This was published as Dvorák's Symphony No. 1, but it was not renumbered as the Sixth until the mid-twentieth century, when earlier symphonies were recognized as a legitimate part of his canon. Composed in 1880, it came exactly halfway between the 1875 Fifth and 1885 Seventh, and thus is a pivotal work in the composer's oeuvre, standing as the last major work from his Slavic period and appearing as a transition of sorts to the more mature symphonic masterpieces to come, namely the last three symphonies, No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9 (New World Symphony). Dvorák acknowledged Brahms as a model in the earlier part of his career and in the Sixth, he was still under his spell. This symphony also reveals lingering folk influences from Dvorák's then-recent first volume of the Slavonic Dances (1878). The first movement is both effervescent and epic, forging a mixture of joyous abandon and Bohemian nationalist pride. Marked Allegro non tanto, this sunny movement has a Brahmsian character in sound, but lacks the weight and expressive depth of the Brahms symphonies, though it is still a rewarding listening experience, especially in its ecstatic close. The second movement Adagio is lovely, imparting a sense of Romantic warmth in its main theme and lush scoring. The middle section is intense and stormy. Perhaps the most effective movement in the symphony is the shortest (about seven minutes), the ensuing Scherzo. Marked Presto and subtitled "Furiant," a once-popular Bohemian dance in 3/4 timing, it opens at a furious pace with a colorful theme that sounds less dance-like and more good-naturedly rowdy. The trio is calm and playful, offering deft contrast to the fury of the outer sections. The finale (Allegro con spirito) is both joyous and heroic in its colorful main theme. The alternate theme is playful and nonchalant, and Dvorák's development of his material has a Brahmsian intensity in the central section.

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