#romantic-era

OTD in Music History: Legendary 19th Century composer Antonin Dvorak (1841 - 1904) watches as his Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 5, is performed in Prague in 1872 by what he referred to as "a splendid team of players." It is the first recorded public performance of one of his original works. The first Bohemian composer to truly achieve worldwide recognition, Dvorak is particularly noted for the strong "nationalist" bent of his music. Bedrich Smetana (1824 - 1884) -- Dvorak’s senior by 17 years -- had already laid the foundations of the Czech nationalist movement in music, and is recognized as “The Father of Czech Music” within the Czech Republic, but after Smetana’s tragic early death from syphilis it fell to Dvorak to develop and extend this legacy in an impressive series of works that have achieved lasting popularity comparable with any great “classical” music that has ever come out of Germany, France, Italy, or Russia. The secret to Dvorak's success lies first and foremost in his incredible gift for melody, and secondarily in the instantly recognizable and delightfully fresh Czech folk character displayed in much of his best music. Dvorak composed in all major musical genres, and his oeuvre contains works that can justifiably be hailed as true masterpieces in every single major form – a very unusual accomplishment, even among the rarified ranks of “the great composers.” PICTURED: A c. 1910 real photo postcard, showing the middle-aged Dvorak.