Essentials of Music

COMPOSERS

ANTONÍN DVORÁK

Born: September 8, 1841. Nelahozeves, Czech Republic
Died: May 1, 1904. Prague, Czech Republic

In his own words...

"My own duty as a teacher... is not so much to interpret Beethoven, Wagner or other masters of the past, but to give what encouragement I can to the young musicians of America. I... hope that just as this nation has already surpassed so many others in marvelous inventions and feats of engineering and commerce, and has made an honorable place for itself in literature in one short century, so it must assert itself in the... art of music... To bring about this result, we must trust to the very youthful enthusiasm and patriotism of this country."

Czech composer and teacher. Along with Smetana, Dvorák was a founder of the Czech nationalist school.

Antonín Dvorák was born into poverty in rural Bohemia, but was fortunate enough to be able to study in Prague. He developed into a good violist and played in the National Theatre orchestra under Bedrich Smetana, who exerted a strong influence on him. By 1873, Dvorák was making his living primarily as a teacher and composer. Grants from the Austrian government allowed him to concentrate more on composition, and he attracted the attention of Johannes Brahms, who arranged for the publication of his works by Simrock, one of the major European publishers. His reputation grew throughout Europe, especially in England. In 1891 he was appointed to the Prague conservatory.

In 1892, Dvorák traveled to New York to serve as director of the newly formed National Conservatory in New York. He held this position for three years; during this time he spent his summers in a Czech community in Spillville, Iowa. While in America, he composed some of his best-known works, including two quartets, a cello concerto and his Symphony No.9 "From the New World". Dvorák returned to his native Prague in 1895. In 1901 he premiered his most important opera, Rusalka.

Dvorák's musical style is generally classical in its approach, owing much to Johannes Brahms, whom he admired greatly. At the same time, he used native Czech elements extensively. His interest in nationalist ideals carried over into his work in the United States. In America he discovered the music of Native Americans and African-Americans and declared that in them American composers could find "all that is needed for a great and noble school of music," and the music that he composed in this country shows some of that influence. Scenes from Longfellow's "Hiawatha" inspired the middle two movements of the "New World" Symphony. His "American" quartet in F is based in part on a five-note scale that reflects Native American music he had heard.

Dvorák's challenge to American musicians, as well as his American-inspired pieces, served as a model for many composers. Some of these (such as Henry T. Burleigh) studied with him, while others (such as Amy Beach and William Grant Still) took his suggestion to heart and tried to find their own manner of creating an American music.

Musical Examples:

String Quartet No.12 in F major, Op.96 "American", I

Symphony No.9 in E minor "From the New World", II

Works:

Orchestral music, including 9 symphonies (No.9 "From the New World", 1893); symphonic poems; other symphonic works including Slavonic Rhapsodies (1878) and Slavonic Dances (orchestrated 1886)
Concertos, including 1 cello concerto (1895)
14 operas, including Rusalka (1901); incidental music
Choral music, including a cantata (The Spectre's Bride, 1884) and a Requiem (1890); masses; 1 oratorio; other sacred choral music including Stabat Mater (1877); part songs and choral arrangements of Czech folk songs
Chamber music, including 14 string quartets ("American", 1893), 3 string quintets, 6 piano trios ("Dumky", 1891), 2 piano quartets, and duo sonatas
Keyboard music, including dances and character pieces; music for 2 pianos (Slavonic Dances, 1878); organ music

Romantic Era

Click on a letter above to jump to composer names