# Dvorak's Symphony #6



## Olias

I searched for a thread on this but couldn't find one so I don't think I'm repeating.

I'm really enjoying getting to know this symphony better after doing an intense score study and much listening. Its so overshadowed by the 7th, 8th, and 9th today but when it first came out it was HUGELY popular with audiences. I really wish more orchestras would program it so I could go hear it live.

The first movement has so much to say and is beautifully pastoral. The second is like what would happen if a rondo movement and a variations movement got together and had a baby.

Then there's the furiant scherzo which is so Czech I can see people dancing in the streets of Prague. The finale is so happy and that "coda on steroids" is wild.

Oh I just love this symphony. Does anyone have a recording they particularly enjoy? What do you like most about the piece, and why isn't it played more often?!?


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## Merl

I love Dvorak's symphonies 3-9 (the 5th being my current favourite) and there are many excellent accounts but certain recordings immediately spring to mind from Rowicki, Dohnanyi, Belohlavek, Myung-Whun Chung, Neumann and Kubelik. Probably forgotten a few more too.


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## jim prideaux

Merl said:


> I love Dvorak's symphonies 3-9 (the 5th being my current favourite) and there are many excellent accounts but certain recordings immediately spring to mind from Rowicki, Dohnanyi, Belohlavek, Myung-Whun Chung, Neumann and Kubelik. Probably forgotten a few more too.


as ever....an accurate and concise summary from 'Merl'...and I can also wholeheartedly concur with his mention of the 5th,as I also regard it as the more 'superior' of the early to mid symphonies of Dvorak.

( I can always picture the Vltava as it flows through Prague when listening to the first movement of the 6th, the first movement of the 5th striking me personally as more bucolic.)


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## Heck148

my favorite Dvorak symphony...Kertesz/LSO is my favorite, a fabulous recording....


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## bharbeke

My favorite versions so far are Myung-Whun Chung with the Vienna Philharmonic and Neeme Jarvi with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.


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## Merl

jim prideaux said:


> as ever....an accurate and concise summary from 'Merl'...


Oi, 'Jim', why the inverted commas? Lol.


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## Heck148

Dvorak #6 is actually getting some decent concert exposure, at least IME - both orchestras I played with for many years performed #6....
#4 deserves a lot more exposure, tho...


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## Larkenfield

Greatly enjoyed this performance! Such joy and well-being in the music.


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## DavidA

Just listening to Kubelik - superb


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## jim prideaux

Merl said:


> Oi, 'Jim', why the inverted commas? Lol.


cos I just learned where the key is!


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## jim prideaux

Heck148 said:


> Dvorak #6 is actually getting some decent concert exposure, at least IME - both orchestras I played with for many years performed #6....
> #4 deserves a lot more exposure, tho...


what about 3?

as Merl will no doubt confirm I have personally spent a not inconsiderable amount of time banging on about it.....4 is the one I least enjoy but that is just a matter of taste.

(Merl...I have now found the underline button.....what do you make of that?)


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## Heck148

Dvorak #6 is sometimes compared to Brahms Sym #2 - same key, same sunny outlook, same virtuoso writing for low brass..
love the beautifully flowing 3/4 first mvt [same as Brahms 2], mvt II is tuneful and melodic, perhaps not his strongest slow mvt, but enjoyable nonetheless...Dvorak really hits his stride with the "Furiant" mvt II Scherzo....with its characteristic 3/2 + 3/4 +3/4 meter pattern [Slavonic Dance #8 is also a Furiant]...this mvt really rocks!!
the finale is really quite glorious...its opening legato theme is reminiscent of Brahms 2/IV....rousing finish...Kertesz/LSO really deliver on this work, a definite highlight of their most excellent complete set...


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## MarkW

Has always been one of my favorite Dvorak symphonies. I early on caught the resemblance to Brahms' 2nd in terms of key, movement shape and character.


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## Merl

jim prideaux said:


> what about 3?
> 
> as Merl will no doubt confirm I have personally spent a not inconsiderable amount of time banging on about it.....4 is the one I least enjoy but that is just a matter of taste.
> 
> (Merl...I have now found the underline button.....what do you make of that?)


Yes, I can confirm that JIM (I've found the colour text button, Jim) loves his Dvorak 3rd and champions it at every opportunity. I agree that the 4th is by far the weakest out of 3-9 and I rarely listen to the first two. I've noticed the 6th being performed more in the past few years, which is great. I still have a lot of time for Dohnanyi's live Cleveland 6th (well all of Dohnanyi's Dvorak is terrific) but tbf I've not heard many 'bad' 6ths. Of all the cycles I have I can't think of one conductor who produces a duffer 6th. However I've yet to hear all of Valek's cycle but if its as bad as the 9th I heard of his I may have to eat my words. Nezet-Seguin's recent 6th is very nice, though.


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## jim prideaux

inspired by this delightful thread which reflects real enthusiasm (and provides insight into) for one of the lesser acknowledged works by the great man I listened to Neumann and the Czech Philharmonic performing the 6th while driving to work this morning.

Planning to listen to the 5th at some point today!


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## Heck148

jim prideaux said:


> what about 3?


I enjoy all of the early Dvorak symphonies - even the oft-neglected 1 and 2...3-5 are very good, I esp like #4, which, to me, deserves much wider exposure...
6-9 are the best, Dvorak at his finest in this genre
also love Carnival Overture - a real rouser, for sure....try Kertesz/LSO or Reiner/CSO - both wonderful...


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## Olias

Interesting that there seems to be a question about taking the repeat on the exposition of the first movement. Dvorak wrote it with a repeat but then is quoted as saying to never repeat it. Some recordings take the repeat and others don't. I know this debate occurs with many first movements but I find it interesting that in this case the composer actually told people to ignore what he himself wrote.


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## Heck148

Olias said:


> Interesting that there seems to be a question about taking the repeat on the exposition of the first movement. Dvorak wrote it with a repeat but then is quoted as saying to never repeat it.


take it, it's like taking the repeat in Brahms symphonies..


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## Olias

Alsop takes the repeat on her recording but every other recording I've heard doesn't. I guess it depends what else you want to put on the CD.


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## Heck148

Olias said:


> Alsop takes the repeat on her recording but every other recording I've heard doesn't. I guess it depends what else you want to put on the CD.


Kertesz takes it, iirc...


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## RockyIII

I enjoy listening to Dvořák. I have the 2014 set of symphonies and concertos performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with Jiří Bělohlávek conducting. The Symphony No. 6 first movement exposition repeat is omitted.

Rocky


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## Olias

RockyIII said:


> I enjoy listening to Dvořák. I have the 2014 set of symphonies and concertos performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with Jiří Bělohlávek conducting. The Symphony No. 6 first movement exposition repeat is omitted.
> 
> Rocky


I love that set! Its almost perfect for me. I wish he would have taken the first movement of the 6th a bit faster but that's just my personal taste. I really enjoy his 5th as well.


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## Olias

Nice live performance video of the Milwaukee Symphony doing the entire work:






Another good one of Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale Della Rai


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## PeterF

The Dvorak 6th Symphony tends to be overlooked compared to the 3 that come after.
Here are the versions on my shelf:

Kertesz / London Symphony
Davis / London Symphony
Gunzenhauser / Czecho-Slovak Radio S.O.


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## Olias

I really enjoy this recording. Its very hard to find these days but I like it a lot. My only complaint is I'd prefer the Furiant movement a little faster.


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## Olias

I found Ivan Anguelov's entire cycle on YouTube here:


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## haziz

One of my absolute favorite Dvorak symphonies together with number 5.

I am partial to the recordings by Rowicki, Neumann, Anguelov, Kertesz, Suitner and Myung-wha Chung.


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