ely lacked cannot be accredited to Dvorak, who spent the best part
of his life in the enjoyment of merely local fame." About this time he
wrote his "Patriotic Hymn" and the opera "Koenig und Koehler." The latter
was rejected after an orchestral trial; but he continued his work,
undaunted by failure. Shortly after this he received the appointment of
organist at the Adelbert Church, Prague, and fortune began to smile upon
him. His symphony in F was laid before the Minister of Instruction in
Vienna, and upon the recommendation of Herbeck secured him a grant of
$200. When Brahms replaced Herbeck on the committee which reported upon
artists' stipends, he fully recognized Dvorak's ability, and not only
encouraged him, but also brought him before the world by securing him a
publisher and commending him to Joachim, who still further advanced his
interests by securing performances of his works in Germany and England.
Since that time he has risen rapidly, and is now recognized as one of the
most promising of living composers. Among his works which have been
produced during the past few years are the "Stabat Mater," the cantata
"The Spectre Bride," three operas in the Czechist dialect, three
orchestral symphonies, several Slavonic rhapsodies, overtures, violin and
piano concertos, an exceedingly beautiful sextet, and numerous songs.

The Stabat Mater.

Dvorak's "Stabat Mater" was written in 1875. It was sent to the Austrian
Minister of Instruction, but was not deemed worthy of the grant of $200
which the composer had expected. Its merit was subsequently recognized by
Brahms and Joachim, and the latter secured a hearing of it in London in
1883. It immediately made its composer famous. The Philharmonic Society
invited him to London, and the work was given with great success at the
Albert Hall, and later at the Worcester and Hereford festivals. It was in
England indeed that his celebrity was established, and for that country
all his new works are now written.

The "Stabat Mater" is written for soli, chorus, and orchestra, and
comprises ten numbers. The first is the quartet and chorus, "Stabat Mater
dolorosa," and carries the old Latin hymn as far as the "Quis est homo."
After an orchestral introduction which gives out the principal motives on
which the number is based, the vocal quartet begins. The materials of
which it is composed are very simple, but they are worked up with great
technical skill