Composed in the fall of 1881, Opus 61 is the last of Dvo?ák's quartets called, chronologically speaking, “middle quartets”, and whose determining models were Beethoven and Schubert. In this work in C major, it is especially the influence of Beethoven that is particularly felt, from the thematic construction to the motivic work, and it is only in the Finale that the so typically Slavic inflection customary to Dvo?ák is louder. For lack of time, the composer - contrary to his habits - appealed, in three of the four movements, to old themes from other works, rejected or unpublished. This perfectly reliable Urtext edition is a continuation of the extensive series of significant chamber music works by Dvo?ák at Henle.