This festive march was composed for the Bohemian Regional Theater in 1879 and was premiered in Prague on April 23, 1879 at the performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on the occasion of the Austrian Emperor and his Wife for their silver wedding.
Dvorak chose the classic three-part form with an impressive Trio that is leading to a big final reprise. The piece opens with trumpet calls that reappear at the end. The main theme is very rhythmic and syncopated, contrasting with the lyrical, floating music of the Trio part. In the coda, both themes merge to the impressive and festive character of this march, combining Dvorak's composition with Mendelssohn's stage music.