Josef Suk (1874-1935), along with Vítězslav Novák, is one of the most famous modern Czech composers. While Novák was more taken with impressionism, Suk bridged the gap between late romantic and classical modernism as one of the greatest lyric poets in Czech music. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all his wonderful music today.
From 1885 to 1892, Josef Suk studied violin at the Prague Conservatoire, and later in a masterclass for composition with Antonín Dvořák. For Suk, Dvořák was more than just a teacher, he was also his lifelong friend and mentor. In 1898 Suk married Dvořák’s daughter Otylka. Unfortunately, the family’s happiness did not last long, Dvořák died in 1904 and, tragically, his beloved Otylka one year later in 1905. These sad events had a fundamental influence on the second half of Suk’s work. The composer expressed his grief and loss in his symphony of mourning Asrael.
With three fellow students from the conservatoire, Josef Suk founded the chamber ensemble “The Czech Quartet”, which went down in music history as one of the most successful of its time. As second violinist, he performed in over 4,000 concerts all over the world. The quartet became world-class, and contributed a great deal to the standard of chamber music performance for generations to come.
From 1922, Suk was professor of the masterclass for composition at the Prague Conservatoire and later became director. His students included many important Czech composers, such as Jaroslav Ježek, Pavel Bořkovec and Bohuslav Martinů.
Although Suk’s work is not very extensive, with only 37 opuses, it is very unique. It combines the personal qualities of Josef Suk, human warmth, sensitivity and care, with Dvořák’s neo-romantic musical tradition, and his own melodic lyrics. His symphonic, piano, choral and chamber music works are held in particularly high esteem.
Böhmischer Volkstanz für 5 Violinen, Kontrabass (Violoncello) und Schlagzeug (3 Spieler)
for: String orchestra, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 146482
tje composer's arrangement for two clarinets and stringed instruments
for: 2 clarinets, 3 violins, viola, cello
Score, Parts
Item no.: 133305
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: String orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 663345
for: Piano
Ensemble score
Item no.: 877975
Suite from Radúz a Mahulena op. 13
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1015753
Edition Schott Violin-Bibliothek
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 605919
Tondichtung
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
Study Score 601
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 555908
for: 2 violins
Ensemble score
Item no.: 146518
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 638559
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 635250
mit alternativer Version des Adagio (3. Satz) Takt 80-85
Simrock Original Edition
for: String orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 184619
for: Piano
Ensemble score
Item no.: 874811
Vergessene Kammermusik – wieder entdeckt
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 161421
for Violin, Violoncello, String quartet, Harmonium, Harp
for: Chamber ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 276778
for: Mixed choir; piano ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 669891
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 172064
Symphonic Poem
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1018183
Simrock Original Edition
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 213827
Simrock Original Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 357564
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1383022
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: 3 soloists (SBarB), 2 mixed choirs, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1015774
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: String orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1659326
for: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons, double bassoon
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1015717
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1015648
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 1344860
Vergessene Kammermusik – wieder entdeckt
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1566756
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: String orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 555756
Kalmus Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 490102
Book
Item no.: 176461
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1015746
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 638565
Symphonie c-Moll op. 27
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1015612
Kalmus Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 938729
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 745758
for string orchestra / string quintet (also performable with string quartet) (1-1-1-1-1)
Allowed reprint 1914
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1015761
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 162267
1895-1902
Simrock Original Edition
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 159519
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 1015771
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 662904
1886 - 1895
Simrock Original Edition
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 159518
Simrock Original Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 357563
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1383591
Allowed reprint 1920, Fr. Urbanek, Prag
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1108962
Kalmus Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 941526
Concert March
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1015763
Festival March for the Olympic Games 1932
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Repertoire Explorer
for: Orchestra; mixed choir ad lib.
Study score
Item no.: 1345031
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
The Phillip Brookes Collection
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1015722
for: String orchestra, triangle
Score, Parts
Item no.: 142990