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Dvorak 9th Symphony Analysis

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Antonin Dvorak was a famous Czech composer who incorporated Bohemian styles into his own pieces. He put together various operas, concertos, and chamber pieces. Most importantly, the romantic composer orchestrated five well-known symphonies, including New World Symphony. Due to unclear notes that were uncovered after his death, many have hypothesized that this particular symphony could have been the fifth, eighth, or ninth. However, eventually it became known as his ninth symphony, and his last completed one. The piece is comprised of four different movements, including Adagio, Largo, Scherzo, and Allegro con fuoco. The first and last movements keep a steady pace and provide many impacting themes, while the second movement is much slower by …show more content…

These two themes bounce back and forth, appearing and disappearing just as quickly. The first movement then comes to a halt with a coda, which prolongs the ending and serves as the bridge to the second movement. The second movement starts off with the brass producing a rich tone as they each unite in several homophonic chords. After they succeed in creating a grave mood, the English horn enters to play its modest solo and introduce the first theme of this movement, which will be revisited on several occasions. Many new themes emerge as melodies are echoed from various instruments, allowing for layering of the piece. In an almost entirely minor section, Dvorak throws in a major chord, showcasing a Picardi third. Old themes are brought back and then trombones are given a chance to bask in the spotlight as they take over once the band had crescendoed to a forte. The movement dwindles down in numbers, leaving just three string players to create a slow melody as it moves towards the end. The ballad then concludes with the strings playing an ascending line, leaving just the low strings. The third movement soon follows, outlining a ternary form as it progresses. Section A begins with a forte section filled

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