suk began to compose his funeral symphony at the beginning of 1905, about eight months after dvořák's death. the composition was titled after asrael (azrael), known as the angel of death in the old testament and as the islamic carrier of souls after death. the work is in five movements. suk completed the sketches of three movements less than a half year later. on 6 july 1905, while suk was in the middle of the work, his wife otilie died. although the composition was to be also a celebration of dvořák's life and work, the desolated composer rejected the optimistic tone of the rest of the work. suk himself recalled: