Antonín Dvořák Essentials

Apple Music Classical

Born in Bohemia, the Czech composer fused a nationalistic language with the then-current mainstream symphonic tradition—and won the approval and patronage of Brahms. Of his nine symphonies, the final three are repertoire works (No. 7 perhaps his finest, No. 9 the hit), and he wrote one of the greatest of all cello concertos, a magnificent creation. His chamber music taps deep into the Czech spirit, and the homesickness he felt when he went to work in New York inspired some of his loveliest works. There is still much of his music that isn't performed regularly but which offers huge rewards to the curious. Start exploring with this selection; it includes some of his greatest work.

I. Adagio - Allegro molto

Rafael Kubelík, Berlin Philharmonic

9:28

No. 1 in C Major (Presto)

Rafael Kubelík, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

3:45

No. 1, Ma piseu zas mi laskou zni

Magdalena Kožená, Yulia Deyneka, Andrew Marriner, Sir Simon Rattle, Wolfram Brandl, David Adorjan, Kaspar Zehnder, Rahel Maria Rilling

2:42

Carnival Overture, Op. 92

Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic

8:51

1. Moderato

Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra

4:12

No. 8 in G Minor (Presto)

Jiří Bělohlávek, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

4:42

I. Preludium. Allegro moderato

Josef Vlach, Prague Chamber Orchestra

3:54

I. No. 4, Larghetto in G Minor

Augustin Hadelich, Charles Owen

6:58

II. Largo

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

12:15

II. Polka. Allegretto grazioso

Prague Chamber Orchestra, Josef Vlach

5:19

I. Lento maestoso - Allegro vivace - Allegro molto

Beaux Arts Trio

4:50

"Mesicku na nebi hlubokém"

Sir Charles Mackerras, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Renée Fleming

5:48

2. Tempo di valse

Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra

6:15

III. Eia mater, fons amoris

Prague Philharmonic Choir, Jiří Bělohlávek, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

7:04

III. Silent and lone the woods (Ales je tichy kolem kol)

Malcolm Martineau, Magdalena Kožená

3:00

II. Dumka. Andante con moto

Boris Giltburg, Pavel Haas Quartet

14:16

I. Allegro maestoso

Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic

10:48

IV. Songs my mother taught me (Kdyz mne stara matka)

Magdalena Kožená, Malcolm Martineau

2:41

1. Allegro

Mstislav Rostropovich, Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan

15:42

No. 1, Allegro con fuoco

Dvořák Piano Quartet

8:43

1. Te Deum laudamus

Jakub Hrůša, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Svatopluk Sem, Kateřina Kněžiková, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

6:19

2. Tu Rex gloriae, Christe

Prague Philharmonic Choir, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Svatopluk Sem, Jakub Hrůša

4:29

I. Allegro

Škampa Quartet, Krzysztof Chorzelski

9:41

No. 6 in B-Flat (Moderato, Quasi Minuetto)

Iván Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra

3:36

1. Moderato

Emerson String Quartet

3:58

X. O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song

Christoph Berner, Bernarda Fink

1:44

III. Finale. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo

Hilary Hahn, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Frankfurt Radio Symphony

10:47

I. Requiem aeternam

Ernst Haefliger, Kim Borg, Czech Chorus, Prague, Sieglinde Wagner, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Ančerl, Maria Stader, Markéta Kühnová

10:01

No. 5 in B-Flat Minor (Poco Adagio)

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer

2:45

Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66, B.131

London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész

11:53

8. Lento

Emerson String Quartet

2:59

VI. Agnus Dei

Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra, Marina Rodríguez-Cusí, Orfeón Pamplonés, Javier Tomé, Ewa Biegas, Antoni Wit, José Antonio López

5:02

VII. By the Waters of Babylon

Christoph Berner, Bernarda Fink

2:51

In Nature's Realm, Op. 91, B.168

István Kertész, London Symphony Orchestra

13:36

I. Allegro ma non troppo

Emerson String Quartet

9:02

IV. The Lord Is My Shepherd

Christoph Berner, Bernarda Fink

2:19

Silent Woods

Jan Panenka, Josef Suk

4:35

I. Allegro agitato

Sviatoslav Richter, Carlos Kleiber, Bavarian State Orchestra

18:29

IV. Allegro, ma non troppo

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Mariss Jansons

10:47

No. 7, Dobru noc

Andrew Marriner, Sir Simon Rattle, Wolfram Brandl, David Adorjan, Magdalena Kožená, Yulia Deyneka, Kaspar Zehnder, Rahel Maria Rilling

3:26

No. 4, Zalo dievca

Sir Simon Rattle, Andrew Marriner, Magdalena Kožená, David Adorjan, Wolfram Brandl, Yulia Deyneka, Kaspar Zehnder, Rahel Maria Rilling

1:53

II. Adagio ma non troppo

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, Jacqueline du Pré

13:17

No. 1 in D Minor, Allegretto non troppo quasi andantino

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras

3:26

II. Adagio ma non troppo

Pavel Haas Quartet

10:17

Humoresque, Op. 101, No. 7

Milton Kaye, Jascha Heifetz

3:34

Now Sad the Castle (Kněžna)

Brigita Sulcova, Jiří Pinkas, Brno Janáček Opera Orchestra

6:11

The Noon Witch, Op. 108, B. 196

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Jiří Bělohlávek

14:27

IV. Finale (Allegro molto)

Sir Charles Mackerras, English Chamber Orchestra Wind Ensemble

6:06

Rondo in G Minor, Op. 94

Alisa Weilerstein, Anna Polonsky

6:57

IV. Allegro con fuoco

Iván Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra

10:55