Antonin Dvorak

Several years ago, Lou Whitney and I were producing a pop record that required some string parts. We hired an arranger to write the parts and some players from the local symphony.

During the session, one of the violinists had a question about one slightly atonal chord and called it “the Dvorak part”. I said to Lou; “I bet that’s the first time anybody has said that in this place”. I made a mental note to listen to Dvorak just in case it ever comes up again. Like most of my mental notes, I didn’t follow through.

Today, I was heading to the post office to submit some very un-Dvorak like music to a film company and listening to the college radio station while I was driving. Lately, I have been listening to the afternoon classical music show when I get a chance. Usually I’m in and out of the car so, I don’t get to hear who the piece is by if I like it. My knowledge of classical music is limited.

I heard this piece that I liked today; just piano and violin. I heard something that sounded like the same kind of chord that our session violinist called “the Dvorak part”. It sounds like a 7th chord but, 7th is in a different spot than you would normally hear in jazz or blues.

Anyway, the announcer (for some reason, I can’t bring myself to say “D.J.” when it’s “serious” music) said that it was indeed a Dvorak composition; one the “Four Romantic Pieces”. The announcer said that the “Romantic Pieces” were ones that Dvorak specifically composed for amateurs to play. Must have been some really good amateurs back in the day is all I can say about that.

I got home and did a little web search for Dvorak and found out that he is a fellow Bohemian. Here’s a little of what the Classical Music Pages had to say…

In matters of style Dvorak was neither conservative nor radical. His works display the influences of folk music, mainly Czech (furiant and dumky dance traits, polka rhythms, immediate repetition of an initial bar) but also ones that might equally be seen as American (pentatonic themes, flattened 7ths);

What do you get when you cross furiant and dumky? Fumky…missed it by that much Anton.
“Neither conservative nor radical” seems like pretty good territory.

I also found a website for the Dvorak Society.

Although named after the most famous Czech composer, the Society is devoted to the musical arts of all Czech and Slovak composers and performers, past and present

That sounds like a noble pursuit.

One last website, with one of the best names ever, fuguemasters.com, had this little tidbit…

In May 1879, Johannes Brahms wrote to his friend, the reknowned violinist Joseph Joachim: “Take a look at Dvorak’s Serenade for Wind Instruments; I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do…It would be difficult to discover a finer, more refreshing impression of really abundant and charming creative talent. Have it played to you; I feel sure the players will enjoy doing it!”

That’s better than anything I could say. Dvorak, check it out.