Dvorak's Famous Largo, arranged for Violin & Orchestra by Stephen Gamble
A friend asked if I would play on my violin the theme from Dvorak's famous Largo (the one from the 2nd movement of the New World Symphony) at his funeral. I agreed, but that was some time ago and now I'm not at all sure I could actually do this. I am no performer, and illness means I don't practice playing the violin often, so I thought of a plan B. I said to myself, 'I could play the theme on my violin, but electronically generated' - and then I realised I could add orchestral parts. So that is what I have done. I have taken what Dvorak wrote and recomposed it for violin and orchestra, omitting much from the original Largo, and adding a little of my own. The result is of course inferior to Dvorak's magnificent composition, but I think it is just about serviceable.
The ensemble is solo violin, and a reduction of Dvorak's orchestra to strings, horns, clarinets, and bassoons.
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