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BEDŘICH SMETANA

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OVERVIEWSmetana

Family

Compositions

Ma Vlast

Ma Vlast highlights

The Moldau

Listening Guide

Bibliography

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BEDŘICH SMETANA

Born: March 2, 1824, Litomyšl,

Czech Republic

Composed Má vlast, some say most

famous piece in modern society.

regarded his homeland, the Czech

Republic as his Father

Started a Piano Institute in late

August 1848

Struggled with loss of hearing and

mental illness

Died in May of 1844

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FAMILY Father František Smetana, brewer, violinist

Mother Barbora Lynková

Katerina Kolářová- Wife

Children 4 daughters, 3 died in infancy

Second wife Bettina Ferdinandova

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Year Title

1874-1879 Má vlast

1865 The Bartered Bride

1863 The Brandenburgers in Bohemia

1868 Dalibor

1877 Tajemství

1875 Hubička

1870 Libuše

SOME OF BEDŘICH SMETANA’S MORE POPULAR COMPOSITIONS

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MÁ VLAST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=kdtLuyWuPDs

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MÁ VLAST HIGHLIGHTS

Meaning "My country/homeland"

Actually six symphonic poems together

Composed between 1874-1879

six pieces were conceived as individual works

Each poem depicts some aspect of the countryside, history, or

legends of Bohemia

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THE MOLDAU Composed between 20 November and 8

December 1874

Second in six part

No lyrics

A homage to his home country The Moldau premiered in Prague on April 4,

1875 Appearances in modern culture include:

“The Tree Of Life” “Kotsch” “Tiny Toon Adventures” “Tabu: A Story of the South Seas.”

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU

GENRE: Symphonic poem, taken

from the whole piece titled My

Country or (Má vlast)

Allegro commodo (moderately fast)

Instrumentation: Instrumentation:

piccolo, flutes , oboes, clarinet,

bassoons, French horns, trumpets,

trombones, tuba, timpani, bass

drum, triangle, cymbals, harp,

strings

0:00 IntroductionFlutes start the introduction of The Moldau section of Ma Vlast. The two flutes are used to represent a bubbling spring that join together. The tempo is rather fast in this introduction. The music is a steady piano, soft dynamic Though the tempo begins a building crescendo that you almost feel if you close your eyes and picture the river starting at its source, bubbling from the springs

0:30 Intro ContinuedFlutes continue, the volume is at a piano. Harps and clarinets join making the piece seem to speed up, thus making the listener believe that the river is slowly building and its speed increasing. He is able to do this by making the rhythm speed up, the tempo quickens with the above added instruments

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU1:06 ChorusIn this piece the chorus is the also known as the “river.” Violins are added to the theme in a minor key. Here, again the chorus is in a piano or soft dynamic with a building crescendo. The chorus is dominated by strings. The pitch fluctuates between crescendos and decrescendo or diminuendos, eventually with a decrescendo ending the chorus. This chorus is called the river because it is the main focus of the entire piece, the journey down the river; yes we see many different things throughout the trip but one thing is constant, the river.1:39 Bridge The river is building and getting wider as is reflected by the violins, clarinets and flutes all play together with the continued crescendo followed by the diminuendos. Strings are in the minor with low strings.

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU2:00 Chorus continuedAt this point of the chorus, the crescendo has peaked and the energy is at a high point of the piece. I would say the volume is at a mezzo-forte now, it’s loudest so far.Violins continue to again have a crescendo followed by a diminuendo. The chorus is repeating itself, intentionally. Swirling sixteenth notes act asaccompaniment, adding to the depth of the river3:00 Forest HuntFrench horns and trumpets begin to play at a forte. Strings are added with running notes. The volume is raised through a rapid crescendo to a fortissimo level. Pitch is lower but fluctuates with the help of the strings in the background of the song. Melody has changed from the introduction and chorus

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU3:30 Forest Hunt ContinuedThe dynamics change as the strings take over dominance from the horns at this time in the piece. The horns and trumpets have faded and are now only heard in the background. We close this section at a pianississimo

4:00 Peasant WeddingStrings are playing at a forte or loud volume. The songs dynamic has totally changed now. Again we have a building crescendo, but the strings and triangle have made the song feel more like a dance or polka now.

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU4:30 Peasant Wedding ContinuedThe piece is at the peak of its crescendo at this section. Strings are still playing at a piano volume with a triangle playing in the background. Song dynamic has dropped to a pianississimo. Instruments are barely audible towards the end. 

5:19 Moonlight dance of water nymphsWoodwinds playing sustained notes at a pianissimo or soft tone. Flutes enter playing running notes at a louder piano. Rhythm is at its slowest pace of the piece so far, but the beat starts to fasten as we have a crescendo

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU5:50 Moonlight dance continued Violins enter at a pianissimo; the melody is a legato with flutes and harps accompanying violins. Rhythm has slowed to a longer more drawn out tempo. Tempo is steadiest, no real crescendo to find

6:35 Moonlight dance continuedViolins, harp, woodwind and flute are all playing. A subtle crescendo starts as the brass enters at a pianissimo. Throughout the moonlight dance section, you feel as if you are a fairy or something light and magical dancing across the river.

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU7:59 The River (chorus) Violins playing river theme for the chorus again. A running note accompaniment in strings. Here, again the chorus is in a piano or soft dynamic with a building crescendo. The chorus is dominated by strings. The pitch fluctuates between crescendos and decrescendo or diminuendos, eventually with a decrescendo ending the chorus.

7:10 Moonlight dance continuedThe piece is in the middle of a crescendo. Woodwinds are playing running notes. Rhythm is much faster with the woodwinds playing. You can sense that the music is about to make a transition back into its chorus.

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU9:30 The Rapids ContinuedAscending minor scales alternate in the low brass and low strings in fortissimo. Jagged,piercing arpeggios in the piccolos. Both have dissonant chords. Timpanirolls and cymbal crashing together insinuate that the river is getting faster and very swift.

8:40 The RapidsAll instruments are now playing or a full orchestra. With all the instruments playing the theme is the fast, swift rapids. Fortissimo volume peaks. Piccolo playing with cymbals crashing. Strings playing at a pianissimo, with a quick crescendo

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU10:00 The Rapids ContinueRiver is at its fastest, swiftest point. A full orchestra begins to play again, still at a fortissimo. Gradual shortening of the phrase lengths adds to building intensity. 

10:40 ChorusThe chorus has returned but is now being played in a faster, accelerated way. It is now being played in a major. Also being played at another fortissimo, the loudest the chorus has been played so far. This is supposed to be the most powerful part of the river. 

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU11:10 Ancient CastleThe river is now passing the castle Vysehrad. Melody is filled by brass and is harmonized by full brass section. Tempo is now broad while still at a fortissimo 

11:30 Ancient Castle ContinuedRiver continues to pass the castle. Violins and harps play. Smaller yet noticeable crescendos build and slowly decrescendo. We are nearing the ending of the piece and the artist has made this apparent. It is as if the river is starting to calm again as we are closing. 

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LISTENING GUIDE THE MOLDAU 12:01 Coda- EndingThe river is starting to disappear into the distance. The final decrescendo is made here, playing at a pianissimo. Full orchestra for the chords play the ending piece in a fortissimo. The river is no more and we have ended our journey, our trip of the river through the countryside and its many changes.

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B I B L I O G R A P H Y

Roger Kamien, “An Appreciation of Music”

CD # 3 included in text, “An Appreciation of Music”

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1666110/The-Moldau

http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/music/kamien/student/olc/61.htm

http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/4107/4206309/pdfs/Ch_10.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1_vlast