Antonín Dvořák is an icon in Czech music. He not only revived and promoted the cause of Czech national music culture, but he also captured the soul of his country. During his stay in the United States, Dvořák created works such as Symphony No. 9 in E minor (“From the New World”) and his Cello Concerto in B minor, the latter interweaving such complex emotions as patriotic longing, personal experience and nostalgia with superb composing skills, making it a popular concerto of the Romantic era. Written in 1889, his Symphony No.8 in G major belongs to the composer’s mature period, imbued with colours of the Bohemian countryside. Rafael Kubelik once said, “In Bohemia, the trumpet does not declare war—it invites dance.” This symphony is a grand dance that begins with the brass instrument.