Dvorák, Stabat Mater

Stabat mater dolorosa, a 13th century hymn describing the sorrow of Mary at the foot of the cross, has been set over the centuries in a surprising variety of styles. Dvorák’s lyrical work was begun after the death of his daughter Josefa, and orchestrated very soon afterwards after the deaths of another daughter and his son, all in the late 1870s. Melodious and elegant, with a heartfelt and stirring concluding passage, it is a moving tribute to his young family.