Te Deum (Dvořák)

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The Te Deum op. 103 ( B 176) was composed by the Bohemian composer Antonín Dvořák in New York in 1892 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus ' discovery of America . The commission was in connection with the invitation to take over the management of the National Conservatory of Music for two years .

Work history and reception

The Te Deum was commissioned by Jeanette Thurber , director of the National Conservatory in New York City . Since no suitable text could be found in the short time available, she suggested to Dvořák that the Te Deum or the Jubilate Deo be set to music. The sketch of the work was ready in less than a week; Dvořák had it completed in a month. He dedicated the score on July 28, 1892 with the dedication “composed in honor of the memory of Columbus”.

In 1892 the work was presented to the world at Carnegie Hall in New York. The premiere of the Te Deum took place with 250 choir singers.

Johannes Brahms is said to have once jokingly commented on the force of the work: "The Te Deum is probably intended for the celebration of the destruction of Vienna and Berlin by the Bohemians and seems to me to be quite suitable for it." The four effectively contrasting parts are reminiscent of Giuseppe Verdi and Anton Bruckner . That this is more of a concert work than a liturgical composition can be seen in the architectural structure, the four parts of which reveal the symphony scheme.

construction

1st movement: Allegro moderato, maestoso (choir); Un poco meno mosso (soprano and choir)
2nd movement: Lento maestoso (bass); Un poco più mosso (choir)
3rd movement: Vivace (choir)
4th movement: Lento (soprano / choir; soprano / bass); Poco più mosso (choir)

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