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A little history….. Antonin Dvorak was born on September 8, 1841 in Bohemia, which was

then a part of the Austrian Empire. (Now it’s the Czech Republic, and Dvorak, pronounced “duh-VOR-shok,” was a Czech composer.) Antonin was the oldest child of 14, but only 8 lived beyond childhood.He took up the violin as a young child, and the piano and organ soon after.He also was a student of music theory, and started composing. Dvorak began entering his compositions in a music competition. He caught the attention of other composers such as Johannes Brahms, who was a judge for the contest. He went on to win the competition in several different years. With Brahms’ encouragement and the support from winning, Dvorak was making a name for himself out in the world. D

vorak in later years

Dvorak as a young man

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© Ellen Barker 2015

The “New World”……

In 1892, Dvorak packed up his wife, son, daughter, his secretary and a couple of others and went to New York City. He served as the director for the National Conservatory of Music, at a salary of $15,000. At the time, this was a huge amount, for which he was expected to teach and conduct 3 hours a day, 6 days a week. In 1893, there was an economic depression, and a year later, his salary was lowered to $8,000 a year. Even then, he wasn’t always paid on time.

While Dvorak was in America, he wanted to discover what “American music” was really all about. He had used elements or themes of Czech folk music in his compositions, and his thought was that African-American and Native American music should be used to “grow” the music of America.

The New York Philharmonic commissioned Dvorak to compose “The New World” Symphony. It has 4 movements, with the 3rd movement called the “Scherzo.” Although he didn’t use any Native American melodies, Dvorak was influenced by author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Song of Hiawatha,” an epic poem that features a Native American as the hero. Dvorak got the idea for the “Scherzo” movement from the dancing of the Indians in the feast scene in the poem.

In 1895, the Dvoraks returned home. Antonin later died of unknown causes a few weeks after coming down with the flu, May 1, 1904.

© Ellen Barker 2015

Name________________________________________ Class___________________________Dvorak once said in an interview that the music of African Americans and Native Americans was “practically identical”, and that both were similar to the music of Scotland.Music historians now think he meant the pentatonic scale, which is used in all 3 cultures. Can you fill in the missing letters?

© Ellen Barker 2015

Circle the pitches that are NOT included in the pentatonic scale: do re mi fa so la ti do

Name________________________________________ Class___________________________Dvorak once said in an interview that the music of African Americans and Native Americans was “practically identical”, and that both were similar to the music of Scotland.Music historians now think he meant the pentatonic scale, which is used in all 3 cultures. Can you fill in the missing letters?

© Ellen Barker 2015

Circle the pitches that are NOT included in the pentatonic scale: do re mi fa so la ti do

Answer Key

© Ellen Barker 2015

Name____________________________________ Class________________________Dvorak composed “The New World Symphony No. 9, Scherzo” to use these instruments. Number the back of your page and identify them! Challenge: Identify their instrument family, too!

12 3 4

5

6

7

8

9 10

11

12

13

14

© Ellen Barker 2015

Name ______________________________ Class_______________________

1- Fast: Dark Green Slow: Blue Green Both: Light Green

2- Loud: Purple Soft: Red Both: Brown

3- Repeated patterns in melody: Light Blue No repeated patterns in melody: Dark Blue

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1 11

1

1 1

1

1

1

1

22

22

2

2

2 2

21

33 3

3 3

33

Anything without a number is your color choice!

Answer Key for Instrument Page:Woodwinds1. Flute2. Bassoon3. Oboe4. Clarinet

Brass5. Trombone6. Tuba7. Trumpet8. French Horn

Strings9. Violin10. Viola11. Cello12. String Bass/Double Bass

Percussion13. Triangle14. Timpani

Credits for images in this file:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kelly-Benefield (borders)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Educlips

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Dancing-Crayon-Designs

© Ellen Barker 2015

Shameless plug…. If you like what you see in these materials, you can find more stuff like this at:http://www.teacherpayteachers.com/Store/Two-Little-Barkers-Studio. That is all.