Great Composers in Words & Music: Antonín Dvořák

Slavonic Dances, Op. 72, B. 147 (Version for Orchestra): No. 1 in B Major (Excerpt)

Bits and pieces are all we may know about the music of Antonín Dvořák

10 Biblical Songs, Op. 99, B. 185: No. 4, Hospodin jest můj pastýř (Excerpt)

The fourth of Dvořák's Ten Biblical Songs, titled "The Lord is my shepherd" and set to a well-known Psalm text from the traditional Czech translation of the Kralice Bible

10 Biblical Songs, Op. 99, B. 185: No. 6, Slyš, ó Bože, volání mé (Excerpt)

Antonín Leopold Dvořák was born on 8 September 1841 in the village of Nelahozeves, near Kralupy, in Bohemia, approximately 28km north of Prague

Symphony No. 6 in G Major, Op. 116 "Historische Symphonie im Styl und Geschmack vier verschiedener Zeitabschnitte": IV. Allerneueste Periode, 1840. Allegro vivace (Excerpt)

Reflecting on this period of the composer's life, Zubatý (the Czech writer mentioned previously) wrote…

Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, B. 9 "The Bells of Zlonice": II. Adagio molto (Excerpt)

Dvořák's first symphony, composed between February and March 1865, began life as a submission to a German composition competition…

Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, B. 9 "The Bells of Zlonice": I. Maestoso - Allegro (Excerpt)

In early 1865, Dvořák started teaching piano to the daughters of a Prague goldsmith: one of the two, Anna Čermáková would later become his wife…

String Quartet No. 4 in E Minor, B. 19: I. Assai con moto ed energico (Excerpt)

Before he left the Provisional Theatre orchestra in the summer of 1871, Dvořák was the subject of an announcement in a leading local music journal

Král a uhlíř, B. 21, Act I Scene 9: Jaký zvuk to jest? (Excerpt)

It seems that Dvořák's revision of the opera between 1873 and 1874 was but part of a larger stylistic renovation being undertaken by the composer at the time

Moravské dvojzpěvy, Op. 32, B. 62: No. 2, Veleť vtáčku (Excerpt)

In response to Dvořák's multi-composition submission for the 1877 stipendium, Brahms singled out the Moravian Duets for special praise

Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, B. 83: No. 1 in C Major (Excerpt)

While this style of music might be regarded, somewhat cynically, as a kind of opportunistic "tourist nationalism" (to quote a recent historian), listeners in Dvořák's time thought the very op

Piano Trio No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 65, B. 130: I. Allegro ma non troppo (Excerpt)

In August 1883, Dvořák received a prestigious invitation: the London Philharmonic Society requested his presence as conductor (of his own orchestral works) in their forthcoming concert season

Stabat Mater, Op. 58, B. 71 (1876 Version): Stabat mater dolorosa (Excerpt)

Dvořák left Prague for London on 5 March 1884: eight days later he was conducting the Stabat Mater in the Royal Albert Hall

Piano Trio No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 90, B. 166 "Dumky": I. Lento maestoso - Allegro vivace, quasi doppio movimento - Tempo I (Excerpt)

In 1891, the same year Dvořák completed the "Dumky" Trio, he took up the position of professor of composition and instrumentation at the Prague Conservatory

Te Deum, Op. 103, B. 176: Te Deum laudamus (Excerpt)

The premiere of the Te Deum within the celebratory concert, which took place on 21 October 1892 at New York's Carnegie Hall, was preceded by a concert address by the American musical patron…

Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, B. 178 "From the New World": III. Scherzo. Molto vivace (Excerpt)

Following the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, Dvořák may well have looked forward to a prosperous and productive period in New York

Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104, B. 191: III. Finale. Andante - Allegro vivo (Excerpt)

The next - and, indeed, the penultimate - phase in Dvořák's compositional journey seems to have emerged from his previous interest in music's extra-musical associations…

The Water Goblin, Op. 107, B. 195 (Excerpt)

During his final years, Dvořák became the recipient of various honours…

Armida, Op. 115, B. 206, Act I Scene 1: Jak z dervišových prstů řinou (Excerpt)

Dvořák is said to have departed the theatre early on the evening of 25 March 1904, during the premiere of Armida at the National Theatre in Prague…

Hymnus ad laudes in festo Sanctae Trinitatis, B. 82 (Excerpt)