dvořák dedicated the composition to the critic eduard hanslick, who praised the cycle with great enthusiasm. the piano duet version was printed by the german publishing house simrock in summer, 1881. in that same year dvořák arranged the cycle for orchestra. the orchestration differs in every individual piece. the work was premiered in 1882, at the concert of the prague conservatory (nos. 1, 3, 4), under the baton of antonín bennewitz. three more of the "legends" (nos. 2, 5, 6) were premiered at a concert of the vienna philharmonic on 26 november 1882, conducted by wilhelm jahn.