“Dvořák for the Birds”

by Professor Michael Beckerman of New York University

When considering the influence of America on Dvořák’s works, writers have tended to focus on whether and how the composer used musical material from the United States.  But as this recent article by Professor Michael Beckerman suggests, Dvořák also viewed America as a natural space, and this and his love of birds ensured that birdsong was an integral part of his American vision.

Michael Beckerman is Carroll and Milton Petrie Professor of Music and Collegiate Professor at New York University. He is the author of six books including New Worlds of Dvořák, Martinů’s Mysterious Accident, and Janáček as Theorist, and has written widely on Czech topics, film music, Mozart, orientalism, music of the Roma, and most recently, composition in the camps and the question of the relationship between form and musical meaning.  Beckerman has been a regular contributor to The New York Times, has appeared on many episodes of Live From Lincoln Center, and has lectured throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He has been the recipient of many prizes and honors, including two ASCAP Deems Taylor awards; an honorary doctorate from Palacký University in the Czech Republic; the Janáček and Dvořák medals and other awards from the Czech government; a Distinguished Alumni award from Hofstra University; and a Golden Dozen teaching award from NYU.  He was recently made an honorary member of the Czech Musicological Society and will receive the Harrison Medal from the Irish Musicological Society.  He has taught at Columbia University, Washington University, the University of Chicago, the University of California, Santa Barbara, Central European University, Charles University in Prague, and New York University where, from 2004-13 he served as department Chair.  From 2011-15 he served as Distinguished Professor of History at Lancaster University in England and he was the Leonard Bernstein Scholar in Residence of The New York Philharmonic from 2016-18, as well as serving as Vice-President of the Dvořák American Heritage Association, actively contributing to its programs furthering knowledge and understanding of Dvořák’s legacy and Czech musical culture.