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Symphony, also enables Dvorak to end the movement in a blaze of glory, combining both the opening theme of the movement and that given initially to the flute. The harmonic sophistication already seen in the first movement continues in the second. The movement is framed by a series of chords which later reoccur, and after which a beautiful melody is played by the cor anglais. The middle section of the movement contains new themes for flute and oboe playing together, and for the clarinet. A lively theme Interrupts the melancholic mood created by the wind Instruments’ themes. This creates a feeling of jollity that is abruptly ended by the brass playing the two themes already noted from the first movement, and the cor anglais theme again. The sombre mood of the beginning then ends the movement. The third movement follows the ‘scherzo and trio’ structure, with once again Dvorak displaying his mastery of harmony by moving into a variety of different keys. At the end of the scherzo a transformation of the first movement’s main theme, on horns and brass Instruments, is heard before the trio. The trio is in the style of a ‘sousedka’ - a dance introduced for the elderly of Bohemia at a time when populär dances were too rapid for them. In the coda the two familiär themes from the first movement return, with the climax being based on the second of these. The final movement is in sonata form. The main theme is announced by the trumpets, to be followed by a more repetitive theme in the same key of E minor. This in turn is followed by a melody for the solo clarinet. In place of the development section, Dvoräk creates a ‘fantasia’ in which these themes are closely linked, together with those from the previous movements. In the recapitulation after a brief Statement of the first subject Dvofäk’s harmonic genius creates a brilliant transformation into the second subject. In the coda, the main theme of the first movement, to quote Tovey, ‘strides over the world like Wagner’s Wotan when he rides the storm’. Fürther themes from all the movements are heard before Dvoräk brings the Symphony to a dose with yet more harmonic virtuosity. © David Patmore
