Dvorak Romance Op. 11 for Violin and String Orchestra

Dvořák's Romance in F minor, Op. 11 gives a soloist ten minutes of long-breathed, singing line over a warm harmonic foundation, with no virtuosic display for its own sake. It's one of his most direct and sustained pieces for the violin, and this edition brings it within reach of a string orchestra.

Dvořák took the theme from the Andante con moto of his String Quartet No. 5 in F minor, Op. 9, written in 1873. The quartet stayed unpublished for the rest of his life and beyond, not appearing in print until 1929, so the Romance is the only way most players will ever encounter that music. He reworked the movement rather than transcribing it, finishing the version with orchestra by December 1877 and writing it for the violinist Josef Markus. It was published in Berlin two years later.

The solo writing rewards tone and control rather than technique for its own sake. There is nowhere to hide: the line is exposed, the phrases are long, and the piece asks a player to sustain colour and direction across paragraphs rather than bars. Intonation in the upper register and bow distribution do most of the work here.

The original calls for a full orchestra, which puts it out of reach for many ensembles that would otherwise programme it readily. This string orchestra reduction keeps everything that matters. Dvořák's orchestration is predominantly for strings in any case, and the wind and brass parts carry relatively little of substance, so the harmonic richness and the sense of orchestral support are fully preserved. The solo part is Dvořák's own throughout, untouched.

At ten minutes, the Romance has real weight as a concert work without the rehearsal demands of a full concerto. It gives the string orchestra a genuine accompaniment role with musical interest of its own, not just a supporting function.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear sense of the engraving quality, orchestral balance, and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Violin and String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: post-Grade 8 to Diploma and professional (solo); advanced (string orchestra)
• Duration: approximately 10 minutes
• Style focus: sustained cantabile line, tone production, phrasing across long paragraphs
• Orchestration: reduced from Dvořák's full orchestral score, solo part unchanged
• Arranger: Paul Wood for MyMusicScores
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

Suits professional and conservatoire violinists wanting to programme a substantial Romantic work with a chamber-sized ensemble. It works well as the centrepiece of a string orchestra concert, and sits naturally alongside other Dvořák or late Romantic repertoire. It also pairs directly with the first movement of the Violin Concerto for a soloist building a Dvořák half.