Dvořák · Antonín Dvořák
Dvořák Symphony No. 6 in D major
The Czech symphony the Vienna Phil turned down
- Key
- D major
- Composed
- 1880
- Premiere
- 1881 Prague
- Duration
- About 43 min
- Movements
- 4 movements
- Instrumentation
- Woodwinds 2·2·2·2 (+ piccolo) · Brass 4·2·3·1 · Timpani · Strings
The story behind this piece
He wrote this piece in 1880 at the request of Hans Richter, conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic. Richter was delighted when Dvořák played it for him on the piano. But the Vienna Phil players were reluctant to perform a work by a new Czech composer for two seasons in a row, and the premiere fell through. The Vienna Phil didn't play it until 1942.
In the end it was premiered in Prague on March 25, 1881, conducted by Adolf Čech, and the third movement was so popular it was played again as an encore. Because it was the first of his symphonies to be published, it was long called 'No. 1.' The outer movements are often compared with Brahms's Symphony No. 2 for their similar key, meter, and tempo.
What to listen for
- Movement 3: It's a 'furiant,' a Czech dance. The rhythms of three beats that sound like two cross over each other, which makes it exciting.
- Movement 1: Try listening to it alongside Brahms's Symphony No. 2, which is also in D major.
Listen · Score
Credits