The Czech master Antonín Dvořák was born in Nelahozeves, near Kralupy, on September 8, 1841; and died in Prague, May 1, 1904. Among his works for orchestra are five symphonic poems, all composed in 1896 and 1897. The titles are The Water Goblin, The Noon Witch, The Golden Spinning Wheel, The Wild Dove, and A Hero's Song. All of them were inspired by the poetry of the Czech folklorist, Karel Jaromír Erben (1811-1870), found in his collection titled Kytice. The Water Goblin received its first public performance in London on November 14, 1896, with Henry J. Wood leading the Queen’s Hall Orchestra. An informal reading of it took place a few months earlier in Prague. The work is scored for 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (2nd doubling English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings.

Given his nationalistic inclinations, it is not surprising that Antonín Dvořák turned to Czech national folklore for inspiration. Having been successful as a composer of symphonies, it is also logical the symphonic poem—a genre essentially created by Franz Liszt and taken up by Richard Strauss—would also attract his attention. Symphonic poems are one-movement compositions inspired by, or based on, extra-musical material. Quite often they are cast in traditional forms. In the case of The Water Goblin, the form loosely follows that of a rondo, in which a principal theme is established, followed by contrasting episodes. The opening theme recurs between the episodes.

The Water Goblin tells a rather grim story, whose details are presented quite graphically in Dvořak’s music. A synopsis follows (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Water_Goblin)

· Allegro vivace: The water goblin (flutes) alone.

· Andante sostenuto: The girl (clarinet) and her mother (violins), who tells the girl of a bad dream and warns her not to go near the lake.

· Allegro vivo: The girl ignores the warning (violins and oboes) and falls into the lake, and into the hands of the water goblin.

· Andante mesto come prima: The misery of the underwater world.

· Un poco più lento e molto tranquillo: the girl sings a lullaby for her baby (flute and oboe).

- Andante: The water goblin tells her to stop singing in a fury and they have a quarrel, which ends that the girl is permitted to go visit her mother, but has to be back before the bells of the vespers.

· Lento assai: The girl goes home to her mother (cellos and trombones), where they have a sad reunion.

· Allegro vivace: The storm on the lake, the church bells are heard after which knocking on the door and eventually a loud bang when the goblin throws the dead child against the door.

· Andante sostenuto: croaking frogs (piccolo and flutes), the mother's moaning about that Friday, which was an unlucky day (cor anglais and bass clarinet), the mother's terrible distress (oboes, cellos and basses). The water goblin's mysterious disappearance into the depth of the lake.

Program Note by David B. Levy, ©2025