financial independence

The situation changed at the beginning of 1875. Dvořák decided to apply for a state scholarship awarded each year to young impoverished artists who demonstrated exceptional talent. In addition to a document confirming his lack of means which Dvořák requested from the Prague municipal authorities, he enclosed his application for the scholarship together with the scores of his last two symphonies and other works, and sent all these together to the Ministry of Culture and Education in Vienna, which allocated the scholarships. He was awarded the highest possible grant of 400 gulden, which represented a fortune for the young family. Dvořák was also successful in subsequent years, winning the award five years in a row. The jury who decided which applicants would receive scholarships – from Dvořák’s second application onwards – also included Johannes Brahms, by then a noted figure. He had a great appreciation for Dvořák from the beginning and they later became lifelong friends. On Brahms’s recommendation, Dvořák also began having his works published by one of the most important German publishers, Fritz Simrock. The fees Dvořák received were initially very low, however, they gradually increased as the composer became more prominent.