Worksheets to supplement
Symphony No. 9, Mvmt 3
Scherzo
© Ellen Barker 2015
Dvorak
A little history…..
Antonin Dvorak was born on September 8, 1841 in Bohemia, which was
then a part of the Austrian Empire. (Now it’s the Czech Republic, and
Dvorak, pronounced “duh-VOR-shok,” was a Czech composer.)
Antonin was the oldest child of 14, but only 8 lived beyond childhood.
He took up the violin as a young child, and the piano and organ soon after.
He also was a student of music theory, and started composing.
Dvorak
Brahms
Dvorak began entering his compositions in a music competition. He caught the
attention of other composers such as Johannes Brahms, who was a judge for the
contest. He went on to win the competition in several different years. With Brahms’
encouragement and the support from winning, Dvorak was making a name for
himself out in the world.
© Ellen Barker 2015
The
“New
World”……
In 1892, Dvorak packed up his wife, son, daughter, his secretary and a couple of
others and went to New York City. He served as the director for the National
Conservatory of Music, at a salary of $15,000. At the time, this was a huge amount,
for which he was expected to teach and conduct 3 hours a day, 6 days a week. In
1893, there was an economic depression, and a year later, his salary was lowered to
$8,000 a year. Even then, he wasn’t always paid on time.
While Dvorak was in America, he wanted to discover what “American music” was
really all about. He had used elements or themes of Czech folk music in his
compositions, and his thought was that African-American and Native American music
should be used to “grow” the music of America.
The New York Philharmonic commissioned Dvorak to compose “The New World”
Symphony. It has 4 movements, with the 3rd movement called the “Scherzo.”
Although he didn’t use any Native American melodies, Dvorak was influenced by
author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Song of Hiawatha,” an epic poem that
features a Native American as the hero. Dvorak got the idea for the “Scherzo”
movement from the dancing of the Indians in the feast scene in the poem.
In 1895, the Dvoraks returned home. Antonin later died of unknown causes a few
weeks after coming down with the flu, May 1, 1904.
© Ellen Barker 2015
Name________________________________________ Class___________________________
Dvorak once said in an interview that the music of African Americans and Native Americans
was “practically identical”, and that both were similar to the music of Scotland.
Music historians now think he meant the pentatonic scale, which is used in all 3 cultures.
Can you fill in the missing letters?
Circle the pitches that are NOT included in the pentatonic scale: do re mi fa so la ti do
© Ellen Barker 2015
Name________________________________________
Class___________________________
Answer Key
Dvorak once said in an interview that the music of African Americans and Native Americans
was “practically identical”, and that both were similar to the music of Scotland.
Music historians now think he meant the pentatonic scale, which is used in all 3 cultures.
Can you fill in the missing letters?
Circle the pitches that are NOT included in the pentatonic scale: do re mi fa so la ti do
© Ellen Barker 2015
Name____________________________________ Class________________________
Dvorak composed “The New World Symphony No. 9, Scherzo” to use these instruments. Number
the back of your page and identify them! Challenge: Identify their instrument family, too!
1
2
3
4
8
9
10
11
7
6
12
14
5
13
© Ellen Barker 2015
Name ______________________________ Class_______________________
2- Loud: Purple
Soft: Red
Both: Brown
3
3- Repeated patterns in melody: Light Blue
No repeated patterns in melody: Dark Blue
3
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
3
3
2
1
3
Anything without a number is your color choice!
© Ellen Barker 2015
2
3
Dvorak Coloring Listening Glyph
Dvorak Coloring Listening Glyph
1- Fast: Dark Green
Slow: Blue Green
Both: Light Green
Answer Key for Instrument Page:
Woodwinds
1. Flute
2. Bassoon
3. Oboe
4. Clarinet
Brass
5. Trombone
6. Tuba
7. Trumpet
8. French Horn
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Strings
9. Violin
10. Viola
11. Cello
12. String Bass/Double Bass
Percussion
13. Triangle
14. Timpani
Credits for images in this file:
© Ellen Barker 2015
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/KellyBenefield (borders)
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