Antonin Dvorák was born in Nelahozeves, Bohemia, in 1841 * in 1857 moved to Prague to study with Antonin Liehmann and at the Prague Organ School * 1862-73 violist at the Czech national opera * 1870 Alfred, his only opera in German * Became popular in 1872 through his Hymnus for mixed chorus and orchestra * In 1874 his friendship with Brahms began * In the late seventies, Dvorák (whose publisher was now Simrock) became world-famous due to his Moravian Duets, the Slavonic Dances and the Stabat Mater* Enjoyed great success during travels to England and the United States, where he discovered folk music as a source of national American music * His stay in the States resulted in such compositions as the New World Symphony, the (American) Quartet op 96 or the cantata The American Flag* On his return to Europe, he composed symphonic poems and operas, including Rusalka and Armida
