HYBRID MULTICHANNEL Antonín Dvorˇák 1841 - 1904 Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 1 Allegro con brio 9. 33 2 Adagio 11. 51 3 Allegretto grazioso – Molto vivace 6. 01 4 Allegro ma non troppo 10. 38 5 Holoubek, Op. 110 (The Wild Dove – Die Waldtaube) 19. 34 6 Polednice, Op. 108 (The Noon Witch – Die Mittagshexe) 13. 35 Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Amsterdam conducted by: Yakov Kreizberg Recording venue: Beurs van Berlage, Yakult Hall, Amsterdam (5/2006) Executive Producer: Job Maarse Recording Producer: Job Maarse Balance Engineer: Sebastian Stein Recording Engineers: Erdo Groot / Matthijs Ruijter Editing: Erdo Groot Total playing-time: 71. 53 Biographien auf Deutsch und Französisch finden Sie auf unserer Webseite. Pour les versions allemande et française des biographies, veuillez consulter notre site. www.pentatonemusic.com Dvorˇák’s “Symphonischer The latter, especially, turned out to be Erzählhaltung” an ardent advocate of Dvorˇák’s music. (= symphonic story style) It was Richter who commissioned the Symphony No. 6, which went into ithout the support and vote of print following the début in Prague Wconfidence of Johannes Brahms, in 1881 as Dvorˇák’s Symphony No.1. life would have turned out very differ- And although this numeration now ently for Antonín Dvorˇák. Originally, causes a great deal of confusion, it the young boy was in fact destined is symbolic, as the composer’s first to succeed his father in the butch- five symphonies prove that he was er’s shop, but finally music won out. still searching for his own sound: However, after his training at the they were still strongly influenced by Prague organ school, a magnificent Smetana, Wagner and Brahms. In his career did not immediately await the Symphony No. 6, Dvorˇák first came young composer. First, he had to earn up with an unmistakable sound of his a living by means of various minor own; a synthesis of the symphonic jobs, such as organist, music teacher style of Brahms and the folk music and viola player in bands in restau- from Bohemia. rants, as well as in dance and theatre The Symphony No. 7 followed orchestras. His first symphonies were in 1884 and was commissioned by never even performed – or at least, the London Philharmonic Society. The not until much later. However, when first performance was the beginning he met Johannes Brahms, who was of a large number of successes which a member of the jury of the Wiener lay in wait for Dvorˇák in the English Kunstlerstipendium, things began to capital. Somewhat surprised about change. Brahms introduced the young this, he wrote as follows: “They are composer to the world of music, got talking about me everywhere, and him a contract with his own publisher, they are saying that I am the ‘lion’ of Simrock, and brought him into con- the current music season.” tact with influential conductors, such Thanks to this success, Dvorˇák as Hans von Bülow and Hans Richter. became increasingly financially in- dependent. In Vysoka, he renovat- vidual ideas were elaborated in a new ed an old barn to create a sum- manner.” Dvorˇák’s “Symphonischer mer residence, where he thereafter Erzählhaltung” (= symphonic story spent every holiday with his fam- style, Mahler) did not fit in with the ily. This was also where he wrote musical mind-set of his contemporar- his Symphony No. 8, in just two ies: instead it presaged new develop- months’ time – between August 26 ments, as was recognized by Dvorˇák’s and November 8, 1889. Dvorˇák first younger colleague, Léos Janácˇek: conducted the work in Prague in April “…as soon as you have met one 1890, to celebrate his induction in the character, the next one is standing in “Böhmische Franz-Joseph-Akademie line to greet you in a friendly manner; für Wissenschaft, Literatur und Kunst.” you end up in a state of constant and A year later, when he was awarded pleasurable excitement.” an honorary doctorate in Cambridge, Some commentators did their he conducted the symphony there, best to hear an extra-musical pro- instead of giving the usual speech. gramme in the music. The Times The work was published in London wrote that it was impossible not to by Novello, and for some inexpli- sense that the music was trying to cable reason, was classified as the talk of circumstances other than itself, Symphony No. 4. in a highly comprehensible manner. Not just the numbering was con- And the vitriolic British critic, George fusing: in fact, not everyone liked this Bernard Shaw, wrote as follows: “His symphony, in which the composer symphony in G is very nearly up to had made more use of his beloved the level of a Rossini overture, and folk music than in previous works, would make excellent promenade and had subjugated the traditional music at the summer fêtes out in the formal structures to the ‘poetic idea’. grounds.” Naturally, Dvorˇák’s friend, Dvorˇák wanted to consciously step Johannes Brahms, also reacted nega- off the beaten track, and write a work tively. After all, ‘formal structure’ was which “[...] differed from the previous central to his style of composition, symphonies; a work in which indi- and anything that reeked in the slight- est of programme music was taboo. no time, so many new pupils turned Therefore, his judgement was harsh: up that his composition class had to “Too much of the fragmentary and be split in two. trivial hangs around in the music. It In February 1896, Dvorˇák travelled is all subtle, musically gripping and to Vienna to attend a performance of beautiful – yet it contains no matter his Symphony No. 9 under conductor of substance.” Hans Richter. There he met his old Nevertheless, the Symphony No. friend Johannes Brahms, who tried 8 was soon a major success in concert to convince him to stay in Vienna halls world-wide, and Dvorˇák’s fame and give composition classes there. even stretched to the United States. However, Dvorˇák refused, claiming When the National Conservatory of that Vienna was too expensive a city Music in New York was founded in in which to live. Brahms replied as 1885, it was the wish of Jeanette follows: “Look, Dvorˇák, you have a Thurber (the initiator, and wife of an lot of children, whereas I have hard- immensely wealthy wholesale gro- ly anyone left. If you should need cer) that Antonín Dvorˇák would be- anything, then my capital is at your come the first principal. Money would disposal.” But even this generous tempt the composer to the Big Apple: gesture could not convince Dvorˇák. she offered Dvorˇák no less than 25 After Vienna, a trip to London was on times the salary that he was earning the agenda, where he conducted his in Prague. And her plan succeeded. Cello Concerto on March 19. Upon In September 1892, Dvorˇák, his wife his return, he decided to get down and two children boarded the steamer to composing immediately, but his Saale to cross the ocean. former urge to create was somewhat Three years later, on April 16, 1895, exhausted. Dvorˇák’s greatest desire Antonín Dvorˇák departed New York on was to write a patriotic opera. In the same steamer. After a safe jour- 1900, he was to succeed in this with ney, the composer arrived almost un- Rusalka. Before then, he wrote many noticed in Prague. There, he resumed shorter works, among which five sym- his work at the conservatoire. Within phonic poems in 1896, which must be considered among his most original take it away if it is disobedient. The symphonic works. The first four – The child does not listen, and when the Water Goblin, Op.107, The Afternoon clock strikes twelve, the witch actu- Witch, Op.108, The Golden Spinning- ally appears. She demands that the Wheel, Op.109, and The Wood Dove, child come with her. When the father Op.110 – are based on ballads, origi- returns home for his dinner, he finds nating from Czech folk tales and leg- his wife lying in a faint, with her life- ends from the collection Kytice (= The less child in her arms. Bouquet) written by the Prague town It was not Dvorˇák’s intention to registrar Karel Jaromir Erben (1811- illustrate the events by means of 1870). The last symphonic poem, The his music. After all, he disliked pro- Hero’s Song, Op.111 (also Dvorˇák’s gramme music intensely. A letter he last orchestral work) does not have a wrote to Richter reveals that he, in specific programme. fact, preferred the public to be igno- Conductor Hans Richter origi- rant of the programmatic background nally thought that this was a cycle, of his symphonic poems, trusting that similar to Smetana’s Má Vlast (= My everyone had been brought up on the Fatherland), but Dvorˇák explained folk tales employed. Only in the case to him that these were independent of the Wood Dove, did he have the compositions: “Although the pieces ballad printed on the first page of the are written in the sense of folk music, score. But this is also the only sym- at times the dramatic element is still phonic poem in which the events are quite dominant. These are ballads, more or less depicted in the music. In and each piece contains three or four the other poems, the literary source is personages, which I have tried to rep- simply the basis for the independent resent in the music.” orchestral work. The Afternoon Witch is a ghostly The Afternoon Witch is based on entity employed in folk tales to scare a single theme, which is reproduced naughty children. In the ballad of in all kinds of guises.