Antonín Dvořák - Symphony No. 8

Symphony No.8 (4) in G major, Op.88

Berliner Philharmoniker - Rafael Kubelik

Antonin Dvorak's 8th Symphony in G major sounds like a Bohemian ballad. The customary sequence of movements here forms a mere groundplan for the interplay of fresh melodies, and for highly personal instrumental effects, which are no longer derived from the example of Brahms. A rhapsodic feeling runs through the entire work, which was written between the 26th August and the 8th November 1889.

Dvorak complained at that time that his head was so full of melodies, his hand was scarcely able to get them down on paper quickly enough.

This abundance of ideas determined the character of the entire work, seemingly without pausing to reflect, Dvorak poured out tune after tune, invented unusual tonal combinations, and made major and minor episodes alternate in close proximity to one another. A typical ballad-like feature is the opening of the Allegro con brio in the minor; then a rising arpeggio figure in the flute leads into the major, and establishes the decisive, dotted rhythm.

This movement is typical of Dvorák's »Slavonic« period; it may be regarded as a musical reflection of the Bohemian character - one moment fiery, the next moment sunk in melancholy.

The Adagio in E flat major continues in this rhapsodic vein, with themes abruptly broken off, interplay between strings and woodwind, short and remarkably original development sections, rapid and unexpected contrasts.

The introductory theme of the Adagio is transformed in the third movement into a Waltz in three-eight time, beginning in G minor and going its way with symphonic élan. In the rhythmically striking G major Trio the woodwind quote a gaily bucolic tune from Dvorak's comic opera "The Pigheaded”

A challenging trumpet fanfare heralds the Finale, whose dance-like two-four theme is transformed into lively variations. The initial motif of the variation theme is the same broken G major triad which, in a similar rhythmic form, had determined the shape taken by the principal subject of the first movement. The variations proceed in an uncomplicated manner, with rich figuration, the basic theme frequently coming to the fore with striking effect. This Finale proves the fact that, skilfully orchestrated, a potent theme can repeated again and again without becoming boring. A Stretta whose elan would do credit to Tehaikovsky rounds off the variations.

Dvorak dedicated the G major Symphony to the "Bohemian Franz Joseph Academy for the Promotion of Art and Literature". He conducted the world première at Prague in February 1890.

Owing to the fact that the score was first published by Novello in London, this work has sometimes been known, misleadingly, as the "English Symphony". In fact it is one of Dvorak's most essentially Bohemian composi-tions, the Slavonic Symphony par excellence, created by a musician close to nature and devoted to his native land.

Label: Deutsche Grammophon

01 Allegro con brio
02 Adagio
03 Allegretto grazioso
04 Allegro, ma non troppo

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