DESCRIPTION:
In the summer of 1889, Czech composer Antonin Dvorak took a much-needed vacation to his country home in Vysoka and started composing a new symphony, with the premise that "[it] will be different from other symphonies, with individual thoughts worked out in a new way." The resulting piece was his 8th symphony. Written in just 4 weeks, the work has been described as being more of a symphonic poem or a Slavonic rhapsody. Dvorak's biographer, Karel Hoffmeister, said "this symphony is not profound. . .it is a simple lyric singing of the beauty of our country." Tonight's performance of this band arrangement of the first movement by our own trombonist, Bradley Hartman, is its world premier!
Note by Patricia Matos Puente