Monday, April 05, 2010

A Good Adagio

My favorite composer is Antonin Dvorak. (1841-1904).
I have many CD's of his work, and I love it all.
But my favorite is Symphony #9.
Better known as The New World Symphony.
The entire thing is a masterpiece, but what I love most is the adagio section of the 2nd Movement. When I attended a live performance here in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre [more than a decade ago] I wept.
This Czechoslovakian genius composed this symphony while in New York during the winter and spring of 1893. And this, after spending the summer in good ol' Spillville, Iowa. Go figure.
Can any good thing come out of Iowa? This did!
It is just beautiful music. Wonderful. Moving.
I can't help it -- I love a good adagio.



See my own poetic homage to Dvorak --> HERE.

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1 comment:

Thomas Hogglestock said...

I too, am a big fan of Dvorak and this particular movement.

And having grown up in Minnesota I am not shy of making a joke at the expense of neighboring state Iowa. But lots of good things have come out of Iowa. Not the least of which is the Iowa Writer's Workshop that has nurtured many a fantastic novelist.