Antonín Dvorák(1841-1904)
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Antonin Dvorak was a son of butcher, but he did not follow his father's
trade. While assisting his father part-time, he studied music, and
graduated from the Prague Organ School in 1859. He also was an
accomplished violinist and violist, and joined the Bohemian Theatre
Orchestra, which was under the baton of Bedrich Smetana in 1860s. For financial
reasons he quit the orchestra and focused on composing and teaching. He
fell in love with one of his students, but she married another guy. Her
sister was available, so Dvorak married the sister, Anna, in 1873, and
they had nine children.
Dvorak's early compositions were influenced by Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms, and
with their promotion his music became performed in European capitals
and received international acclaim. His performances in 1880s of
Slavonic Dances, the Sixth Symphony and the Stabat Mater were a success
in England, and Dvorak received an honorary doctorate from Cambridge.
He made a successful concert tour in Russia in 1890, and became a
professor at the Prauge Conservatory. In 1892 he received an invitation
to America from Jeaunnette Thurber, the founder of he National
Conservatory of Music in New York City. Dvorak was the Director of the
National Conservatory in New York for three years (1892-95), where he
also taught composition and carried on his cross-cultural studies.
Dvorak broadened his experiences through studying the music of the
Native Americans and African Americans, many of whom became his
students and friends. Dvorak was inspired by the originality of
indigenous American music and culture, as well as by the spirituals and
by the singing of his African American students. Dvorac incorporated
his new ideas, blended with his Bohemian roots, into his well-known
Symphony No.9 in E minor "From the New World". He worked on this
symphony for most of the spring and summer of 1893, and made it's
glorious premiere in Carnegie Hall in December, 1893. In America he
also wrote the remarkable Cello Concerto and two string quartets,
including the Quartet in F ("The American"). Dvorak was doing very well
in New York financially, but his heart was in Prague and he left
America for his Czech Motherland. He had a big family with his wife and
nine children in Prague. He became the Director of the Prague
Conservatory in 1901 and kept the position until his death in
1904.
trade. While assisting his father part-time, he studied music, and
graduated from the Prague Organ School in 1859. He also was an
accomplished violinist and violist, and joined the Bohemian Theatre
Orchestra, which was under the baton of Bedrich Smetana in 1860s. For financial
reasons he quit the orchestra and focused on composing and teaching. He
fell in love with one of his students, but she married another guy. Her
sister was available, so Dvorak married the sister, Anna, in 1873, and
they had nine children.
Dvorak's early compositions were influenced by Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms, and
with their promotion his music became performed in European capitals
and received international acclaim. His performances in 1880s of
Slavonic Dances, the Sixth Symphony and the Stabat Mater were a success
in England, and Dvorak received an honorary doctorate from Cambridge.
He made a successful concert tour in Russia in 1890, and became a
professor at the Prauge Conservatory. In 1892 he received an invitation
to America from Jeaunnette Thurber, the founder of he National
Conservatory of Music in New York City. Dvorak was the Director of the
National Conservatory in New York for three years (1892-95), where he
also taught composition and carried on his cross-cultural studies.
Dvorak broadened his experiences through studying the music of the
Native Americans and African Americans, many of whom became his
students and friends. Dvorak was inspired by the originality of
indigenous American music and culture, as well as by the spirituals and
by the singing of his African American students. Dvorac incorporated
his new ideas, blended with his Bohemian roots, into his well-known
Symphony No.9 in E minor "From the New World". He worked on this
symphony for most of the spring and summer of 1893, and made it's
glorious premiere in Carnegie Hall in December, 1893. In America he
also wrote the remarkable Cello Concerto and two string quartets,
including the Quartet in F ("The American"). Dvorak was doing very well
in New York financially, but his heart was in Prague and he left
America for his Czech Motherland. He had a big family with his wife and
nine children in Prague. He became the Director of the Prague
Conservatory in 1901 and kept the position until his death in
1904.