Falling into Folk Preview | Antonín Dvořák's Folk Influences in America

Leah Froyd
Oct 4
3 min read

Hello and welcome to the second preview for Falling into Folk beginning the end of this month! This week we are zooming in on Czech composer Antonín Dvořák and the music he wrote in America.

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The life of Antonín Dvořák

Dvořák was born in Nelahozeves, Bohemia (present day Czech Republic) and is most well known for his Cello Concerto and the “New World” Symphony.

His father, an inn keeper, played zither and deeply appreciated music. He quickly recognized his son’s love and talent for music at an early age quickly sent the young Antonín to Zlonice to receive proper musical training.

Eventually, Dvořák’s compositional career flourished when he came into contact with Johannes Brahms. Brahms was a valuable friend and mentor who opened the door for Dvorak’s brilliant success.

Dvořák aged 26 or 27 (1868)

Above is one of Dvořák’s most beloved pieces, the Slavonic Dances composed and published during his time with Brahms. Notice how it uses a heavy symphonic instrumentation (just like Brahms) but the Slavonic melody gives it a totally unique musical character. The main melody enters in a “tutti” version (where the whole orchestra plays) which is contrasted with a pared down version with just the woodwinds. The drama heightens as more instruments join back in.

Dvořák in America

*Dvořák with his wife, children, and friends in New York. Photo courtesy of Czech Museum of Music, Antonín Dvořák Museum Prague.*

The next summer, Dvořák and his entourage travelled to Spillville, Iowa. The county was home to many Bohemian, German, and Swiss immigrants. In the comfort of his retreat, Dvořák put his collection of sketches together to create his “American Quartet” in just 3 days and later his String Quintet in Eb Major.

In 1892, Dvořák was appointed as Director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. During his tenure, he composed his famous "New World Symphony." He credited his inspiration for many of the melodies in this piece to African-American Spirituals he had learned from Harry T. Burleigh, a student who had been accepted into the conservatory.

His son recounted this summer commenting,

“There were good Czech people here, an organ in the church, the Turkey River, where [father] particularly liked to go for a walk; birds that he had not heard for so long sang there, and even pigeons, his old love, were not lacking.”

You will hear a selection from Dvořák's American Quartet at Falling into Folk, but for our final listening this week, enjoy his Quintet written during the same period.

This movement opens with a viola solo quickly joined by the other instruments, showcasing Dvořák's "melody forward" approach. He prioritizes framing the melody with supporting instruments rather than using competing melodies or fragmenting them across different instruments.

This technique mirrors traditional folk music performance, where one instrument typically "leads" the ensemble. However, as the piece unfolds notice how Dvořák adapts this simple form to suit the string quartet format by trading melodic material between instruments more frequently and adding energetic 16th note textures in the lower parts.

Come to our Falling into Folk concert to hear more of Dvořák's impressions of America through the lens of his “American” String Quartet!

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Our general admission sale is currently underway for our next concert series in San Francisco. You can now reserve a seat at any of our upcoming concerts!!

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