Dvorak's 9th Symphony is titled, From The New World, but in my opinion it might as well just have been called from my old world because you have this tension between Dvorak embracing native American sounds and yet looking back on the bohemia that he'd left behind, and its full of nostalgia. I mean just listen to this waltz in the third movement. Its dressed in bohemian costume isn't it? I mean it sounds ultra Czech, theres nothing American about that. But lets start with the first movement and the spirit of adventure announced of course by the horns
And another great theme of adventure given to us in the finale again led by the horns
and with that feel of interpretation we do encounter some very American sounding themes in the first movement.
and famously this theme.
You've got to imagine a fat soul singer singing that because the words that inspired Dvorak were those from the spiritual Swing Low Sweet Chariot coming for to carry me home. In fact its played by a flute in the piece, I'm almost a little bit disappointed by that I wanted a large, deeper instrument, but thats just my taste.
Lets go to the second movement, and by the time we get there things are very sepia toned its very very nostalgic.
You'll remember that famous Cor Anglais theme perhaps from the Hovis ad, but forget about bread. Actually here, this does have a bit of an American underlay, if you listen to the scale on which this is based, its quite an American scale. But really it feels super nostalgic and later on it gives way to one of the most bohemian sounding themes, just listen to this.
So it is this tension between embracing the new and cherishing the old that gives this piece its generous colours its palette, its range, and also gifts it with such an exciting narrative potential.
So what do you think? Is this symphony more from the new world or from an old one. We'd love to hear your thoughts so please do comment below, and feel free to like and subscribe. Thanks for watching.
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