DVORÁK, ANTONÍN. REMARKABLE, UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED TO THE CONDUCTOR KARL MÜLLER IN FRANKFURT

crediting him with supporting his work as a composer at his Museum Concerts in Frankfurt, announcing that he is visiting London where his 8th Symphony will be played by the Royal Philharmonic Society, enquiring if he would like to perform the work; informing him that he intends to travel to London via Frankfurt and he is happy to bring score and parts with him; discussing the publication of the work by Simrock, who holds performance rights; and describing his trip to St Petersburg and Moscow …Ich reise im April nach London wo meine neue noch eingedruckte Sinfonie in den Filharm. Conzerten zur Aufführung gelangt…die Orchesterstimmen und Partitur habe ich mit wenn es also möglich wäre die Sinfonie zu bringen, das wäre so schön, und dadurch würde mein längst gesagter Wunsch in Frankfurt einmal zu musiciren, erfüllt… 4 pages, large 8vo, Prague, 19 February 1890 Not in Korespondence a dokumenty, vol.3 (Prague, 1989).

The premiere of Dvorák’s great Eighth Symphony in G major Op.88 took place on 2 February 1890 in Prague. It was a great success. The work was heard in London in April under the auspices of the Royal Philharmonic Society, who had commissioned the composer’s Seventh Symphony in D minor. Both works are staples of the symphonic repertoire and are among Dvorák’s finest achievements.