Smetana definition and meaning collins english dictionary. I am taking a music appreciation class, and i have to write about a piece called the moldau. Many flutists who love the piece but do not have the. Smetana learned to play and compose music at a very early age, making his first. The work describes the course of the river vltava starting from the two small sources of the warm vltava and the cold vltava until the two streams merge. This sequence of six tone poems from the end of smetanas life is most famous for its portrait of the river vltava flowing from its source in rural bohemia to prague and beyond.
The stirring second movement depicts the river vltava as it flows through the countryside and into prague. In his operas and symphonic poems smetana used the national legends, history and ideas. Wikimedia commons if you havent heard bedrich smetanas my fatherland in a while, or ever, and more particularly, the moldau, the. Developed concert transcription czech songs especially bedrich smetana. Concert band sheet music book by bedrich smetana 18241884. Beautifully arranged, illustrated and portrayed, this simplified. What was the meter 24 time, 34, 44, or 64 of smetanas the moldau. Libuse, named after a legendary figure in the history of prague and intended to celebrate. Classical notes classical classics smetanas ma vlast.
Each movement will have corresponding pictures of the locations that inspired smetana to write about them. Smetana sra1conflict and cohesion in african american adolescents relationships with parents. The mad river, one tenth the size of the moldau, gathers strength from several tributaries that flow down from the mountains. Smetana became deaf, but continued to compose until the end of his life. You have reached the play limit for today become a premium member.
Country, has long been one of edrich smetanas most wellknown and most celebrated works. Smetana, aaron metzger, and nicole campionebarr university of rochester paper presented at a symposium on parentadolescent conflict, family relationships, and. Despite his importance as the founder of a national school of czech music, outside his native country bedrich smetana is known for only a few works. Combine rhythmic and melodic fragments to compose your. Dalibor, written under the influence of wagner, was performed in 1868. Highlighting certain instruments or sections for specific musical effects ex. Struck with deafness in 1874, smetana would never hear a performance of what would become his most. People hungered not only for political freedom but also for cultural experiences that would reflect their ethnic heritage.
Despite its universality, and although much of the writing is so vivid as to speak for itself, smetana wanted to be sure his specific intentions were understood and so in 1879 he sent his publisher detailed descriptions to be. I asked my music teacher for a copy of it so i could listen to. The moldau smetana, performed by the gonzaga university symphony, robert spittal, conductor. Download program page pdf buy tickets to this performance, june th. Which families of instruments were written for the score. The adaptation presented here is restricted to the essential contrasting motifs.
Facebook gives people the power to share and makes. W the score calls for a piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 french horns, 2. What was the meter 24 time, 34, 44, or 64 of smetana. Most composers disdain narrative as demeaning the power of their art. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Vltava, written by smetana begins in e minor, in the time signature of 68, at an allegro speed. Now dg welcomes ten new titles to the range, including smetanas monumental cycle of symphonic poems devoted to his czech homeland, ma vlast. The moldau, a symphonic poem by bedrich smetana named after the vltava. It is very interesting how his life has paralleled 4 of the most famous composers in both physical attributes and their musical writing styles in many ways. Through the intertwining of these two parts, a concept of flowing water is formed. Bedrich smetana bio, albums, pictures naxos classical. Bedrich smetana 1824 1884 was a true composer that has been compared to many of the greats, but his music has not been performed or played very often. The composition is a hymn to smetanas home country of bohemia, describing the course of the river vltava from the source to its junction with the river elbe.
Listening to the mad river one can almost hear echoes of smetanas moldau the music of a forest rivulet in bohemia as it tumbles, swells and joins the majestic elbe river on its predestined journey to the sea. Ma vlast by bedrich smetana 18241884 full set sheet. The thing is, this paper addresses a lot of technical and personal aspects, and i just suck at thinking of those. The moldau is smetanas most famous and most popular composition. The moldau bedrich smetana by gaweshi alahakoon on prezi. Woodwind family the moldau was premiered and the first performance was given in prague on april 4, 1875, under adolf cech. As you listen to each section, close your eyes, and listen. The moldau an analysis of the moldau by bedrich smetana was premiered and the first performance was given an analysis of the history of feudalism in europe in prague on comparison of various works by ernest hemingway april 4, 1875, under adolf ech.
His career was interrupted by a period of selfimposed exile in sweden after the political disappointments that followed the turmoil of 1848. I know this is 16th of ma vlast, but im just doing this movement. During the second half of the 19th century, the countries we now know as slovakia and the czech republic were part of the austrohungarian empire, ruled by. The concertgebouws timorous brass section features some. Smetana holds an important place in the development of musical nationalism in his native bohemia, where he was born in 1824, the son of a master brewer in the service of count waldstein and others. Bedrich smetana the moldau arcodiva 180 album artarcodiva 12min 36sec. Revisit smetanas vltava the moldau and notice how he uses different. Moldau easy piano sheet music pdf by bedrich smetana. On account of the original arrangement for flutes, the beginning takes up a lot of space as it symbolizes ho w the two rivers rise and meet. Smetana was one of the founders of the czech national opera. See if you can imagine yourself in the composers shoes, as he saw these well known places and told the stories that gave such a pride, that he was compelled to bring them to life. The originals series offers listeners the opportunity to explore key albums from the yellow labels lp era and experience the power and passion of performances by a host of visionary artists. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. You have to squint to make head or tail of the wonderful brass writing in the opening vysehrad, while the moldaus scurrying woodwinds are blurry and indistinct.