Dvořák gets paid

Synopsis

In 1891, Czech composer Antonín Dvořák was earning about $3000 a year teaching at the National Conservatory of Prague. Jeannette Thurber, the wealthy founder of the National Conservatory of New York offered Dvořák five times his Prague salary to come to America, where his teaching load would be significantly less.

Even so, Dvořák was reluctant to leave his native land, but his wife suggested the family should vote on Thurber’s offer. Dvořák’s son, Otakar recalled the vote “for” America wasn’t unanimous but did prevail, so papa signed the contract — then let it sit on his desk until Mom took matters in her own hand — literally — and posted it back to America. Dvořák followed in due course.

On today’s date in 1893, Dvořák wrapped up his first academic year in America by signing a receipt for his May salary before setting off with the family for a summer vacation in the Czech-speaking settlement of Spillville, Iowa. 

No doubt he would be astonished to learn that in our time a dealer in celebrity signatures put that receipt up for sale. The salary stub was for $937.50. The asking price for the yellowed slip of paper bearing Dvořák’s signature? $2750!

Music Played in Today's Program

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904): String Quintet No. 3; Vlach Quartet; Naxos 8.553376

On This Day

Births

• 1653 - Baptismal date of Baroque composer Georg Muffat, in Megève (Savoy)

• 1771 - Italian composer Ferdinando Paër, in Parma

• 1804 - Russian composer Mikail Glinka, in Novospasskoye (now Glinka), near Yelnya, Smolensk District (Julian date: May 20)

• 1929 - Canadian-born American composer Yehudi Wyner, in Calgary

Deaths

• 1639 - German composer Melchior Franck, 60, in Coburg

• 1909 - Italian composer Giuseppe Martucci, 53, in Naples

Premieres

• 1853 - Liszt: Fantasy on Themes from Beethoven’s ‘Ruins of Athens’ and Fantasy on Hungarian Themes for piano and orchestra, in Budapest

• 1869 - Smetana: opera The Bartered Bride (third of four versions), in Prague at the Provisional Theater

• 1925 - Bloch: Concerto Grosso No. 1 for strings and piano, in Cleveland, with the composer conducting

• 1932 - Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 12 (Collective Farm Symphony), in Moscow, by the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, Albert Coates conducting

• 1988 - Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Symbolon for orchestra, in Leningrad (USSR), by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting

• 1991 - Peter Maxwell Davies: Ojai Festival Overture, in the Ojai Valley north of Los Angeles, by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, with the composer conducting

Others

• 1723 - J.S. Bach is formally inducted as cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig

• 1728 - The Royal Academy of Music folds in London following a revival performance of Handel’s opera Admeto (Gregorian date: June 12)

• 1750 - Handel makes out his will, leaving to John Christopher Smith (the elder) “my large harpsichord, my little house organ, my musick books, and 500 pounds sterling” and the rest to his niece Johanna Floerken. On August 4, 1757, Handel modifies his will, leaving his theater organ to John Rich, some paintings to Charles Jennens and Bernard Granville, and “a fair copy of the score and all parts” of Messiah to the Foundling Hospital. In of April 1759, Handel bequeaths 1000 pounds to the Society for the Support of Decayed Musicians, and directs that 600 pounds be used for his monument in Westminster Abbey. These dates are all according to the Julian calendar still in use in England, but not in the rest of Europe, in Handel’s day (add 11 days to convert to the Gregorian calendar).