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Sir John Babirolli leads the legendary Hallé Orchestra on this exploration of pieces by Dvořák, including the eighth Symphony and the "Scherzo capriccioso". The Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88, B. 163 was composed in 1889 at Vysoká u Příbramě, Bohemia, on the occasion of his election to the Bohemian Academy of Science, Literature and Arts. Dvořák conducted the premiere in Prague on 2 February 1890. In contrast to other symphonies of both the composer and the period, the music is cheerful and optimistic. It was originally published as Symphony No. 4. In spite of their title, which indicates a work of joyful and playful disposition, "Scherzo capriccioso" is a strong reflection of a period in which the composer was suffering some sort of crisis, the cause of which has never been adequately established. It is possible that Dvorak was under emotional stress as a result of his mother’s death (15 December 1882). Born in London of Italian-French parents, Sir John Barbirolli (1899–1970) trained as a cellist and played in theatre and café orchestras before joining the Queen’s Hall Orchestra under Sir Henry Wood in 1916. His conducting career began with the formation of his own orchestra in 1924, and between 1926 and 1933 he was active as an opera conductor at Covent Garden and elsewhere. Orchestral appointments followed: the Scottish Orchestra (1933–36), the New York Philharmonic (1936–42), the Hallé Orchestra (1943–70) and the Houston Symphony (1961–67). Barbirolli guest conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras and was especially admired as an interpreter of the music of Mahler, Sibelius, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Delius, Puccini and Verdi. He made many outstanding recordings, including the complete Brahms and Sibelius symphonies, as well as operas by Verdi and Puccini and much English repertoire.