Symphony No. 9 'New World' — Largo theme

A. DvořákOp. 95

Key

Db

Time

4/4

Tempo

♩=50

AO focus

AO3

Form

Slow movement — cor anglais (English horn) solo over hushed strings. Pentatonic melody (often heard as a spiritual).

Teaching points

• Pentatonic melody — Dvořák's tribute to African-American spirituals he heard in New York
• Cor anglais (English horn) is the timbral colour — discuss orchestration choice
• Symmetrical 16-bar period: 8-bar antecedent + 8-bar consequent, both ending I