Anam- The Up-bow Down-low

Episode 6, 2020: Dvořák’s Serenade for winds Wednesday 8 July 2020 Antonin Dvořák’s road to success was long and hard. But like many successful composers of his time, his perseverance enabled him to create masterpieces that endured time and space. In December 1877, he travelled to Vienna to meet Johannes Brahms, the first great composer to truly appreciate his work. It was on this trip that he was able to watch a performance of Mozart’s Gran Partita for twelve winds and double bass or contrabassoon. Inspired by what he heard, he began working on his own Serenade for winds the following month, completing it in two weeks. Of this composition, Brahms wrote to his friend, violinist Joseph Joachim, “Take a look at Dvořák's Serenade for wind instruments. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do... It would be difficult to discover a finer, more refreshing impression of really abundant and charming creative talent. Have it played to you; I feel sure the players will enjoy doing it!" ANAM oboist Noah Rudd can relat