The 4 Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 17 (Čtyři kusy pro housle a klavír) by Josef Suk were composed in 1900 and published the following year by Simrock in Berlin. The set is among Suk’s most expressive chamber works, representing the lyricism and harmonic richness of Czech late-Romanticism at the turn of the 20th century.

Each of the four miniatures possesses its own independent character, while the cycle as a whole displays Suk’s refined melodic writing and emotional intensity.

Background

Josef Suk (1874–1935), a pupil and later son-in-law of Antonín Dvořák, composed the 4 Pieces during a period of artistic growth following his studies at the Prague Conservatory. By 1900, Suk had already written his Serenade for Strings, Op. 6, and was emerging as one of the leading Czech composers of his generation.

These short violin works were conceived partly as salon pieces for performance by Suk and his colleagues, and partly as studies in contrasting emotional expression. The first performance likely took place in Prague in 1901, with Suk himself at the piano.

Structure

The set consists of four contrasting character pieces:

1. Quasi ballata – Moderato

2. Appassionato – Andante non troppo

3. Un poco triste – Andante

4. Burleska – Vivace

A typical performance lasts about 14–16 minutes.