Antonin Dvorak

Profile

Antonin was born September 8, 1841 at Nelahozeves, Prague (Czech Republic) His parents are Frantisek and Anna and he was the oldest of eight.

Died May 1rst, 1904 in Prague due to Bright’s disease (Bright's Disease is an older classification for different forms of kidney disease. It was named after Dr. Richard Bright, who described the condition in the early 19th century.

After graduating from an organ school in Prague, he began writing his first composition at the age of 20.

In the 1860’s, he played as a violist in Bohemian Provisional Theater Orchestra and taught piano lessons,

In 1873, he married Anna Cermakova, and had left the orchestra to pursue another career as a church organist. He wrote several compositions during this period.

His music attracted the interest of Johannes Brahms (a German composer and pianist), who assisted his career; he was supported by the critic Eduard Hanslick.

From1892 to 1895, Dvořák was the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City, at a then-staggering $15,000 annual salary. The Conservatory had been founded by a wealthy and philanthropic socialite, Jeannette Thurber

Dvořák's main goal in America was to discover "American Music" and engage in it, much as he had used Czech folk idioms within his music.

Over the course of three months in 1895, Dvořák wrote his Cello Concerto in B minor. However, problems with Thurber about his salary, together with increasing recognition in Europe

Dvořák and his wife left New York before the end of the spring term with no intention of returning. Dvořák, and his wife returned from the United States on April 27, 1895

Trip to New York

Last yearsIn his last artistic period (from 1898 to 1904), he focused mainly on opera. He created some of his most valuable operatic works, such as The Devil and Kate (1898/99), Rusalka (1900) and Armida (1902/3).

Dvořák died on May 1, 1904, following five weeks of illness, at the age of 63, leaving many unfinished works.

Who is he?

Composer

Conductor

Teacher

His later works reflected Brahmsian Classicism, Czech nationalist style and American folk influences.

He has honorary degrees from several prestigious universities including Cambridge University.

He wrote symphonies, string quartets, operas, songs and piano music, among others.

Notable Works:

His most famous work is the Ninth Symphony from the "New World Symphony" Other works include "Te Deum," "Cypress Trees" (song cycle), "First Symphony," "The Bells of Zlonice," "Alfred" (opera), "Hymnus" (cantata), "Third Symphony" (won the Austrian State Stipendium), "Stabat Mater," "String Quartet in F major," "The American," "Cello Concerto," "Biblical Songs" and "Humoresque in G flat major.“

Why is Dvorak famous?

Dvorak was skillful composer of the Romantic Era, and wrote quite a bit of music he will be remembered for one of his symphonies, the Symphony #9 in E Minor is commonly called the "New World" symphony. Some old editions of his works number this symphony as #5 but it is properly #9.

Romantic

Romantic music as a movement evolved from the formats, genres and musical ideas established in earlier periods, such as the classical period, and went further in the name of expression and syncretism of different art-forms with music. Romanticism does not necessarily refer to romantic love, though that theme was prevalent in many works composed during this time period, both in literature, painting, or music. Romanticism followed a path that led to the expansion of formal structures for a composition set down or at least created in their general outlines in earlier periods, and the end-result is that the pieces are “understood” to be more passionate and expressive, both by 19th century and today’s audiences

Romantic music is a term describing a style of Western classical music that began in the early 19th century.

Romantic music attempted to increase emotional expression and power to describe deeper truths or human feelings, while preserving but in many cases extending the formal structures from the classical period, in others, creating new forms that were deemed better suited to the new subject matter.

Why is Dvo

rak

considered

romantic?

His music had emotion to it and touched

other people’s hearts.

He composed some soft, slow music which

is classified in the genre of “classical”.

His music attempted to increase emotional

expression and power to describe deeper

truths or human feelings.

Antonin Dvořák's Serenade for

Strings in E major Op. 22,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOsB_E-k_2o

was composed in just two weeks in May 1875. It remains one of the composer's more popular orchestral works to this day.

Continued….

Composition and Premiere

1875 was a fruitful year for Dvořák's composing. This was the same year that he wrote his Symphony No. 5, String Quintet No. 2, Piano Trio No. 1, the opera Vanda, and the Moravian Duets. These were happy times in his life. His marriage was young, and his first son had been born. For the first time in his life, he was starting to be recognized as a composer, and was able to live stably without fear of poverty. He received a generous stipend from a commission in Vienna, which allowed him to compose his Fifth Symphony and several chamber works as well as the Serenade.

Allegedly, Dvořák wrote the Serenade in just 12 days, from 3–14 May. The piece was premiered in Prague on 10 December 1876 by Adolf Czech and the combined orchestras of the Czech and German theatres. It was published in 1877 in the composer's piano duet arrangement by Emanuel Starý in Prague. The score was printed two years later by Bote and Bock, Berlin.

Referenceshttp://www.last.fm/tag/romantic/wiki

http://musiced.about.com/od/classicalmusicians/p/dvorak.htm

http://www.classiccat.net/dvorak_a/index.php

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/antonin-dvorák-mn0000768609

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_Antonin_Dvorak_famous

http://letthejourneysbegin.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/1021/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenade_for_Strings_(Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k)