Antonín Dvořák

NAME Antonín Dvořák

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Antonín Dvořák was a renowned Czech composer, best known for his symphonies, chamber music, and operas. His New World Symphony (Symphony No. 9) remains one of the most popular orchestral works ever written.

BIRTH Antonín Dvořák was born on September 8, 1841, inthe small village of Nelahozeves, near Prague, which is now part of the Czech Republic (it was then within the Austrian Empire).

FAMILY BACKGROUND As the eldest of fourteen children, Antonin experienced the harsh realities of infant mortality, with only eight of his siblings surviving their early years. His father, František Dvořák, was a man of diverse talents, simultaneously managing an inn, playing the zither professionally, and working as a butcher. Antonín's mother, Anna Zdeňková, hailed from a family of estate stewards, with her father serving as the bailiff for the Prince of Lobkowicz, providing a glimpse of a different social sphere.

CHILDHOOD The Dvořák family's life centered around their cottage, which housed their inn, immersing young Antonín in a world of music and community. From his earliest days, he was exposed to the sounds of folk traditions and the music played in his father's establishment. A dramatic event in 1842, when his father rescued him from a fire. 

Antonín was exposed to folk music and began learning the violin at an early age from the village schoolmaster. He quickly became an accomplished violinist and often played at local dances with amateur musicians. Despite his burgeoning musical talent, it was initially expected that Antonín would follow in his father's footsteps and inherit the family business as a butcher and innkeeper. (1)

EDUCATION Dvořák's formal musical education began in 1847 at the village school, where his teacher, Joseph Spitz, instructed him in singing and violin. He soon found himself participating in village dances and performing solo violin pieces in the local church, demonstrating his precocious abilities. 

As Dvořák entered adolescence, his musical pursuits intensified. At the age of twelve, he was sent to live with relatives in Zlonice, where he studied harmony, organ, violin, and piano under Antonín Liehmann. This period marked the beginning of his compositional journey, with the creation of his first short polkas. 

At fifteen, he spent a year in Česká Kamenice, living with a German-speaking family to improve his language skills. Ultimately, despite his father's initial expectations, Antonín's extraordinary musical talent prevailed, leading to his enrollment at the Institute for Church Music in Prague in the autumn of 1857, at the age of sixteen. This formal training provided him with a strong foundation in music theory and composition. (1)

CAREER RECORD 1862-1871 Violinist in the Prague Provisional Theatre Orchestra.

1874-1877 Organist at St. Adalbert's Church in Prague.

Became a renowned composer, gaining international recognition.

1892-1895 Director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City   

1901-1904 Professor of composition at the Prague Conservatory. 

APPEARANCE Dvořák was a stocky, robust man with a broad face, dark hair, deep-set eyes and a serious expression. He typically wore a full beard. He was often described as having an intense and thoughtful expression.

Antonín Dvořák

FASHION He favored practical, comfortable clothing, reflecting his modest background. As he gained prominence, he adopted more formal attire, but always maintained a sense of simplicity

CHARACTER Dvořák was known for his humble, down-to-earth nature, strong work ethic, and deep patriotism. He was a devout family man and a dedicated artist.

SPEAKING VOICE Dvořák spoke with a deep, resonant voice and had a strong Czech accent. He was known for his straightforward and unpretentious manner of speaking, often expressing himself with warmth and enthusiasm. He was not known for being overly verbose.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Dvořák possessed a gentle, playful sense of humor and often teased his students and friends. Despite his growing international fame, he remained humble and was never one to take himself too seriously. He once joked that he preferred the company of pigeons to aristocrats, as the birds never asked him for favours.

RELATIONSHIPS Dvořák originally fell in love with his pupil and colleague from the Provisional Theater, Josefína Čermáková. His feelings for her inspired the song cycle Cypress Trees, but she did not return his affection and married another man. 

Instead Dvořák married Josefína’s younger sister, Anna Čermáková, who shared his love of music and was known as a talented singer. Their wedding took place on November 17, 1873, at St. Peter's church in Prague. At the time of their wedding, Dvořák was thirty-two years old, while Anna was thirteen years his junior. According to the laws of that time, Anna had not yet reached maturity by the date of the marriage. However, she was already in her fourth month of pregnancy when they wed. (1)

Dvořák with his wife Anna in London, 1886.

Together, they had nine children, though tragically, three died in infancy.

Dvořák had a very important friendship with Johannes Brahms, who championed his work.

MONEY AND FAME  For much of his early career, Dvořák struggled financially, supporting himself by playing viola and teaching. His breakthrough came when he received the Austrian State Prize in 1875 for his Symphony in E-flat. The support of Johannes Brahms helped him gain international recognition, and his Slavonic Dances (published in 1878) brought him widespread fame. By the 1890s, he was successful enough to be offered $15,000 a year—an enormous sum at the time—to direct the National Conservatory of Music in New York.

FOOD AND DRINK Dvořák enjoyed simple, hearty meals, often prepared by his wife. He had a particular fondness for Czech cuisine, including dumplings and roast meats. While he was not known as a heavy drinker, he did enjoy beer, a staple of Czech culture, and was often seen in Prague’s beer halls, socializing with fellow musicians.

COMPOSING Antonín Dvořák was one of those composers who, once he got going, seemed utterly incapable of stopping. His composing career was marked by an astonishingly prolific output, international acclaim, and a knack for transforming everyday folk melodies into some of the most celebrated orchestral works of the 19th century.

Like many great composers, Dvořák started young and composed as if his life depended on it. By the time he was 19, he had already written his String Quintet in A minor (1861), which, one imagines, was a rather impressive feat for a teenager growing up in a Czech village. From there, he rattled off his String Quartet in A major, his First Symphony (The Bells of Zlonice), and—because apparently writing one symphony wasn’t exhausting enough—his Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major in just two months. Somewhere in the middle of all this, he also squeezed in a Cello Concerto in A major—a piece that later vanished and remained missing for nearly a century, rather like a sock in the laundry.

Dvořák’s first real taste of success came in the 1870s, when his cantata Hymn (1872) caught the attention of critics who declared him a composer worth watching. He responded by furiously composing everything in sight—two more symphonies, three string quartets, and an opera called The Stubborn Lovers (which, given its title, may well have been based on personal experience).

Then came 1874, the year everything changed. At 31, Dvořák entered and won the Austrian State Competition, where one of the jurors happened to be none other than Johannes Brahms. Brahms, recognizing a fellow genius when he saw one, decided to take Dvořák under his wing and introduce him to his publisher. What followed was a whirlwind of success that few composers experience in their lifetimes.

Brahms’s introduction led to a commission for Slavonic Dances (1878), a collection of folk-inspired pieces that became an instant sensation. These dances flew off the shelves at an alarming rate, turning Dvořák from a promising young composer into a European celebrity. Soon, London wanted in on the action, inviting him to conduct his Stabat Mater in 1883. The performance was such a hit that he became a regular fixture in England, leading to commissions for his Seventh Symphony and a flurry of other works. Meanwhile, audiences in the U.S. and Russia were also taking notice, meaning that Dvořák was now officially an international star.

His most famous work, Symphony No. 9: From the New World, was composed in the United States and premiered at Carnegie Hall on December 16, 1893.

Over the course of his career, Dvořák composed more than 200 works, a number that seems almost comically excessive when you consider that most people struggle to finish a single novel or painting. His greatest hits included:

Nine symphonies (with Symphony No. 9, From the New World, becoming his undisputed masterpiece)

Ten operas (including the beloved Rusalka, home to the famous "Song to the Moon")

Four concertos

An entire mountain of chamber music, including the immensely popular American String Quartet

Orchestral showpieces like the Slavonic Dances and Symphonic Variations, which, if nothing else, proved that nobody could turn a Czech folk tune into high art quite like Dvořák

His later years were no less productive—between 1896 and 1897, he wrote a string of symphonic poems (The Water Goblin, The Noon Witch, and others), and in 1901, he was appointed director of the Prague Conservatory. This was, of course, a great honor, but one suspects he found the administrative work dreadfully dull compared to composing.

MUSIC AND ARTS Dvořák's music was deeply rooted in Bohemian folk traditions, but he also admired the works of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Wagner. He was very interested in the music of the Native Americans and the African American spirituals during his time in the United States.

LITERATURE Dvořák was deeply influenced by literature, particularly Czech poetry and folklore. Many of his song cycles and operas were inspired by literary sources. His symphonic poems, such as The Water Goblin and The Noon Witch, were based on ballads by Czech poet Karel Jaromír Erben. He also admired the works of Shakespeare, which influenced his opera Otello and overture Othello.

NATURE Dvořák had a deep love for nature and often found inspiration in the countryside. He would take long walks, listening to birds and the sounds of rural life, which he claimed influenced his music. His home in Vysoká, a village outside Prague, was a refuge where he composed some of his most famous works, often inspired by the peaceful surroundings.

PETS Dvořák adored animals, especially birds. He kept pigeons and spent hours tending to them. He even had a pet starling, which he claimed could whistle one of his melodies. His fondness for animals extended to his compositions, as some of his works contain musical imitations of bird calls.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Apart from music, Dvořák was passionate about trains and railway stations. He would spend hours watching trains arrive and depart, fascinated by their movement and the rhythm of steam engines. His love for trains was so well known that students and colleagues would joke about it, but Dvořák remained unapologetically obsessed. 

He also enjoyed gardening and took great pride in growing his own vegetables.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Though not a scientist himself, Dvořák had an analytical mind that showed in his structured compositions. He was fascinated by engineering and the mechanics of trains, which reflected his appreciation for precision and craftsmanship. His symphonies, especially their intricate counterpoint and orchestration, display a mathematical-like mastery of musical form.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Dvořák was a deeply religious man, and his faith played a significant role in his life and music. Raised in a Catholic household, he remained devoted to his beliefs throughout his life. His compositions often reflected his spirituality, with works such as Stabat Mater, Te Deum, and Requiem demonstrating his deep connection to sacred music. He saw music as a divine gift and frequently expressed gratitude for his talent.

POLITICS Dvořák identified strongly as a Czech nationalist but was not an overtly political figure. He believed in celebrating Bohemian culture through music rather than through activism. His compositions, especially works like Slavonic Dances and Rusalka, were filled with Czech folk influences, making them symbols of national pride. While he accepted financial support from the Austrian government, he remained dedicated to his Czech roots and ultimately returned to Prague rather than staying in America.

SCANDAL Dvořák's early, unrequited love for Josefína Čermáková, who married another man, was a source of heartbreak, and his eventual marriage to her younger sister Anna raised eyebrows among some acquaintances. Beyond that, he lived a relatively quiet and scandal-free life, focused on family and music.

MILITARY RECORD Dvořák did not serve in the military, but as a young man, he was subject to conscription under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He managed to avoid military service, possibly due to his dedication to music or a medical exemption. 

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Dvořák was generally in good health for most of his life, though he suffered from periods of exhaustion due to his relentless work ethic. He was active, enjoying long walks in nature, which helped him find inspiration for his compositions. However, in his later years, he developed health problems, including kidney disease. He ultimately died from Bright’s disease, a form of kidney failure, in 1904.

HOMES Dvořák’s childhood home was in the small village of Nelahozeves, north of Prague, where his father was a butcher and innkeeper. 

Dvořák's birthplace in Nelahozeves by Jan Polák Wikiedia

As his career progressed, he moved to Prague, living in various apartments before settling in a comfortable home. He also had a country retreat in Vysoká, where he found peace and inspiration for much of his later work. While in America, he lived in New York and later spent time in Spillville, Iowa, a Czech immigrant community that reminded him of home.

TRAVEL Dvořák traveled extensively throughout his life, especially as his fame grew. He toured Europe, visiting England multiple times, where he was warmly received. His most significant journey was to the United States in 1892, where he took up the position of director at the National Conservatory of Music in New York. While in America, he also traveled to Chicago and spent time in Iowa. Despite his success abroad, he missed his homeland and returned to Prague in 1895.

DEATH Dvořák passed away on May 1, 1904, at the age of 62, due to Bright’s disease. His funeral on May 5, 1904 was a major event in Prague, with thousands attending to pay their respects. 

Dvořák's funeral

He was buried in the Vyšehrad Cemetery, a resting place for many of the Czech Republic’s greatest cultural figures. His death marked the loss of one of the most important composers of his era, but his music has ensured his legacy lives on.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Antonín Dvořák has made numerous appearances in media, from films and TV shows to books and even video games. Here are some notable examples:

Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World has been widely used in films and TV shows. Most famously, the Largo movement inspired the 1955 TV series The New World: Christopher Columbus and has been featured in movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Alien (1979).

Concert at the End of Summer (1980) – A Czech film depicting Dvořák’s later life.

Antonín Dvořák: From the New World (2000) – A documentary exploring his time in America.

His Humoresque No. 7 has been used in classic animated shorts, including Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes. Bugs Bunny himself has hummed a few Dvořák tunes!

Symphony No. 9 has appeared in video games like Civilization IV and Gran Turismo 4, lending an epic, classical touch to gameplay.

His trip to America has been the subject of several books, including Dvořák in Love by Josef Škvorecký, a novel that imagines his time in the U.S.

The famous melody from Largo (New World Symphony) was adapted into the spiritual-like song "Goin’ Home," which has been recorded by many artists.

Dvořák’s Humoresque was so famous in the early 20th century that it was even used in humorous pop-culture references, such as early silent films and vaudeville performances.

ACHIEVEMENTS International recognition as a major composer.

Composed numerous symphonies, concertos, chamber music, operas, and vocal works.

Elevated the status of Czech music on the world stage.

Influenced generations of composers.

Source (1) Antonín Dvořák Biography