Antonín Dvořák - Symphony No. 8, Op. 88 in G major

Premiere album, released on November 21st, 2025

In 2024, conductor Jaime Martin and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra began an extensive recording project dedicated to the symphonies of Antonín Dvořák. The Spanish musician has been the principal conductor and artistic consultant of the prestigious Australian ensemble since 2022, under a contract that runs until 2028.

"Antonín Dvořák's music has always been close to my heart," Jaime Martin confesses. "His nostalgia has accompanied me since childhood. It is a great honor for me to create an album dedicated to Dvořák together with the world‑class musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This new project will ultimately include five discs in which we will explore the stylistic evolution of the composer across his nine symphonies." Martin has led successful tours and made numerous recordings with the Melbourne Orchestra, the most recent being the disc released on November 21st. This latest release features Dvořák's Symphonies No. 2 and No. 8 - the second CD in the cycle dedicated to the Czech composer, following the 2024 volume that included the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, a recording praised by international critics for the freshness and depth of interpretation.

At Radio România Muzical, I present from this recent album Symphony No. 8, Op. 88 - a superb, optimistic, and exuberant Romantic work composed in 1889 and first performed in Prague. Impressive in its thematic richness and complexity, the score begins with a lyrical introduction that unfolds into a fast Allegro con brio, marked by a free use of the timpani and concluding with a short, energetic coda. The second movement, Adagio, follows with more expressive nuances and varied instrumental dialogues. Next comes the famous melancholic waltz of the third movement, preceding the final Allegro, announced by a trumpet fanfare. The first theme is introduced by the cellos and later taken over by the rest of the orchestra - a thematic development diverse in atmosphere and character, infused with the melodic flavor of Czech folk music. The particular characteristics of Dvořák's Symphony in G major are highlighted by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in a compelling, colorful performance under the direction of Jaime Martin.