One day in late 1884, after his daily walk to the railway station in Prague, Dvorak said "The first subject of my new symphony flashed into my mind on the arrival of the festive train bringing our countrymen from Pest." The Czechs he was talking about were in fact coming to the Prague National Theatre for a concert. But there was a darker side of the event. The concert was in support of the political struggles of the Czech nation. That night, Dvorak resolved that his new symphony would reflect this struggle.

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