Date: 1889 08 26-1889 11 08
Composer: Antonin Dvorák
Period: Romantic (1820-1869)
Review
Dvorák had been embarrassed when mature works were issued as early ones, while his nationalism had been offended by the persistent Germanizing of his first name as "Anton." In 1889, no longer a
naïf provincial, Dvorák chose to interpret the offer of 1,000 Deutschmarks -- 5,000 less than he had paid for the instantly popular Seventh -- as publisher
Fritz Simrock 's first right of refusal, and sold his new Eighth to the British firm of
Novello , who published it as No. 4.
Novello considered it a privilege to buy the work;
Simrock never repeated his mistake.
When Cambridge University honored Dvorák as a Doctor of Music in 1892, he submitted the Eighth Symphony as his obligatory "exercise." Thus it came to be called the "English" Symphony for many years, despite its obvious Czech grammar and diction -- Dvorák's declaration of independence, in fact, from Germanic influences in the first seven symphonies.
Dvorák united all four sections of the Eighth with a rising three-note figure, first heard in the opening measure of the opening movement; from this come the main themes there and in the finale. The work abounds in structural symmetries and subtleties, which reveal themselves once one becomes familiar with its charming Czech-rooted melodies and rhythms. Organization of this caliber is the handiwork of a master composer in complete control of what he wants to say and how to say it.
A melody in G minor, which returns later on before the development section and again (albeit altered in mood) before the recapitulation, is introduced in the Allegron con brio before G major arrives with the main theme, bird-like in character as played on the flute. Dvorák moves to E major for a gently contrasting second theme, then to B minor for a march-like third subject; but G major prevails at the end.
In the Adagio, duple meter replaces common time, while the key of C replaces G (C being the dominant of G). An ABAB structure begins quietly in C minor, but metamorphoses in the repeated sections suggest a variation-pattern with a wistful character.
Dvorák shocked purists by writing an Allegretto grazioso waltz movement, as Tchaikovsky had done in his Fifth Symphony a year earlier. It is, however, unmistakably a Slavonic waltz in G minor, whose G major trio lends itself even less to ballroom dancing, yet is a dance. After a repeat of the song section, a fast coda in 2/4 time sets up both the meter and the key of the finale.
Beethoven might have applauded Dvorák's theme and variations structure within a song and trio frame of the final Allegro ma non troppo. Following a trumpet fanfare, a two-part theme emerges whose halves are repeated, then four variations, all in G major. The trio is a three-part march in C minor, after which the fanfare returns with four more variations in tow. ~ All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
20th Century Maestros: Leonard Bernstein & Rafael Kubelik 2000
40 Famous Composers [Box Set] 2006
A Major Czech Conductor-Volume 1
Anton Dvorak: Symphony No. 8; Serenade Op. 22 2006
Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 8/The Golden Spinning Wheel 1992
Antonin Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Antonín Dvorák: Symphonien No. 8 & 9
Antonín Dvorák: Symphonies 7 And 8 1990
Antonín Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 1996
Antonín Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 1992
Antonín Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 1983
Antonín Dvorák: Symphony No. 8/Carnival Overture 1985
Brahms: Symphony No. 3; Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 1992
Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 1992
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8; Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Rossini: Semiramide Overture 2002
Bruno Walter The Edition Vol.4 1996
Bruno Walter conducts Dvorák & Smetana 2007
Busoni: Sarabande & Cortège; Franck: Psyché et Eros 2007
Chopin: Concerto No. 1/Dvorak: Symphony No. 8
Chopin: Concerto for piano in Em; Dvorak: Symphony No8 1995
Constantin Silvestri: The Collection, Vol. 2 2001
Dvorak For Dummies
Dvorak, Smetana: Orchestral Works 1989
Dvorak: 3 Great Symphonies 1996
Dvorak: Carnival Overture Op92; Symphony No8
Dvorak: Serenade Op22; Symphony No8
Dvorak: Serenade Op22; Symphony No8
Dvorak: Symphonies
Dvorak: Symphonies 1-9 / Orchestral Works 2000
Dvorak: Symphonies 7 & 8
Dvorak: Symphonies 7 & 8 1989
Dvorak: Symphonies 8 & 9 1999
Dvorak: Symphonies 8 & 9 2001
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 2000
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 1990
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7, 8 & 9 1993
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7-9; Smetana: The Moldau 1993
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9; Smetana: The Moldau 2003
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 1986
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8/Serenade for String Orchestra 1994
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8; Symphonic Variations
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8; Symphony No. 4 1989
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8; The Noon Witch 1999
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8; The Noonday Witch 1994
Dvorak: Symphony No.8/Ravel: Ma Mère l'Oye 1991
Dvorak: Symphony No8
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Carnival Overture Op92
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Concerto for piano in Gm
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Concerto for violin in Am
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Hussite Overture Op67 1996
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture Op26
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Noon Witch Op108 1993
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Pablo: Orillas
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Slavonic Dances Op46 1996
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Symphony No4 1994
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Symphony No7
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Symphony No7
Dvorak: Symphony No8; Symphony No7
Dvorak: Symphony No9; Symphony No8 1973
Dvorak: Symphony No9; Symphony No8
Dvorak: Symphony No9; Symphony No8
Dvorak: Symphony No9; Symphony No8
Dvorak: Symphony No9; Symphony No8 1998
Dvorak: Symphony Nos. 5 & 8
Dvorak: Symphony Nos. 7 & 8 1994
Dvorak: Symphony Nos.7 & 8 1991
Dvorak: The Complete Symphonies 1991
Dvorák (Box Set) 1994
Dvorák Complete 9 Symphonies [Box Set]
Dvorák/Janácek: Symphony No. 8/Sinfonietta 1994
Dvorák/Schubert: Symphony No. 8/Symphony No. 6 1995
Dvorák: Complete Symphonies [Box Set] 2002
Dvorák: Concerto pour violon; Symphonie No. 8
Dvorák: Concerto pour violoncelle; Symphonie No. 8 1998
Dvorák: Sinfonie Nr. 8 2005
Dvorák: Symphonie No. 8 2003
Dvorák: Symphonie Nr. 8; Ouvertüren 2007
Dvorák: Symphonien 7, 8, 9; Carnival; Otello
Dvorák: Symphonien Nos. 8 & 9 "Aus der neuen Welt"
Dvorák: Symphonies 5 & 7-9; etc. 2007
Dvorák: Symphonies 5-7-8-9
Dvorák: Symphonies 7 & 8 1989
Dvorák: Symphonies 7, 8 & 9 'From the New World'; Carnaval Overture; Scherzo capriccioso 2006
Dvorák: Symphonies 7, 8 & 9; American Suite 2008
Dvorák: Symphonies 7-9 2002
Dvorák: Symphonies 8 & 9; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphonies Complete [Box Set]
Dvorák: Symphonies No.7 & 8 1990
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 (Box Set) 1991
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 [Box Set] 2003
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; In Nature; Serenade for Winds; Serenade for Strings, etc. [Box Set] 2005
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 8 1989
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 6-9 2005
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 2003
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 2005
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7, 8, 9 1995
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7-9 2003
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7-9 [Box Set]
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 1996
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 2005
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 2007
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 "From the New World" 2007
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 "From the New World"
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 "New World" 2005
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 [DVD Video] 2007
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 [Hybrid SACD] 2002
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 [SACD] 2001
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos.8 & 9 1997
Dvorák: Symphonies [Box Set] 2004
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 1999
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 / Nocturne / Overtures 1999
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 in G Major, etc.
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8/Czech Suite 1989
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Cello Concerto 2003
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Concert Overtures Opp. 91, 92 & 93
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Golden Spinning Wheel 1993
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Scherzo Capriccioso; Legends 1998
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Schubert: Symphony No. 6 2002
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Serenade for Strings
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; The Wild Dove; The Noon Witch [Hybrid SACD] 2007
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; The Wood Dove 1989
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8; Wagner: Prelude & Good Friday Spell from "Parsifal" 1985
Dvorák: Symphony Nos. 7 & 8 1995
Dvorák: Symphony Nos. 8 & 9 2006
Dvorák: Sämtliche Symphonien
Dvorák: The 9 Symphonies 2005
Dvorák: The Complete Published Orchestral Works [Box Set] 2004
Dvorák: The Complete Symphonies [Box Set] 2001
Dvorák: The Golden Spinning-Wheel; Symphony No. 8
Dvorák: The Greatest Hits 1993
Dvorák: The Late Symphonies 1997
Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Dvorák: The Nine Symphonies
Dvorák: The Symphonies [Box Set] 1991
Dvorák: The Symphonies [Box Set] 2005
Dvorák:Symphony Nos. 7, 8 & 9/The Wood Dove 1994
Dvorâk: Symphony No. 8; Scherzo capriccioso; Notturno 1989
Everybody's Dvorák 2009
Famous Composers [Box Set] 2006
Forest Dreams 1999
George Szell: Decca & Philips Recordings 1951-1969 [Box Set] 2005
Great Conductors of the 20th Century: George Szell
Herbert von Karajan Edition
Herbert von Karajan: The Legend
Karajan: The Legendary Decca Recordings [Box Set] 2008
Karajan: The Legendary Decca Recordings, Vol. 4 2008
Karel Ancerl 2002
Karel Ancerl Edition, Vol. 2 1995
Masterworks: Dvorák [Box Set]
Musik...Sprache der Welt: Selected Orchestral Recordings II [Box Set]
New York, February 1948
Rafael Kubelik: Portrait
Schumann: Symphonie No. 4; Dvorák: Symphonie No. 8
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2; Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 1990
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2; Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 2001
Silvestri: The Collection (Box Set) 2001
Smetana: The Bartered Bride Overture; Dvoràk: Symphony No. 8; Janácek: Sinfonietta 2001
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No4, Op36; Dvorak: Symphony No8
Tennstedt: Portrait of a Legend 2007
The 20th Century Maestros (Box Set)
The Best of DG Originals, Vol. 1: Great Symphonies 2005
The Complete EMI Recordings 1946-1984, Vol. 1: Orchestral [Box Set] 2008
The Great Symphonies [Box Set]
Ultimate Dvorák: The Essential Masterpieces [Box Set] 2008
Vaclav Talich Conducts Dvorák 1990
Vaclav Talich dirige Dvorak, Smetana & Suk
Verdi: La forza del destino; Dvorak: Symphony No8
Vienna Philharmonic at the Salzburg Festival (1964-1979) 2003
Walter: Maestro Generoso (Box Set) 2000
Walter: Maestro Generoso, Disc 3 2000
Weber; Brahms; Strauss: for orchestra & in orchestra arrangements 1996
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
100 Classical Highlights: Symphonies & Romantic Piano (Box Set) 2002
100 Classical Masterpieces (Box Set) 1998
100 Classical Masterpieces, Vol. 5 1998
100 Romantic Classics [Box Set] 2000
50 Classical Highlights: Symphonies 2002
50 Romantic Classics 2000
500 Classic Masterpieces [Box Set] 1992
A Classical Portrait of Herbert von Karajan
Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics, Vol. 2
Baby Einstein: Sing and Play Musical Collection [Box Set]
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5; Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 1996
Best of Dvorak: Orchestral Selections 2001
Classic Supersonic 1993
Classical Chillout 2005
Classical Kaleidoscope 1997
Classical Top 1000 [Box Set]
Classical Treasures: Greatest Classical Hits [Box Set] 2005
Classics for Relaxation [Box Set] 2007
Classics for Relaxation, CD's 6-10 [Box Set] 2008
Discover BRTN Philharmonic Orchestra Brussels
Discover the Best, Vol.2
Discover the Symphony 1998
Dvorak 1999
Dvorak: Greatest Hits 1995
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances Nos. 1 & 3; Symphony No. 9 'From the New World' 1998
Fifty Enchanting Classics, Vol. 1-4 1996
Fireworks 1997
Gramophone Editor's Choice, December 1999 1999
Gramophone Editor's Choice, October 2001 2001
Kurt Masur and the New York Philharmonic 1997
Meditation Classics 2008
Meet the Classics: Dvorak 1998
More of the Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe 2005
Music for a Good Book 2004
Orchestral Excerpts for Flute 1996
Pioneer Gold 1992
Power Classics! Classical Music for Your Active Lifestyle, Vol. 6 1994
Power Classics! Volumes 1-10 1994
Power Classics! Volumes 6-10 1994
Rainy Day Classics 2003
Ravel, Borodin, Tchaikovsky and others 1994
Relax To The Classics 1994
Relax To The Classics, Vol. 3 1994
Sensational Symphonies 2004
Story Of Dvorák In Words And Music 1993
The Best of Dvorák 1997
The Best of Waltzes 1999
The Greatest Classical Hits of Dvorák 2000
The Most Uplifting Classics in the Universe 2004
The Prayer 2007
The Telarc Collection, Volume 1 1992
The Very Best of Dvorák 2006
Tranquil Classics: Meditation 1997
Tranquility 2006
Ultimate Classics: The Most Beloved Music from the Most Popular Composers [Box Set] 2005
Yehudi Menuhin The Album 1998
