Dvořák: Symphony No. 8 | Music Documentary with Alondra de la Parra & the Münchner Symphoniker

What’s special about Dvořák‘s Symphony No. 8? The 8th Symphony is considered the most formally free of Antonín Dvořák's mature symphonies. Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra is rehearsing Symphony No. 8 with the Münchner Symphoniker (Munich Symphony Orchestra). She discusses the work with musicians and experts, and performs it at the 2022 Tutzing Brahmstage music festival.

DW Classical Music presents the eight-part series: Alondra de la Parra at the Brahmstage in Tutzing. The music documentaries will feature the 4 symphonies by Johannes Brahms and 4 symphonies by Antonín Dvořák.

Episode 1 / Brahms, Symphony No. 1:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 1 | Music Docume...  
Episode 3 / Brahms, Symphony No. 2:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 2 | Music Docume...  
Episode 4 / Dvořák, Symphony No. 9:    • Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 | Music Docume...  
Episode 5 / Brahms, Symphony No. 3:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 3 | Music Docume...  
Episode 6 / Dvořák, Symphony No. 7:    • Dvořák: Symphony No. 7 | Music Docume...  
Episode 7 / Brahms, Symphony No. 4:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 4 | Music Docume...  
Episode 8 / Dvořák, Symphony No. 6:    • Dvořák: Symphony No. 6 | Music Docume...  

Episode 2 at a glance:
(00:00) Opening
(00:49) Introduction by Musica Maestra Alondra de la Parra
(01:44) Working on Dvořák´s Symphony No. 8, I. Allegro con brio
(04:17) Working on Dvořák´s Symphony No. 8, II. Adagio
(08:33) Working on Dvořák´s Symphony No. 8, III. Allegretto grazioso
(11:31) Working on Dvořák´s Symphony No. 8, IV. Allegro ma non troppo

Antonín Dvořák's 8th Symphony was published by Novello in England in 1892. This is significant in that the printing was preceded by a falling out between Dvořák (1841 – 1904) and his early publisher Simrock. Simrock had indeed strongly promoted Dvořák at the beginning of his career on the recommendation of Johannes Brahms, but had offered him only 1,000 marks for the 8th Symphony, although he had been paid 6,000 marks for the 7th Symphony.

The symphony was performed for the first time in Prague in 1890. However, because it was published in England and performed there as early as 1891 on the occasion of Dvořák receiving an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University, it was given the nickname "English Symphony", even though it was composed in Vysoká, Dvořák's rural summer residence south of Prague. Both pastoral and Bohemian traits are therefore identifiable in the symphony as well as influences from Tchaikovsky, whom Dvořák had met in Prague in 1888. At the same time, there is a noticeable departure from the Brahmsian model, which was particularly evident in the 7th Symphony. The 8th Symphony is also considered the formally freest of Dvořák's mature symphonies.

The Tutzing Brahmstage is a small but elegant classical music festival. In 2022, it celebrated a double anniversary. The concert series was held for the 25th time and at the same time, it was the 125th anniversary of the death of the famous German composer. The Brahmstage festival takes place every year in Tutzing on Lake Starnberg in Upper Bavaria - the place where Brahms spent a summer composing important works in 1873. On four Sundays in October 2022, Brahms' four great symphonies were performed together with one symphony each by Antonin Dvořák - the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth - in the Church of St. Joseph.

As one of Munich's great symphony orchestras, the Münchner Symphoniker (Munich Symphony Orchestra) has been an integral part of the German musical landscape for over 75 years. They perform around 100 concerts a year in concert series in Munich (Prinzregententheater, Philharmonie, Technikum im Werksviertel), Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Kempten, with guest appearances and tours in Germany and abroad. The renowned and experimental orchestra with musicians from 17 different nations presents varied programs on large concert and open-air stages, in clubs, at unusual locations as well as in its own venerable rehearsal hall at the well-known Bavaria Musikstudios. The repertoire ranges from baroque music to classical and romantic works to film music, from modern classics to 21st century hip-hop and crossover.

Alondra de la Parra's interview partners are Orieta Dado, co-principal second violin, Jamie Louise White, principal bassoon, and musicologist Stephan Beck.

Report & Direction:
Dorothee Binding

Camera:
Matthias Boch
Amadeus Hiller
Simon Hermann
Christian Berges
Daniel Stupat
Jan Klein

Sound:
Sara Misztela

Make-up:
Nilgün Konya

Editing:
Jan von Stebut

Production:
Benedict Mirow - Nightfrog GmbH

Commissioning Editor:
Reiner Schild

© Deutsche Welle 2023

Watch more videos with Musica Maestra Alondra de la Parra:
   • MUSICA MAESTRA - with conductor Alond...  

More fascinating music documentaries:
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