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Antonín Dvořák - Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World", Op. 95

19th-century American landscape reflecting the cultural atmosphere that inspired Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
America welcomed Dvořák warmly, and scenes of everyday life inspired the musical imagery of his Symphony “From the New World.”

On December 20, 1892, only three months after his arrival in the United States, Antonín Dvořák began planning what would become his most famous symphony. He gave it the subtitle “From the New World”, acknowledging the new cultural environment that inspired him. He completed the final movement on May 24, 1893, writing with relief on the manuscript: “Thank God!” This was the first large-scale work Dvořák composed entirely in America.

When accused of borrowing directly from African American spirituals, Dvořák replied: “I have written in the spirit of American folk songs.” Indeed, the melodies are entirely his own, yet they evoke the rhythmic patterns, modal colors, and expressive character of Negro spirituals and Native American music, rather than quoting them literally.

The premiere took place on December 16, 1893, at Carnegie Hall in New York, conducted by Anton Seidl, and was an overwhelming success. The New York Herald described “a large audience, mostly quiet Americans, carried away into a frenzy.” Listeners immediately sensed the powerful fusion of Bohemian lyricism with the sounds and spirit of the New World.

Μovements:

1. Adagio - Allegro molto

As in the other movements, the symphony opens with a slow introduction that establishes a sense of scale and mystery. Dvořák introduces three main thematic ideas:

  • a lively, rhythmically flexible figure in the woodwinds, suggestive of American dance idioms,

  • a bold, triumphant theme driven by the horns, reminiscent of a Czech polka,

  • and a broad, lyrical melody that subtly recalls the expressive contour of spirituals such as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”

These themes interact throughout the movement, creating striking contrasts of color, rhythm, and mood.


2. Largo

The famous Largo embodies the spirit of the African American spiritual through its simplicity, dignity, and deep melancholy. Its opening, built on solemn brass chords, unfolds like a cinematic panorama of the American landscape. From this emerges the iconic English horn solo, one of the most recognizable melodies in symphonic literature.

A turbulent middle section interrupts the serenity with agitated rhythms in the woodwinds and strings, before the return of the English horn restores an atmosphere of profound, reflective sadness.


3. Scherzo: molto vivace

The dramatic opening of the Scherzo recalls the driving energy of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Its rhythmic vitality is intensified by syncopations and folk-like dance gestures. While American influences are evident, a distinctly Bohemian character remains at the core of the movement.

4. Allegro con fuoco

The finale is a masterful synthesis of the entire symphony. After a powerful opening statement from horns and trumpets, a second theme appears in the clarinet over trembling strings. Themes from earlier movements re-emerge and intertwine, creating a panoramic musical vision of the New World—its vast spaces, restless energy, and emotional intensity—before the symphony concludes with uncompromising power.



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