English Commentary by symphony7526

Dvořák’s fifth symphony, written within a mere six weeks, represents a milestone in the development of the composer’s individual style. It is the culmination of his early symphonies to date, indicating the gradual evolution of his musical idiom, and also the beginning of the series which would ultimately be recognised as Dvořák’s symphonic masterpieces. Despite a certain lack of unity in his expression, arising from the contrast between the dramatic tenor of the last movement and the more restrained mood of the previous movements, this is a mature work. In terms of Dvořák’s musical development, it demonstrates a significant improvement in his endeavour to grasp the formal arrangement of the individual movements, and his ability to articulate the thematic material within them. In his Symphony in F major Dvořák became one of the first composers to succeed in re-establishing the structure of the classical symphony, now seemingly assigned to the past, and giving it a new, modern slant.