Dvořák's time as director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York was intended to provide a blueprint for American national music, following the example of Czech national music.
Composer Biography
Dvořák's father, who initially encouraged his son's musical abilities, later abandoned his original trade to earn a living as a zither player.
Cultural Impact
Dvořák's 'Moravian Duets' and 'Slavonic Dances' introduced his music to a wider public, holding an 'exotic appeal' for them.
Composition History
Dvořák's music gained wider recognition after his application for an Austrian government award brought it to the attention of critic Eduard Hanslick and composer Johannes Brahms.
Composer Biography
Antonín Dvořák, the composer, was the eldest son of a butcher and innkeeper, and was initially expected to follow the family trade.
Performer Biography
The Vlach Quartet Prague, the performers on this album, is a successor to the famous Vlach Quartet led by violinist Josef Vlach, father of the current ensemble's violinist Jana Vlachová.
Composer Biography
Dvořák began his professional musical career as a viola-player in a band that later formed the nucleus of the Czech Provisional Theatre Orchestra.
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