Dvořák 9th Symphony: Musical Analysis by Gerard Schwarz

[@joshuanesbit]

Dvorak 9 is perfection. Love when the second theme in second movement is played by the violins in lower register - it is indeed so heartfelt and love violins un their lower tessiatura

[@equiinferno]

I love Dvorak's symphony, I always did. This is the best and most in depth look I ever had it. Thank you for putting this online and making it available. Does anyone else feel that the 9th has some elements of modern day film scores (by John Williams for instance, e.g. around 12:15)?

[@willstich2277]

equiinferno absolutely!

[@timfranken513]

Indeed, it almost seems to come from a emotial star wars scene. Also there's a melody somwhere in the symphony where the horns go... ta ta ta ta ta tata taaa tata taa tatataaaa.... that one is also very star wars. Haha. But anyway, i'm not a very seasoned 'classical' listener but more of a rock, pop, singer songwriter, metal, blues and jazz/fusion kind of guy. But about 10 years ago I got my hands on Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony. I was blown away by it but did not expand on other classical stuf. But recently I got back to that 5th symphony and started to explore more composers... so far i've gotten into Tchaikovsky, Mahler (2nd, 6th and 9th symphony wow!), Dvorak, Chopin, Stravinsky and Bruckner. I tend to listen to symphonies, I just love the scale of it and all the melodies and the dynamics. And I also love piano pieces, mainly Chopin and Tchaikovsky, piano only..... I love it!

[@scottpardee6303]

I have immersed myself in Dvorak’s music for years, and even his life, reading several biographies. This analysis of his ninth symphony adds greatly to my understanding of what he could do. Thank you!

[@O-sa-car]

The intro is like an abbreviated version of a Baroque overture/sinfonia to a cantata, e.g. BWV 4 and the Messiah. It's a beautiful section that sets the initial mood and then is never heard again.

[@herodotusfumosus4753]

It's like what Vaughan Williams said about Dvorák: Five climaxes to each movement ...

[@Don-md6wn]

I'll take Dvorak's 9th symphony over everything Vaughan Williams wrote added together.

[@swimmad456]

RVW wrote in a letter to his fellow composer Grace Williams "That's why I think Dvorak is a greater composer than Berlioz - in spite of B "representing" this & that & the other & D. not having the mind to 'represent' anything - but Dvorak wrote heavenly tunes while Berlioz never wrote a tune that w make a cat laugh.

[@shevsky]

Love this. A small correction: the theme at 30:45, which he says hasn't been heard before, is based on the clarinet solo from earlier in the movement.

[@trippyraspo542]

rekt

[@littleschnitzel8226]

It might be just a wrong background music, few seconds after that really comes a new theme, which is in fact my favorite, but in this analysis is missing.

[@FooVines]

@@littleschnitzel8226 true, but it is not answered by the cellos, therefore i think @shevsky is right it must be a mistake by schwarz, which is really suprising, considering how obvious this is...

[@violinhunter2]

He did say "which I don't think we've heard before...." It leaves a bit of room for a "maybe." The clarinet thing you point to is at 27:14

[@chickenwaffles8905]

28:58 listen to the theme and say "OUR THEME'S MORE IMPORTANT"

[@DouglasFisher]

I learned so much today... thank you sir

[@ShorkGamer]

Bravo!

[@jeansimon326]

This video has enhanced my listening skills and deepened my appreciation. Thank you so much.

[@dexblue]

Wonderful exposition of a masterpiece ... you feel that Maestro Schwarz could keep going with great insight for another hour or two ... wonderful!

[@hgolivares]

What a wonderful lesson.... thanks Maestro

[@XuguangLeng]

I like to hear the soft drumstick in the 4th movement. Mariss Jensons uses one horn, then two horns for the ending, it is a brilliant detail. Every conductor can do his/her part to perfecting this wonderful piece.

[@popcornsamurai]

OMG Im so glad I came across this channel

[@benjarongvichiankeeo4126]

Thank You, i have learned much more about the piece i love

[@delmoniamusic]

Thank you so much.

[@jkgou1]

Thank you very much for great interpretation

[@maxtofone]

Thanks a lot for sharing this great musical analysis by Gerard Schwarz... Many blessings, Max T

[@samcrisw1512]

Thank you for the analysis. I’m looking for another piece.

[@nomorebushz]

I will be playing this as principal oboe with the Paradise Symphony Orchestra after last year’s fire. I’ve played this at least two or three times over the past 40 years. Wonderful commentary.

[@goransteen5411]

Wonderfull concept of presenting music❤Tanks

[@mishoren]

Thanks to Maestro Schwarz for this interesting journey thru Dvorak's 9th. I would however challenge his translation of "Molto Vivace" as "very fast." Sure, most movements with that indication would be played fast, but it's more accurate to translate the Italian as "very lively" or "vivacious" or "colorful" which need not necessarily mean fast. "Molto vivace" is an indication of mood more than of tempo.

[@08grampa]

Very interesting. Never mind that the music is beautiful!

[@BigChungusthe3rd]

feel grateful for this lesson. Thank you

[@silviaartidiello5858]

Es una serie espectacular nunca me canso de verla! ❤❤❤❤❤ actuaciones magistrales de todos y cada uno ! Y que bien escrita y producida esta!🙅🏻‍♀️👌

[@EmanuelSpader]

I love this analysis and i would love more of these! As someone who is interested but often feel overwhelmed by classical music because of the complexity and the fact that i don't have much experience, i greatly appreciate getting some guidance through the works! Thank you for sharing this video!

[@MrTrashcan1]

The first classical recording I ever listened to was the Mercury Kubelik/Chicago, which did not do the repeat--so I didn't even know that such a repeat existed until I heard it performed later. Admittedly, the multitude of melodies is a draw to a newbie, and I fell in love with Dvorak's music, and now have a disproportionate number of his recordings. I later saw Kubelik live at Severance Hall in Cleveland, which was wonderful.

[@leo32190]

Thank you for analyzing the music and not superficial stuff

[@hfdoukh527]

Thank you

[@pachy91]

Love it

[@BarackObamaJedi]

i had never listened to the whole symphony, unless it passed through while studying. I hadn't had the chance to focus on it intensely and feel the emotional impact that each theme brings, adds and sometimes fights against another. I had the chance to be in the audience recently, and could listen finally to this amazing and imponent composition, conducted by the stellar Charles Dutoit. I enjoyed it thouroghly. Each movement is so dense with themes and motives alternating and coming back again, i got totally lost in the music, from a few minutes into the first movement up until the end. I was actually almost disappointed that it wouldn't go on for another hour or so. Thanks for analyzing it with such passion and explaining it with precision. I hope i get to understanding it better and better with each listen, but i know it depends also on how much i know about the composition itself, and the choice of the right moment and situation. Recordings cannot do justice to tens of live-performing talented musicians, and headphones are nothing against the acoustics of a concert hall

[@robertgoss4842]

What an insightful comment. I have always loved Dvorak's 9th, and when I bought bought my first CD player in 1986, it was among the first four or five CD's I bought.

[@annamarieromano7078]

PASSIONATE

[@pavelbranda3777]

Krásný rozbor díla génia z Čech...

[@robertgoss4842]

This is the finest analysis of Dvorak's 9th, the famous "New World" symphony, that I have seen. The 9th is one of my favorite symphonies, running neck and neck with with Mozart, Beethoven and Mahler. Maestro Schwartz is masterful in his presentation. Indeed, his whole series is brilliant, and he shares his knowledge and musical understanding, to the great benefit of mere spectators like you and me. We live in fortunate times.

[@robertgoss4842]

"Keep calm and carry on." British catchphrase in the darkest hours of WWII. I have found that it serves me very well in nearly every situation.

[@jkgou1]

Very instructive and helpful

[@sebastianbrune9471]

00:43 "all symphonies from Mozart on had a slow introduction" Beethoven 5 doesnt agree...

[@lxr0913]

smart ass

[@thedemocraticfilipino6417]

Beethoven's 3rd and 5th disagrees

[@meganega3248]

That's why he say Mozart XD

[@davidhollingsworth1847]

Beethoven's Eighth.

[@danielduggan5405]

Yeah, this just isn’t true at all.

[@leiterlab]

JK Simmons killing it on the flute

[@morrigambist]

All the woodwind playing would have made Klemperer proud.

[@aegeanbo]

I have enjoyed the talks on Chopin and Liszt by Schwarz. Can you up load them? Please, they are brilliant.

[@peymannoorbakhsh4749]

This is great. I have been watching Beethoven's symphony 5 interpretation of Maestro Schwarz but this one marks the score which helps a lot. If it could be for Beethoven's also is fantastic, helps me too.

[@michaelmartin9488]

Truly excellent. Far exceeds Andre Previn's "Sounds Magnificent" albeit that series was wonderful. I would love to have Mr. Schwartz do something in that style of explanation and analysis then have this tremendous orchestra perform the entire work. I would imagine that Mr. Schwartz and orchestra are busy enough. Their endeavors are much appreciated.

[@herpideperpi2]

Beautifully done. I love this way on going through music. It's also technically well done! Greatful!

[@telephilia]

Nobody calls it the 5th Symphony anymore. Apparently 4 earlier symphonies were published later than the famous 5-9 of today. Thus the two numberings.

[@O-sa-car]

Concur about using the flute's underutilized lower register - such a rich timbre

[@morrigambist]

The English horn melody bears more than a passing resemblance to "Jesus, the Light of the World", which was popular in the 1890s.

[@dexblue]

Did everyone catch the great proto-Rock 'n Roll riff in the finale? Move over Chuck Berry, tell Fats Domino the news ...

[@HansMaxiBricks]

It is swingin af at many parts, read a quote of his on wiki bout black music

[@christopherpalmer376]

I included this video in my article on the social media platform Steemit.com steemit.com/music/@cmp2020/a-comparison-analysis-of-beethoven-s-5th-and-dvorak-s-9th-symphony

[@TGMGame]

what’s with the sheet music?

[@estergrossman8304]

הרבו בתכניות הסבר מאד חשוב להבין

[@caterscarrots3407]

Why are the violas notated in treble clef in the sheet music he shows? Surely the treble clef is reserved for the high register of the viola which would be used in a solo, not a group and all other registers are notated in alto clef. I guess he shows it in treble clef to make it easier on the eyes of somebody who doesn't know about C clefs, right? I myself know about C clefs but I don't really think of them as independent clefs when I am composing. I think of them as relative clefs. I think of the alto clef as being relative to the treble clef and the tenor clef as being relative to the bass clef and I always have to ask myself "Okay, where is this note relative to middle C".

[@1MRBASSMAN]

The score also shows the basses in actual pitch, instead of the usual notation which has them an octave above their sounding pitch. Someone else has already pointed out that in spots the first and second violins can be seen with two different key signatures. Strange score I wonder who came out with it?

[@bonbonpony]

05:40 This part sounds almost like from the old western movies :J Especially when the violins come in.

[@alaalfa8839]

He wrote for movies before they were invented, like story telling music.

[@12shimon]

comes from black music, more precisely "swing low sweet chariot"

[@violinhunter2]

Dvorak had melodies falling out of sleeves as it was said of Victor Young.

[@SpaghettiToaster]

Not all symphonies from mozart to dvorak had slow introductions. Most of Beethoven's dont! But great analysis!

[@toomanyhorns3484]

"from mozart to dvorak" list doesn't include Beetho, he's too rebel to be put there

[@clivegoodman16]

Mozart's Symphony No 25 also does not have slow introduction.

[@caterscarrots3407]

A lot of Mozart’s symphonies don’t have slow introductions. Haydn yes, Romantic composers yes, but Mozart doesn’t often use introductions, he usually just jumps right into the first theme. And even when he uses introductions, they are usually not slow, but rather in the same fast tempo as the rest of the movement(ex. Symphony no. 40 first movement, just a couple bars of fast introduction before the theme comes in). To see a slow introduction in Mozart is a rare sight indeed. His Dissonance Quartet has one(and a weird one at that, a C minor introduction to a C major quartet), but most of his multi-movement pieces don’t.

[@Liyezhou]

Has anyone notices the different key signatures for each instrument on the score....?

[@yf.oliverbai8399]

they are transposed. For instance Bb Clarinet is written on tone up.

[@Liyezhou]

yf.oliver bai let’s say at 2:46, the two violins are four keys away....? Violins are not transpose instruments...

[@rwb76]

The score is just wrong. They appear to have used a new version that someone without any experienced created. The real score doesn't have this (or any of the rhythmic) problems.

[@AlaskanTrain21]

"the timpani has a prominent role" 20:51 dab on it

[@Noctifern]

this symphony reminds me of beethovens eroica

[@TGMGame]

DA DUM DA DUM DADUMDADUMDADUM WHO HEARS JAWS IN THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FOURTH MOVEMENT????!!???

[@TGMGame]

everyone please erase this comment from your memory

[@tonygohagan2766]

10:28 1-Dvorak heard something different, in an unexpected place, as he told the New York Herald just before he debuted his "New World" symphony. "The future of this country must be founded upon what are called the Negro melodies," he declared. "This must be the real foundation of any serious and original school of composition to be developed in the United States." Essentially, this was Dvorak telling white Americans that the future of their music resided in the people they had subjugated and killed." "Dvorak chose a black person to be his assistant. How likely is that?" says Joe Horowitz, author of the book Classical Music in America, noting that this was, after all, America in the 1890s. 2-In a 2008 article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, prominent musicologist Joseph Horowitz asserts that African-American spirituals were a major influence on Dvořák's music written in North America, quoting him from an 1893 interview in the New York Herald as saying, "In the negro melodies of America I discover all that is needed for a great and noble school of music" Notice how he shares a small smile when he mentions Czech Folk Music 10:37 .. Then he goes on to say " whatever the influence..." What a Douche Bag. sources: 1: www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2018/11/24/669557133/dvorak-new-world-symphony-american-anthem 2: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._9_(Dvořák) "The music of the people is like a rare and lovely flower growing amidst encroaching weeds. Thousands pass it, while others trample it under foot, and thus the chances are that it will perish before it is seen by the one discriminating spirit who will prize it above all else. The fact that no one has as yet arisen to make the most of it does not prove that nothing is there. " Antonin Dvorak

[@XuguangLeng]

Philosophically, I don’t agree with repeating the notes everywhere the composer said so. The pace today is much faster than 100 yrs ago. Had the composer still lived today, he will eliminate some repeats himself like what he did with the opening of 2nd movement.

[@starry2006]

We can hear things again at the click of a mouse as well. In those days you had to attend a concert and might not hear a piece again in your life.

[@rwb76]

The score example they're using is awful. Did they download one from IMSLP?

[@bobsmith-ov3kn]

symphonic masterpieces are lost on 98% of people who attend the concerts, or at least the conscious understanding of thematic development that the composer is attempting in real time. The vast majority of even seasoned musicians are NOT capable of having even the slightest conscious conception of virtually ANY of the sort of things that get pointed out in this video. People consciously pick up on REALLY OBVIOUS repeats or alterations of previous VERY OBVIOUS melodies, but after another few seconds of development nothing makes any sort of sense anymore and it all becomes a giant blur again

[@federicoaschieri]

Not only symphonic. Just make any piece of music with development, no matter how long it is, and most people are lost, even with 3-4 minute pieces. That's the struggle that I always face with my own music 😓Once a professional classical piano player told me that I can't write music, that my music is incoherent, then I bullied him, he listen again and he recognized that I know what I'm doing. I envy in a sense Dvorak, because it has the reputation that makes people give him the benefit of the doubt. If he published today his work, recommendation algorithms would have killed his work.