Dvořák: Symphony No. 6 | Music Documentary with Alondra de la Parra & the Münchner Symphoniker

This is the most Bohemian of Dvořák’s symphonies and marked the beginning of his international career. Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra performs his Symphony No. 6 with the Münchner Symphoniker (Munich Symphony Orchestra) at the Tutzing Brahmstage festival 2022. During rehearsals, she discusses the famous work with musicians and experts.

DW Classical Music presents the eight-part series: Alondra de la Parra at the Brahmstage in Tutzing. The music documentaries will feature the 4 symphonies by Johannes Brahms and 4 symphonies by Antonín Dvořák.

Episode 1 / Brahms, Symphony No. 1:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 1 | Music Documentary...  
Episode 2 / Dvořák, Symphony No. 8:    • Dvořák: Symphony No. 8 | Music Documentary...  
Episode 3 / Brahms, Symphony No. 2:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 2 | Music Documentary...  
Episode 4 / Dvořák, Symphony No. 9:    • Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 | Music Documentary...  
Episode 5 / Brahms, Symphony No. 3:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 3 | Music Documentary...  
Episode 6 / Dvořák: Symphony No. 7:    • Dvořák: Symphony No. 7 | Music Documentary...  
Episode 7 / Brahms, Symphony No. 4:    • Brahms: Symphony No. 4 | Music Documentary...  

Episode 8 at a glance:
00:00 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, third movement (excerpt)
00:25 Introduction to Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6 from conductor Alondra de la Parra
01:45 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, first movement (first excerpt)
02:26 The Bohemian/Slavic character of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6
03:10 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, first movement (second excerpt)
03:31 Concertmaster Ulrike Kraew on her Slavic heritage
03:54 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, first movement, rehearsal
04:18 The challenges in interpreting Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6
04:44 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, second movement, rehearsal
05:10 The flute cadenza in the second movement
05:40 Sample of the second movement's flute cadenza
06:00 Flautist Désirée Wolff on playing the second movement's flute cadenza
06:30 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, third movement (excerpt)
06:49 Why the third movement most interests Alondra de la Parra
07:18 Rhythm in the third movement of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6
08:03 Concertmaster Ulrike Kraew on Dvořák’s use of rhythm in the third movement
08:47 Dvořák, Symphony No. 6, fourth movement (excerpt)
09:22 Working with the themes of the Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6, fourth movement
09:44 The finale of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6 (excerpt)

Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60 was composed in 1880 and printed in 1881 as the first of his symphonies, so that it was initially called his 1st symphony. Stylistically, it is considered the most “Bohemian” of his symphonies. However, it also concluded his Bohemian period and marked the start of his growing international fame as a symphonist. The 6th Symphony is dedicated to the well-known conductor Hans Richter, but was not premiered by him and his Vienna Philharmonic. It was performed in Prague on March 25, 1881, before being printed by Adolf Čech. Performances followed about a year later in London under the direction of the dedicatee, among others, and in numerous cities in Germany, as well as in Vienna.

Dvořák’s much-vaunted “Bohemian musicianship,” which has almost become a cliché, is combined in the 6th Symphony with a compositional technique schooled in classical models and especially in Brahms, which can be seen, among other things, in the care and consistency in the disposition of the motives and themes.

The Tutzing Brahmstage is a small but elegant classical music festival. In 2022, it celebrated a double anniversary. The concert series was held for the 25th time and at the same time, it was the 125th anniversary of the death of the famous German composer. The Brahmstage festival takes place every year in Tutzing on Lake Starnberg in Upper Bavaria - the place where Brahms spent a summer composing important works in 1873. On four Sundays in October 2022, Brahms’ four great symphonies were performed together with one symphony each by Antonin Dvořák - the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th - in the Church of St. Joseph.

As one of Munich’s great symphony orchestras, the Münchner Symphoniker (Munich Symphony Orchestra) has been an integral part of the German musical landscape for over 75 years. They perform around 100 concerts a year in concert series in Bavaria, with guest appearances and tours in Germany and abroad.

Alondra de la Parra's interview partners are Ulrike Kraew, concertmaster, Désirée Wolff, co-principal flute, and musicologist Stephan Beck.

Report & Direction:
Holm Weber

Co-direction:
Dorothee Binding

Camera:
Matthias Boch
Amadeus Hiller
Simon Hermann
Christian Berges
Daniel Stupat
Jan Klein
Holm Weber

Sound:
Sara Misztela

Make-up:
Nilgün Konya

Editing:
Klaus Hellmig

Color Correction:
Jan von Stebut

Production:
Benedict Mirow - Nightfrog GmbH

Commissioning Editor:
Reiner Schild

Executive Producer:
Susanne Lenz-Gleissner

© Deutsche Welle 2023

Watch more videos with Alondra de la Parra:
   • MUSICA MAESTRA - with conductor Alondra de...  

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