Antonín Dvořák

Antonín Dvořák was a Czech composer and probably one of the most popular and successful Czech composers of all time. Dvořák's full name was Antonín Leopold Dvořák.His style often incorporated elements of traditional Czech folk music, as is evident in his Slavonic Dances. His most widely recognized composition is Symphony no. 9 in E minor, best known as From the New World.
The correct pronunciation of Antonín Dvořák is An-ton-yin D(uh)-vorsz-ahk. His last name, Dvořák, can be especially challenging to pronounce. The first part, transcribed as -D(uh), is essentially a "d" sound with a very abbreviated "uh" sound that leads into the second syllable. The second syllable is transcribed as -vorsz. This is due to the fact that the "ř", known as the "r" with a háček, prescribes the simultaneous pronunciation of an "r" and an "sz". The "sz" sound is the same as the "s" found in the word "pleasure". In the audio pronunciation, you will be able to hear that the "r" and "sz" are pronounced at the same time. However, to achieve a good enough pronunciation of Dvořák, it can be sufficient to pronounce a soft "r" followed by the "sz". The last syllable, fortunately, is simply an open "ah" sound followed by a "k".

08/09/1841 - 01/05/1904

Music

Czech