Dvorak's 8th Symphony was composed in 1889 and premiered the following year in Prague upon his election to The Bohemian Academy of Emperor Franz Joseph for the Encouragement of Arts and Literature. The work was also performed in Cambridge, England on the evening prior to his being awarded an honorary doctorate.
The 8th Symphony is Dvorak's most Czech influenced symphony as it draws heavily on the styles of Bohemian folk music. The overall mood of the work is cheerful and contains a wide variety of lyrical themes throughout it's four movements.
Of musical note are the various bird calls throughout the first movement, and the contrast between the Viennese waltz inspired scherzo and the Bohemian folk dance inspired trio.
