15 October 1879: