Dvorak- Symphony No. 6 in D Major, op. 60 Part I
Dvorak- Symphony No. 6 in D Major, op. 60
Dvorak’s 6th Symphony was premiered on March 25, 1881 with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague. Dedicated to Hans Richter and the Vienna Philharmonic, they did not perform the premiere due to musical xenophobia and an already full schedule of concerts. The Vienna Philharmonic did not perform the symphony until 1942.
Set in the traditional four movements, the symphony contains several folk melodies characteristic of the musical nationalism that pervades a large number of Dvorak’s compositions. Most obvious in the third movement Scherzo, all of the movements contain themes and evoke moods that no German composer could replicate.
I. Allegro non tanto
Sonata form
The symphony begins with a pulsing, syncopated rhythm in the horns and strings. Out of this relatively neutral background, rising fifths in the winds are echoed by the low strings. These rising fifths blossom into an extended phrase and are followed by more rising intervals in the low voices and wind descents. The melody rises from the low voices to the high strings before the orchestra seems to momentarily lose steam as it finishes the first statement of theme one.
At 0:36 a bold chord from the strings leads the orchestra into very pointed, square-sounding transition. Statements played in the upper strings are echoed forcefully in the low strings. Brief, rising hemiolas (0:49) in the strings over trumpet sustains boil over at 1:09 with a loud, triumphant perfect fourth from the brass. Theme one returns as string statements are echoed by by the brass. Four-note descents in the strings and accented by the brass and timpani lead to the hemiola section of the transition (1:35). Four-note ascents in the flutes over pedal low strings are echoed by the strings. At 2:03, the transition theme broadens and gains momentum in the full orchestral strings. A series of lightly descending arpeggios in the strings with sporadic horn and wind chords lead to a cello and horn statement of the transition theme at 2:27 over dancing violins. A falling and rising wind line finally brings us to theme two.
Theme two (2:44) is a bright, lyric melody first heard from the oboe answered joyously by the bassoon. Three-note ascents in the oboe are answered by three-note descents in the low strings before a key change leads to the string statement of theme two (2:59). The reverie is short-lived as string tremolos and staccato ascents in the violins and winds lead to a rhythmic section based off the eighth-note motive in the second measure of the theme (3:13). Impassioned string statements at 3:29 rise inexorably over theme two motives before resolving into a grand, orchestral version of theme two 20 seconds later. A brief statement of theme two in minor by the oboe casts a momentary cloud over the otherwise bright movement so far at 3:54 before a quiet timpani roll and theme two motives in the strings and winds begin the transition back to the beginning of the exposition. The low strings play the opening fourths before theme one of the exposition begins in earnest at 4:22.
Note: Dvorak himself eliminated the repeat of the exposition, but honestly it’s so pleasant to listen to, why not?
The development begins at 8:24 with three-note ascents in the strings with motives from the beginning of the piece in the winds in minor. The horns and winds play opening motives at 8:42 (still in minor) before a series of wind and horn ascents and descents resolve to quiet opening motives in the low strings (9:19). The violins then begin a long ascent of theme one motives (9:27) which resolve to inverted theme one motives in the strings at 9:54 repeated by the flutes over tremolo strings. These are then repeated heavily by the low strings at 10:29 accompanied by string figures and brass chords. Brass statements of theme one accompanied by three-note ascents in the strings dominate the melody over a huge, chromatically descending bass line (10:48). A flurry of three-note ascents in the strings suddenly stops at 11:10, giving way to a martial and proud series of tutti three-note ascents. Another series of theme one motives from the brass that, along with a growing timpani, pushes us back into the recapitulation at 11:37.
The recapitulation begins with the opening statement of theme one in the low strings, this time with quiet tremolo strings instead of horn accompaniment. The transition builds but resolves not into a tutti theme one, but to the first transition theme at 12:44 in the violins. A dialogue between the winds leads to the second transition theme in the strings at 13:08 over a timpani roll. Transition theme two is repeated in the horns and winds before the falling and rising string line (13:41) is tinted by a hint of darkness from the quietly rolling timpani.
Theme two is recapitulated by the oboe (13:49), this time answered by the horn instead of the bassoon. Theme two in the strings is again cut off with staccato ascents and theme two motives repeated in the strings and winds. More impassioned string statements (14:34) end with one last grand restatement of theme two in the brass as four rising chords in the entire orchestra finally resolve to a fortepiano timpani roll, ending the recapitulation at 15:02.
The coda is a marvelous example of polyphony, as transition theme one in the strings and theme two motives in the brass weave around each other over the growing timpani, which abruptly switches pitch at 15:13, further building the tension. A majestic, almost overpowering dotted three-note descent from the brass at 15:30 is followed by a brief transition and another grand pause at 15:42.
Another series of proud, tutti 3-note ascents begins to ascend starting in the low strings and brass, joined by the higher voices as the line continues to rise. Opening motives ring out triumphantly in the brass and timpani (15:57). The movement begins to quiet with a series of sigh-like theme one motives in the horns and low strings, followed by rising four-note ascents answered with four-note descents. Three wind chords seem to bring us to a quiet conclusion before a final theme one-based flourish from the orchestra ends the movement with an exclamation point.
If you are interested in listening to a recording, I recommend Witold Rowicki’s 1996 recording with the London Symphony Orchestra on Philips. You can buy this recording from Amazon by clicking on the image below. Unfortunately this is not available in iTunes, so as a suitable alternative I’ve linked to Sir Colin Davis and the LSO’s 2005 recording.
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