Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 / Wind Serenade

The Ninth Symphony, which Antonín Dvořák himself titled "From the New World", was an immense success at its premiere on December 16, 1893, at New York's Carnegie Hall: "The newspapers say that no composer has ever had such a triumph." Yet it was by no means without controversy – Dvořák had been invited to the United States with the clear mandate to create a national American music. He therefore studied the music of the indigenous population, the descendants of slaves, and various other inhabitants, and the symphony was created on this basis. However, several critics were of the opinion that No. 9 had little to do with authentic American music. The work nevertheless remained sublime above such considerations and is still considered one of the most popular symphonies of all time. Many years earlier, Dvořák composed the "Serenade for Wind Instruments, Violoncello and Double Bass in D minor". He was probably inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Gran Partita", among other things, the unusual instrumentation of op. 44 – with two oboes, clarinets and bassoons respectively, a contrabassoon as well as three horns plus two cellos and double basses – is a strong indication of this. The Finnish conductor Pietari Ilkinen has led the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie since 2017 – they have always placed a strong focus on late-Romantic works. In the summer of 2025, he will step down from his position as chief conductor to be able to devote himself more to his international commitments. He received numerous awards, including the Franco-Abbiati Prize. In October 2023, the cinematic portrait "A Baton and a Passport – Conductor Pietari Ilkinen" was released. The present album is the final part of the complete recording of Dvořák's symphonies.