3 Ways Dvořák Used American Music in His New World Symphony

He channeled Native American music Dvořák was inspired by the rhythms and pentatonic scales he heard in Native American music, but he composed original themes rather than copying existing melodies.

He drew from African-American spirituals The symphony’s famous Largo movement echoes the soulful character of spirituals Dvořák encountered, though again he created his own melodic material.

He synthesized these influences into a new style Rather than quoting folk songs directly, Dvořák blended these American musical elements with his own European classical training to create a distinctly American symphonic sound.