Musical contribution – February 2022

Largo from the “New World” Symphony A. Dvorak (1841-1904)

During his stay in the United States, Czech composer Anton Dvorak wrote his 9th symphony. The work premiered in New York that same year. It would later turn out to be one of his most popular compositions. There has been much speculation about the famous second movement (the Largo): does the compelling melody evoke a slave singing sadly on the plantation, or is it Dvorak expressing his own homesickness in his music?

We will probably never know the answer for sure. However, starting this month, we will also be able to play this arrangement of the melancholy movement on the organ. Or rather – most of it. The original is still a few minutes longer.

In order to give this work a truly orchestral sound, you will need to register quite a lot. You can save the various timbres in the setzer so you can conjure up all kinds of combinations later at just the touch of a button. All of the groups in the orchestra feature: strings, woodwind, brass. With a little creative imagination, we can bring this to life too. There are too many options to mention them all – the recording will introduce you to some of the possibilities.

Musical regards,

André van Vliet