Jiří Bělohlávek conducts Dvořák's Symphony No. 2

Among Antonín Dvořák’s early works, his first two symphonies hold a special place. As a self-taught composer, he initially used this form as a testing ground to hone his craft, and even considered destroying these early examples of his symphonic writing before changing his mind. 

Today, these works offer a fascinating insight into their creator’s stylistic evolution. We appreciate how fortunate we are to be able to marvel at the young Dvořák’s boundless inventiveness in this superb performance of his Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Jiří Bělohlávek—an ardent champion of Dvořák’s music. The introduction to the fourth movement would later be revisited as one of the main themes of the opera Rusalka.

Photo © Ester Havlova