Antonín Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony, which the composer himself titled ‘From the New World’, was a huge success when it premiered on 16 December 1893 at New York’s Carnegie Hall: ‘The newspapers say that never before has a composer enjoyed such a triumph.’ The project, however, was by no means without controversy. Dvořák had been invited to the USA with the task of creating American national music. He therefore studied the music of the indigenous population, descendants of slaves and others, composing the symphony with all these sources in mind. Though many critics did not consider that the goal of an American national music style had been achieved, the work itself remains today one of the most popular symphonies ever written.

Much earlier, in 1878, Dvořák had composed his Serenade for Wind Instruments, Cello and Double Bass in D minor. He was no doubt inspired by the unusual instrumentation of Mozart’s ‘Gran Partita’, K361, which is broadly reflected in Dvořák’s own score.

Finnish conductor Pietari lnkinen has been principal conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie since 2017. He will step down from this position in the summer of 2025 to focus more on his international commitments. He has received numerous awards, including the Franco Abbiati Prize. The film portrait ‘A Baton and a Passport – Pietari lnkinen Conductor’ was released in October 2023.