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 “Vysoká, August 16, 1894”). Here Dvořák could also indulge in his hobby: the breeding of pigeons.

Two main themes of the “Husitská” are the opening measures of the Hussite war song “All ye warriors of God” from the 15th century, a doric song of an extraordinary energetic character (Krehbiel says: “A phrase for Cromwell’s Roundheads—each syllable a blow, each blow implacable, merciless”) and an excerpt from the St. Václav chorale, a beautiful phrygian melody from about 1300. This “Hussite Overture” was on the program of the first concert of the Theodore Thomas Chicago Orchestra, Friday, October 16, 1891, and was therefore played at the Golden Jubilee repetition of the first program, January 2, 1941.

“Gypsy Songs” were composed in 1880. Dvořák used for these seven songs the poems which the Czech poet Adolf Heyduk wrote in 1859 after his visit to Slovakia and expressed the love of the gypsies for song and freedom in them. The fourth of these songs, “Songs my mother taught me.” dated February 20, 1880, is immensely popular in this country.

“Stabat Mater” was repeated at the Worcester festival in 1884 by which Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford celebrated the 800th anniversary of the Worcester Cathedral. After this second visit to England (Dvořák conducted his oratorio on Sept. 11, 1884) Dvořák became the idol of the English choral festivals. Next year he spent a whole month in England. On April 22, 1885, he conducted his Symphony in D Minor at St. James Hall in London (Victor Album M-663) at a concert of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. At his fourth sojourn in England Dvořák conducted his new work, “The Spectre’s Bride,” a ballad for soli, chorus and orchestra, based on a beautiful ballad of the Czech poet Karel Jaromír Erben “Svatební košile” (Nuptial Gowns). It was written for the Music Festival in Birmingham where Dvořák conducted it on August 27, 1885. There were 400 singers in the chorus, 150 musicians in the orchestra, solo parts were sung by Mme. Albani soprano), Jos. Maas (tenor) and Charles Santley (baryton). The success was tremendous and was equalled next year when Dvořák conducted at Leeds his oratorio “St. Ludmila” on October