Antonín Dvořák, the composer, was apprenticed as a butcher in his father's shop and faced strong paternal opposition to his musical career.
Composition History
Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, 'From the New World', was partly inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem 'The Song of Hiawatha'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Dvořák believed American musicians were neglecting valuable sources of musical material and urged them to examine the music of black communities and Native Americans.
Performer Biography
Grzegorz Nowak, the conductor, won First Prize at the Ernest Ansermet Conducting Competition in Geneva, along with several other prestigious awards.
Compositional Technique
The 'Carnival Overture' is part of a trilogy of overtures by Dvořák, all united by a common melodic theme that is prominent in the first, quoted in the second, and distorted in the third.
Performer Biography
Grzegorz Nowak honed his conducting skills at Tanglewood on a Serge Koussevitzky Fellowship, studying with masters like Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Erich Leinsdorf.
Recording & Production
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, featured on this recording, owns its own record label and was the first UK orchestra to stream its entire series of concerts live from Cadogan Hall.
