An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A glorious thematic stew; high drama, a powerful build-up... but then?

Jeremy Siepmann

Classics Explained: Dvorak - Symphony No. 9, 'From the New World'

56 SECONDI • JUL 01 2002

Lista brani dell'album

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A quiet beginning: sorrow, syncopation, and sequence

02:38

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Instrumental colour as a prime element: clarinets and bassoons, an outburst by the French horn

00:57

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The opening tune again, with different instrumental colouring: now flutes and oboes

00:32

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The first big surprise: strings, shattering drumbeats, shrieks from flutes, oboes, and clarinets

00:37

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Cellos and basses take us into a new key while flutes and oboes dance in syncopation.

00:32

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Horns, violas, and cellos introduce a new idea, soon to evolve into the main theme.

00:31

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A tiny detail from the opening culminates in a wild drumming that heralds A Major event

00:43

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Introduction complete

02:05

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A solo horn introduces the main theme, perkily answered by bassoons and horns.

00:39

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The theme moves to G Major; answering phrase from flutes, oboes, bassoons.

00:33

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Long crescendo, tremolo strings, back to tonic and biggest statement yet of the main theme.

00:39

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Transition to the secondary theme through the use of sequence. Sonata form; satability and flux

01:36

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Three-bar groupings and again the use of sequence, spelling out a chord

00:34

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The sequence continues to rise, and the four-bar phrase returns as the standard unit.

00:18

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The first violins start off the next phrase, but the melodic shape is more compact.

00:21

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The violins fall silent; the violas and cellos answer with a new figure

00:09

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": So now we have a two-bar group, made up of statement and answer.

00:07

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The same thing again (though not quite the same)

00:05

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Transition complete. The secondary theme arrives, with French horns as 'bagpipes'.

01:00

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The 'bagpipe drone' is taken over by cellos, with their insistently repeated G and D.

00:19

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The tune is taken up by cellos and double-basses, 'shadowed' by the second violins.

00:57

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The violins continue a pattern of steady pairs, and the cellos and basses introduce a new idea.

00:33

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Unexpectedly, we find ourselves back with the secondary theme. A new idea emerges.

00:26

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Again we hear the shortened version of the secondary theme

00:33

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The suspense is heightened as everything slows down

00:25

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": This beautiful flute tune is said to resemble 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'.

00:47

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A big crescendo leads to a final statement of the closing theme

01:16

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The development section begins with a conversation between cellos, double-bases, and violins.

01:09

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The beginning of the closing theme is taken up in turn by the horn, piccolo, and trumpet.

00:18

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Sequential chirping from the oboes based on the 'answering' part of the main theme, now in thE Major

00:18

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Much of the development comes from a diminution of the closing theme from the exposition.

00:19

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A tiny detail becomes A Major ingredient, giving an agitated quality to an originally sunny tune.

00:31

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Through a sequence of keys so quickly that it is hard to keep track of them

00:37

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The main theme from massed cellos and double-basses, topped by two trumpets over tremolo violas

01:46

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": After that major climax, we arrive at the threshold of the recapitulation

01:04

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Dvorak flouts tradition by setting the secondary theme and the closing theme in unexpected keys.

01:10

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The tumultuous convulsion of the coda brings the first movement to its epic close.

03:09

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Humpty Dumpty: putting the bits back together again

00:20

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": First movement (complete)

11:36

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The very opening chords unmistakably herald the arrival of something special.

01:06

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The role of instrumentation in setting the scene...

01:10

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": ...and in enhancing the quality of one of the most famous tunes in symphonic history.

01:29

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The cor anglais is joined by the clarinet, creating a fascinating change in the timbre.

01:08

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": For the closing part of the tune, there is another new sonority: cor anglais plus bassoon.

00:24

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The closing bar is repeated by clarinets and bassoons, the horn adding a new touch

00:28

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Back to the start to hear the whole of the story so far, this time without commentary

02:24

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A change of scoring: the slow opening chords return, this time played by the winds alone.

01:14

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The changes in scoring are just beginning.

02:35

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The flutes and oboes introduce a new tune, over hushed tremolo strings.

01:05

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A memorable combination of continuous, asymmetrical melody with steady, march-like counterpoint.

01:28

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Back in that woodland glade, the light and shadows have changed, revealing new shapes and patterns.

01:33

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The next section is new and forward-looking, yet also a kind of dream-recollection of a past scene.

01:30

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": An abrupt change of mood, much discussion and embellishment, and a hushed note of expectancy

02:01

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Subjectivity and expertise; Sourek and Tovey disagree; onwards, into the final section

05:14

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Cue to whole movement

00:11

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Second movement (complete)

12:00

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Dvorak, Beethoven, and the Scherzo. Dvorak purposely confuses the listener's expectations.

01:54

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Using a little fanfare, Dvorak further builds up expectation before revealing the main theme.

00:21

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": When the theme is revealed, we find that it is not exactly a tune.

00:36

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Two little bursts of rhythm provide the seeds from which much of the movement grows.

00:25

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": It is the second half of the theme that dominates.

00:22

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Back to the beginning to hear the whole of this opening section

00:48

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Without ever being remotely 'academic' or 'intellectual', there is much counterpoint going on here.

00:20

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Dvorak's very Czech love of combining conflicting rhythms, sometimes metres

02:31

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A clearly transitional passage, obsessed with the rhythmic tag that both opens and closes the theme

00:30

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Sooner than we may have expected, we seem to have arrived at the Trio section.

01:07

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A new kind of tone quality sheds a subtly different light on the theme.

00:35

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The flutes and oboes now chime in with an answering variant of the opening...

00:21

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": ...and the cellos and bassoons take up the original version of the theme.

00:43

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A false alarm: it was not the traditional Trio section at all, but rather part 2 of Scherzo proper

00:52

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Soon, after a very rapid build, the Scherzo proper does reach its final phase.

01:13

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The orchestral texture thins dramatically, and we approach what this time really is the Trio section.

01:28

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The Trio section is reminiscent more of the 'Old World' than the 'New'.

00:50

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": In the second half of the Trio, a new tune emerges, a kind of Slavonic waltz.

01:00

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The main theme of the Trio returns against a much fuller orchestral background.

00:36

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Then it is all a matter of repeats, until we reach the coda, which ends with an explosive bang.

01:15

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Third movement (complete)

08:07

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Like the first movement, the fourth begins not with its main theme but with an introduction.

00:47

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The main theme: an imposing march, introduced by trumpets and trombones, with timpani

00:48

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The main theme, part two. A codetta-like passage closes off the march

01:01

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The 'transitional' theme, while outwardly contrasting, is actually a hidden variant of the march.

00:53

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": A point of future obsession

00:16

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The second half of this 'transitional' theme is given to the winds the strings have finished.

00:16

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The 'obsession' takes root, with a ten-fold repetition, before the arrival of the second subject.

00:57

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The hidden traps in sonata-form terminology: 'second main theme' vx. 'second subject'

02:31

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The unexpected entry and subsequent ubiquity of 'Three Blind Mice'

01:23

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": We meet the mice again, now in the cellos and double-basses, where they persistently refuse to run.

00:36

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": More 'Three Blind Mice' material

00:30

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The mice return to the basement, where the bassoons have joined the cellos and double-basses.

00:19

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Next, they are back with the clarinets who pass them back to the cellos

00:18

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Now they return to the high winds, delicately trilling.

00:15

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Relief, at last: the mice back off, making way for a remainder of the main theme from the trumpets.

00:34

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The mice yield to woodpeckers; the main theme is now doubled in speed

01:07

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The triplets of the 'transitional' theme are now handed down through strings

00:23

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Reminders of past movements begin to fly by, thick and fast, sometimes very fast.

00:28

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": In fact there are three bits of quotation going on here simultaneously.

00:23

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The violas react every time the 'Goin' Home' theme is quoted by the winds.

00:13

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The rhythm of the opening of the 'Goin' Home' theme dominates, transformed by trumpets

00:35

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The march theme reappears as a Mendelssohnian fairy; the main theme from the 1st mov. now returns.

01:55

100

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": We reach an interesting point: have we heard the beginning of the recapitulation, or not?

01:05

101

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Perhaps this is it? Back for a reminder of the theme proper, as we first heard it

01:41

102

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": Tovey places the start of the recapitulation here.

01:27

103

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": The main theme recast in pathetic rather than heroic terms - and with magical scoring

01:51

104

An Introduction to … DVORAK Symphony No. 9, "From the New World": This unexpected crisis in confidence plays A Major role in the overall dramatic impact of the mov.

01:49