Dvorak received his first musical education learning to play the violin in his village school. His parents ?recognized their son?s musical talent from the first and did all they could to encourage it? (Boynick). In 1857 he was sent to the Prague Organ School where he graduated as a trained organist, second in his class. After working in Prague for several years giving lessons and attempting to compose, his career was greatly aided by the established composer Johannes Brahms who found Dvorak a publisher and got his career underway. Throughout his career Dvorak derived much guidance from othe

Although this piece is dominantly Czech, several pieces have been said to have specific American inspirations. ?Dvorak avoided the pitfall of attempting to deploy actual Negro of Indian melodies in his scheme but rather adapted their essence to his own original constructions? (Vacha 84). The largo movement, for example, has generally come to be regarded as the black spiritual ?Goin Home? and Dvorak himself acclaims the inspiration of his middle movements to the Song of the Hiawatha. The scherzo was claimed to be inspired by Hiawatha?s Wedding Feast. Several other themes besides Dvorak?s own resonate throughout the piece as well. There is reference to Beethoven?s ninth symphony at the beginning of the third movement for example plus several notably Czech influences. The main theme from the first movement propagates itself again in parts of the second and third movement and most notably in the coda of the finale (Benett 164).

Informed by his American experience and the African American and Native American nuances, Dvorak created music that reflected his idea of American energy (Burr 5). Although stressing a Czech essence, Dvorak admitted that theses influences could be heard in his symphony no. 9 ?From the New World.? In this piece Dvorak showed that American folk music should not be dismissed as trivial but could be articulated in the grandeur of a symphony. Before he wrote his own themes for the piece, he ?filled himself with the spirit of the old spirituals? (Carra). Dvorak emphasized that he created the symphony in the spirit of the folklore of the African and Native Americans, including features of their music such as pentatoism, a flattened leading note, drone accompaniment, strongly syncopated rhythms, etc.

The largo however, is a much softer and less dramatic movement. The listener can hear the loneliness and homesickness evident within this part. Somewhat slow paced the largo specifically emphasizes the melody and soft subtle sounds. The scherzo is perhaps is debatably the most exciting part of the symphony. Beginning with severe d

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