Antonín Dvořák - Born 1841
(President of the US – Martin van Buren (term ends in March) William Henry Harrison (term begins in March, died April), John Tyler (term begins in April))
(Major events – first reference to Groundhog Day; Dallas, Texas was founded)
(Music events – Robert Schumann writes 2 symphonies, currently numbered 1 and 4; Johannes Brahms performs the original version of Symphony no. 4 in d minor)
Died 1904
(President of the US – Theodore Roosevelt)
(Major events – Panama Canal construction begins; Cy Young pitches first complete game in baseball history; 1904 Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri; Russo-Japanese War)
(Music events – Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 premiered, Glenn Miller and Count Basie are born)
Brief points about his life
- Native of Bohemia; now known as part of the Czech Republic
- Father wanted him to become a butcher
- Played viola for the Bohemian Provisional Theater Orchestra under Bedřich Smetana
- Influenced and encouraged by Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Visited Russia, London, and most significantly, the United States
- Was director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City 1892-1895
- Spent summers in Spillville, Iowa
Listen now to Dvořák
Dvořák: Symphony No. 8; George Szell - Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"; Leopold Stokowski - Philadelphia Orchestra
Or buy the CD of my favorite recording from my Amazon list (click here).
Why listen to Dvořák’s Symphonies 8 and 9?
Dvořák is a mainstream Romantic composer and has some good characteristics for a first listen to classical music:
- He writes excellent melodies; the theme of the second movement of Symphony No. 9 was later published with lyrics and many people were convinced that it was an old Negro spiritual that Dvořák simply ‘borrowed’ for his best-known work
- He does not spend a lot of time developing ideas. Even in his slow movements, there are bursts of fast music interspersed.
- He utilizes the entire orchestral color palette and its many combinations (melodies in the lower strings, solos for the English horn, features for the trombone and horn sections, etc.). I am glad to be a horn player, but in the case of the finale to Symphony No. 8, I wish I was a trumpet player so that I could play the opening fanfare!
Dvořák took a little while to find his voice. Several of his symphonies were unpublished following their composition, and they show less maturity in their design and invention. Beginning with the 6th, Dvořák found critical and popular acclaim for his symphonies, and today the 7th, 8th, and 9th symphonies can be found regularly on orchestral programs (not only professional, but also community and youth orchestras)
Certainly the “New World” Symphony (as No. 9 is known) is quoted frequently in popular media. I have usually avoided ‘popular’ classical music on my list, but I think both of these symphonies are a good introduction to those who don’t listen to classical music and may even have their general objections to it. The “New World” is full of melodies, and no one really stands out above the others (except, of course, the second movement (“Largo”)).
Both Symphonies 8 and 9 fit on a CD that I purchased after hearing the “New World” symphony on the radio. I was really impressed with the energetic performance that was given by Rafael Kubelik and the Berlin Philharmonic. Kubelik is a Czech-born conductor who was the conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra just before the legendary Fritz Reiner took over. Even more significant, however, are his performances and recordings of music from his homeland, especially Smetana’s “Ma Vlast” (many people will know “The Moldau” from this larger work) and Dvorak’s Symphonies and other orchestral works.
If you like Dvořák, then you should check out these pieces and/or composers:
- Dvořák – Symphony No. 7, Slavonic Dances, Carnival Overture, Cello Concerto
- Smetana – “The Moldau” from “Ma Vlast”
- Tchaikovsky (see later in this blog)
- Brahms (see later in this blog)
