2. Dvorak Antonin

3. Antonin Dvorak was among the happiest of all composers. Sensible and humble, even at the height of his success, Dvorak, pronounced “ di- VOR - Jacques, ” suffered none of the mental problems that seemed to afflict so many of the composers of the Romantic era, such as Tchaikovsky and Schumann. Dvorak

4. Despite many setbacks, Dvorak retained a simple, wholehearted delight in living, a joy that shines throughout his music and inspired deep affection in all who knew him. Dvorak

5. Dvorak was born September 8, 1841 in a low- ceilinged room above an inn in the small village of Nelahozeves, on the Vltava river, in Czechoslovakia.

6. Music was in the blood of all Czechs and they burst into song and dance at every occasion. Dvorak once said that the English did not love music, they merely respected it. The Czechs certainly loved it. It wasn’t long before little Antonin was playing simple dance tunes on the fiddle. By age 5 he was entertaining customers at the inn his father owned.

7. Antonin’s father, a butcher and Innkeeper, was not only talented at dispensing fine ale and meat, but was an accomplished musician as well. Despite the fact that Antonin’s musical talent was obvious, his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a butcher.

8. In the days of Austrian domination, German was the national language, and Antonin had to learn it if he wanted to become a butcher. Liehmann Liehmann was also the church organist, and he taught Dvorak piano, organ, violin, and viola. So, Antonin was sent to live with his Uncle, where a teacher named Liehmann would teach him how to speak German.

9. When it was time to return home to his parents, Dvorak’s teacher couldn’t bear to see his star pupil’s musical talent go to waste. He convinced Antonin’s Uncle to put up the money to go to music school.

10. So at 16 years old, he set out with his father, pushing a cart piled high with his belongings to walk 26 miles to the great city of Prague, Czechoslovakia. They could not afford a train ticket.

11. When Dvorak finished music school, his family was still desperately poor. He got a job playing in the orchestra at the newly created Czech National Theatre. In the 9 years he spent there, he was exposed to the great Nationalist composers and shown just what potential there was in his own national heritage.

12. Anna Cermokova Dvorak After her father’s protest was removed by his death in 1872, the couple were married. Their marriage was long and happy. During this time one of Dvorak’s pupils was Josefina Cermokova, the pretty 16-year old daughter of a Prague Goldsmith. Antonin fell deeply in love with her, but she married someone else. Over the years his eye eventually fell on her younger sister Anna. She sang in the chorus, and they had plenty of opportunities to get together.

13. Dvorak began to have some success as a composer, and had his first piece published by 1878. At the time, however, his mind was on other things. His daughter Josefa died two days after her birth in 1876, then his 11-month old daughter Ruzena died by swallowing cleaning fluid when accidentally left unsupervised a couple months later, and then his son Otakar died just three weeks after that from smallpox.

14. Antonin was invited to conduct his Stabat Mater at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In his grief, Dvorak wrote a piece called “Stabat Mater,” a religious choral work. It was this piece that led him to fame outside of his country.

15. About the event Dvorak wrote, As soon as I appeared, I received a tempestuous welcome from the audience of 12,000. These ovations increasing, I had to bow my thanks again and again…I am convinced that England offers me a new and certainly happier future.”

16. He was right about his future. As his reputation grew, he became at last financially secure, and won many awards, including the Austrian “Iron Crown “ and a Doctorate of Music at Cambridge, England.

17. WOULD YOU ACCEPT DIRECTOR NATIONAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC NEW YORK OCTOBER 1892 ALSO LEAD SIX CONCERTS OF YOUR WORKS In 1892, Dvorak received this telegram:

18. Dvorak accepted the position at the National Conservatory of Music in New York because : 1. It was open to all, regardless of money or color. Having come from a poor family, that was important to him. 2. The salary was a princely $15,000 (about $300,000 today) It was during this time in America that he wrote his most famous work. His Symphony # 9 is called “From the New World.” Why do you think he named it this?

19. He had missed his homeland though, and so when the Conservatory ran into financial problems during his second term, he was glad to have an excuse to return home. Antonin got the chance to see a great many things while in America. He even got to conduct some of his works at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.

20. Dvorak died suddenly in May 1904 in Czechoslovakia. After a month’s illness, he had finally been given permission by the doctor to get up and join the May Day celebrations. But after the meal, he suddenly felt dizzy, and slumped in his chair unable to speak. He was carried to his room while the doctor was called, but moments later he had died. Few composers have been so greatly missed by their countrymen.

21. Dvorak Antonin (1841-1904) Song: Largo from “New World Symphony” (click to start) Oboe