For much of the nineteenth century in Sweden, music-making was confined to small-scale chamber music at home and ambitious composers had to move abroad to seek acceptance of their work. Whilst Berwald enjoyed some success in continental Europe, only a handful of his orchestral works were performed in Sweden during his lifetime. This caused him in later years to concentrate on chamber music, completing two piano quintets, two string quartets, three piano trios as well as duos for violin and piano and cello and piano. Berwald received much encouragement from his friend Liszt for his piano quintets, and dedicated his Quintet in A major to Liszt, a ‘true poetic master’. When Liszt received a score of the work he praised Berwald’s invention, skill and elegant style whilst adding, somewhat prophetically: ‘you truly possess originality but you will not enjoy success during your lifetime. Nevertheless you must persevere.’