Symphony No. 6 in D Op. 60 (1880)

Antonín Dvořák(1841-1904)

1. Allegro non tanto
2. Adagio
3. Scherzo (Furiant) – Presto
4. Finale – Allegro con spirito

Born in Bohemia, the son of a butcher, Dvořák left school at 11 and later graduated from the Prague Organ School (in viola!) and played in what became the Provisional Theatre Orchestra, often conducted by Smetana and Wagner. In his early days, Dvořák was so poor that he could not afford a piano, so had to slip into a friend’s house to use his! This was to change after the critic Hanslick introduced Dvořák to Brahms, who Dvořák admired enormously. In 1878, Brahms persuaded the publisher Simrock to include Dvořák on his list. With the publication of his Slavonic Dances for piano four hands, Dvořák’s fame in Bohemia was established, and international renown soon followed, partly due to the publication of this symphony, the first to be published and hence for many years known as “No. 1”.

Composed over a mere seven weeks in the summer of 1880, Dvořák’s sixth symphony was commissioned by, and dedicated to, Hans Richter, the influential Chief Conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. When Dvořák played through the symphony on the piano, Richter hugged Dvořák at the end of each movement. However, despite Richter’s enthusiasm, the orchestra refused to perform it due to anti-Czech feeling in Vienna. Dvořák eventually premiered it in Prague the following year and Richter performed it to great acclaim in London. It was not until 1942 that the symphony was performed by the Vienna Philharmonic.

The sixth symphony marks the transition between Dvořák emulating other composer’s styles and finding his own voice. For example, in his third symphony he experimented with Wagnerism, a course he did not pursue further. In the sixth Dvořák was much influenced by his mentor Brahms. However, Dvořák added many of his own characteristic flourishes and the famous third movement furiant is pure Dvořák, as are his last three symphonies numbered seven to nine.

The overall mood of the symphony is one of warmth and tranquillity. Its outer movements share many characteristics with Brahms second symphony, premiered a few years earlier. The opening bars immediately establish the pastoral mood that permeates the whole work. The slow second movement evokes a lazy summer’s evening. The main theme is a cantilena melody enhanced by Dvořák’s characteristic warmth of orchestration. The third scherzo movement is a furious syncopated dance based on the furiant, a Czech folk dance also used in some of his Slavonic Dances. A short slow interlude featuring the piccolo interrupts the otherwise frenetic atmosphere. The exuberant final movement slowly builds to a spectacular coda exuding happiness and joy.

Performed:  2002, June 2022