Download The Story of Antonin Dvorak 1841-1904

The Story of Antonin Dvorak
1841-1904
Antonin Dvorak was born in 1841 in a small village, Nelahozeves, about twenty miles north of Prague,
Czechoslovakia. He was the oldest of nine children. His father, an innkeeper and butcher, was not a trained
musician, but liked to play the zither while the village people danced. As a young boy, Antonin joined in the
dance music with his fiddle. Soon his musical ability became apparent, and after some instruction from his
schoolmaster, Dvorak was playing for churches and in a village band.
His father wanted him to become a butcher, and at the age of 11, he left school to learn the trade. A
year later, he went back to school to study German. His German teacher, Liehman, was also the church
organist. He taught Dvorak violin, viola, piano, organ and keyboard harmony. Antonin's uncle, with whom he
was living, persuaded Dvorak's father to let him pursue a musical career.
In 1857 at the Prague Organ School, Dvorak studied to become a church musician. Here he became
acquainted with classical music. He carefully saved his money so that he could attend concerts of visiting artists
such as Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann. After graduation, his first job was with a small band that played for
dances and at restaurants. This band evolved into an orchestra that often played the nationalistic music of his
country.
Dvorak's great dream was to be a composer. During the years from 1865 to 1876 he wrote chamber
music, symphonies, concertos, songs, operas, a quintet and a piano concerto. Struggling financially, he was
relieved when in 1873 a wealthy merchant, Jan Neff, hired him to teach piano to his children and to accompany
his wife, a singer. That same year Antonin married Anna Cermakova.
Dvorak gradually became more famous as a composer and in 1874 he won a prize that was given to
assist young and talented musicians. Johannes Brahms, one of the judges for the competition, took a real
interest in Dvorak. Brahms encouraged the publisher Simrock to look at Dvorak's Slavonic Dances which were
published in 1878. Brahms continued to help promote the compositions of this talented composer. In 1892, he
traveled to America to become the Director of the National conservatory of
Music.
Dvorak was a simple, religious man who loved his family and his
country. He liked to wander in the woods and forests of his native land, and
liked to be with his peasant friends, playing cards and singing. In later years
he received many awards and honors, including the gold medal that had
been previously given only to Brahms. Throughout his life he called himself
"a simple Czech musician."
Prague honored him with a concert of his music for his 60th
birthday. Three years later, he died quietly at his home there.