Dvořák composed his fifth symphony in the summer months in June and July 1875.

[1] It is considered largely pastoral in style, similar to Symphony No.

The symphony was first performed four years after it was written, on 25 March 1879 at the Slav concert of the Academic Readers' Association in the Prague Žofín concert hall, conducted by Adolf Čech.

The symphony is dedicated to Hans von Bülow, in gratitude for the conductor's systematic championing of Dvořák's orchestral works.

The symphony is written for an orchestra of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in B-flat and A with one doubling on bass clarinet, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, triangle and strings.