The many-sided activity of B. Smetana was subordinated to a single goal - the creation of professional Czech music. An outstanding composer, conductor, teacher, pianist, critic, musical and public figure, Smetana performed at a time when the Czech people recognized themselves as a nation with their own, original culture, actively opposing Austrian domination in the political and spiritual sphere.
The love of Czechs for music has been known since ancient times. Hussite liberation movement of the 15th century. spawned martial songs-hymns; in the 18th century, Czech composers made a significant contribution to the development of classical music in Western Europe. Home music making - solo violin and ensemble playing- has become a characteristic feature of everyday life common people. They also loved music in the family of Smetana's father, a brewer by profession. From the age of 5, the future composer played the violin, and at 6 he publicly performed as a pianist. IN school years the boy enthusiastically plays in the orchestra, begins to compose. Smetana completes his musical and theoretical education at the Prague Conservatory under the guidance of I. Proksh, at the same time he improves his piano playing.
By the same time (40s), Smetana met R. Schumann, G. Berlioz and F. Liszt, who were on tour in Prague. Subsequently, Liszt would highly appreciate the works of the Czech composer and support him. Being at the beginning of his creative way under the influence of the romantics (Schumann and F. Chopin), Smetana wrote a lot of piano music, especially in the miniature genre: polkas, bagatelles, impromptu.
The events of the revolution of 1848, in which Smetana happened to take part, found a lively response in his heroic songs("Song of Freedom") and marches. At the same time, the pedagogical activity of Smetana began in the school he opened. However, the defeat of the revolution led to an increase in reaction in the policy of the Austrian Empire, which stifled everything Czech. The persecution of leading figures created enormous difficulties in the path of Smetana's patriotic undertakings and forced him to emigrate to Sweden. He settled in Gothenburg (1856-61).
Like Chopin, who captured the image of a distant homeland in his mazurkas, Smetana writes “Memories of the Czech Republic in the form of poles” for piano. Then he turns to the genre of the symphonic poem. Following Liszt, Smetana uses plots from European literary classics - W. Shakespeare ("Richard III"), F. Schiller ("Wallenstein's Camp"), Danish writer A. Elenschleger ("Hakon Jarl"). In Gothenburg, Smetana acts as a conductor of the Society of Classical Music, a pianist, and is engaged in teaching activities.
60s - new rise time national movement in the Czech Republic, and the composer who returned to his homeland is actively involved in public life. Smetana became the founder of the Czech classical opera. Even for opening a theater where singers could sing in mother tongue had to endure a stubborn struggle. In 1862, on the initiative of Smetana, the Provisional Theater was opened, where for many years he worked as a conductor (1866-74) and staged his operas.
Smetana's operatic work is exceptionally diverse in terms of themes and genres. In the first opera - Brandenburgers in the Czech Republic (1863) - it tells about the struggle against the German conquerors in the 13th century, the events of distant antiquity here directly echoed with the present. Following the historical-heroic opera, Smetana writes the merry comedy The Bartered Bride (1866) - his most famous and extremely popular work. The inexhaustible humour, love of life, song-and-dance nature of the music distinguish it even among the comic operas of the second half of the 19th century. The next opera - Dalibor (1868) - a heroic tragedy written on the plot of an old legend about a knight imprisoned in a tower for sympathy and patronage of the rebellious people, and his beloved Milada, who dies trying to save Dalibor.
At the initiative of Smetana, a nationwide fundraising was held for the construction of the National Theater, which in 1881 opened with the premiere of his new opera"Libushe" (1872). This is an epic about the legendary founder of Prague, Libuse, about the Czech people. The composer called it "a solemn picture." And now in Czechoslovakia there is a tradition of performing this opera on national holidays, especially significant events. After "Libushe" Smetana writes mainly comic operas: "Two widows", "Kiss", "Mystery". As an opera conductor, he promotes not only Czech, but also foreign music - especially the new Slavic schools (M. Glinka, S. Moniuszko). M. Balakirev was invited from Russia to stage Glinka's operas in Prague.
Smetana became the creator of not only the national classical opera, but also the symphony. More than a symphony, he is attracted by a program symphonic poem. The highest achievement of Smetana in orchestral music - created in the 70s. cycle of symphonic poems "My homeland" - an epic about the Czech land, its people, history. The poem "Vysehrad" (Vysehrad is an old part of Prague, "the capital city of the princes and kings of the Czech Republic") is a legend about the heroic past and the past greatness of the motherland.
Romantically colorful music in the poems "Vltava, From Czech fields and forests" draws pictures of nature, free expanses of native land, through which the sounds of songs and dances are carried. In "Sharka" old traditions and legends come to life. "Tabor" and "Blanik" talk about the Hussite heroes, sing "the glory of the Czech land."
The theme of the homeland is also embodied in chamber piano music: "Czech Dances" - a collection of pictures folk life, containing all the variety of dance genres of the Czech Republic (polka, skochna, furiant, coysedka, etc.).
Smetana always combined composing music with intense and versatile social activities - especially during his life in Prague (60s - first half of the 70s). Thus, the leadership of the Verb of Prague Choral Society contributed to the creation of many works for the choir (including the dramatic poem about Jan Hus, The Three Horsemen). Smetana is a member of the Association of Prominent Figures of Czech Culture "Handy Beseda" and heads its musical section.
The composer was one of the founders of the Philharmonic Society, which contributed to the musical education of the people, acquaintance with the classics and novelties. national music, as well as the Czech vocal school, in which he himself studied with singers. Finally, Smetana works as a music critic and continues to perform as a virtuoso pianist. Only a severe nervous illness and hearing loss (1874) forced the composer to give up work at the opera house and limited the scope of his social activities.
Smetana left Prague and settled in the village of Jabkenice. However, he continues to compose a lot (completes the cycle "My Motherland", writes the latest operas). As before (back in the years of Swedish emigration, the grief over the death of his wife and daughter resulted in a piano trio), Smetana embodies her personal experiences in chamber-instrumental genres. The quartet "From My Life" (1876) is created - a story about one's own fate, inseparable from the fate of Czech art. Each part of the quartet has a program explanation by the author. Hopeful youth, readiness “to fight in life”, memories of fun days, dances and musical improvisations in salons, a poetic feeling of first love and, finally, “joy at looking at the path traveled in national art". But everything drowns out the monotonous alt like an ominous warning.
In addition to the already named works of the last decade, Smetana writes the opera The Devil's Wall, the symphonic suite The Prague Carnival begins work on the opera Viola (based on Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night), which was prevented from finishing by the growing illness. Composer's plight last years was brightened up by the recognition of his work by the Czech people, to whom he dedicated his work.
K. Zenkin
Smetana asserted and passionately defended high national artistic ideals in difficult social conditions, in a life full of drama. As a brilliant composer, pianist, conductor and musical and public figure, he devoted all his vigorous activity to the glorification of his native people.
The life of Smetana is a creative feat. He possessed an indomitable will and perseverance in achieving his goal, and despite all the hardships of life, he managed to fully realize his plans. And these plans were subordinated to one main idea - to help the Czech people with music in their heroic struggle for freedom and independence, to instill in them a sense of vigor and optimism, faith in the final victory of a just cause.
Smetana coped with this difficult, responsible task, because he was in the thick of life, actively responding to the socio-cultural demands of our time. With his work, as well as social activities, he contributed to an unprecedented flourishing not only of the musical, but more broadly - of the entire artistic culture of the motherland. That is why the name Smetana is sacred to the Czechs, and his music, like a battle banner, evokes a legitimate feeling national pride.
The genius of Smetana was not revealed immediately, but gradually matured. The revolution of 1848 helped him realize his social and artistic ideals. Beginning in the 1860s, on the threshold of Smetana's fortieth birthday, his activities took on an unusually wide scope: he led symphony concerts in Prague as a conductor, directed an opera house, performed as a pianist, and wrote critical articles. But the main thing is that with his creativity he paves realistic ways for the development of the national musical art. His works reflected an even more grandiose in scale, irrepressible, in spite of all obstacles, craving for freedom of the enslaved Czech people.
In the midst of a fierce battle with the forces of public reaction, Smetana suffered a misfortune, worse than which there is no worse for a musician: he suddenly became deaf. He was then fifty years old. Experiencing severe physical suffering, Smetana lived another ten years, which he spent in intense creative work.
Performing activity ceased, but creative work continued with the same intensity. How can one not recall Beethoven in this connection - after all, the history of music knows no other examples so striking in the manifestation of the greatness of the spirit of an artist, courageous in misfortune! ..
The highest achievements of Smetana are connected with the field of opera and program symphony.
As a sensitive artist-citizen, having started his reform activities in the 1860s, Smetana first of all turned to opera, because it was in this area that the most urgent, topical issues of the formation of national artistic culture were resolved. “The main and noblest task of our opera house is to develop national art,” he said. Many aspects of life are reflected in his eight opera creations, various genres of opera art are fixed. Each of them is marked by individually unique features, but all of them have one dominant feature - in the operas of Smetana, images came to life ordinary people Czech Republic and its glorious heroes, whose thoughts and feelings are close to a wide range of listeners.
Smetana also turned to the field of program symphonism. It was the concreteness of the images of textless program music that allowed the composer to convey his patriotic ideas to the masses of listeners. The largest among them is the symphonic cycle "My Motherland". This work played a huge role in the development of Czech instrumental music.
Smetana also left many other compositions - for unaccompanied choir, piano, string quartet, etc. Whatever genre of musical art he turned to, everything that the exacting hand of the master touched flourished as a nationally original artistic phenomenon, standing on the level of high achievements of the world musical culture XIX century.
Comparison begs historical role Smetana in the creation of Czech musical classics with what Glinka did for Russian music. No wonder Smetana is called the "Czech Glinka".
Bedrich Smetana was born on March 2, 1824 in the ancient town of Litomysl, located in southeastern Bohemia. His father served as a brewer on the count's estate. Over the years, the family grew, the father had to look for more favorable conditions for work, and he often moved from place to place. All these were also small towns, surrounded by villages and villages, which young Bedrich often visited; the life of the peasants, their songs and dances were well known to him from childhood. He retained his love for the common people of the Czech Republic for the rest of his life.
The father of the future composer was an outstanding person: he read a lot, was interested in politics, and was fond of the ideas of the awakeners. Music was often played in the house, he himself played the violin. It is not surprising that the boy also showed an early interest in music, and his father's progressive ideas gave wonderful results in the mature years of Smetana's activity.
From the age of four, Bedřich has been learning to play the violin, and so successfully that a year later he takes part in the performance of Haydn's quartets. For six years he performs publicly as a pianist and at the same time tries to compose music. While studying at the gymnasium, in a friendly environment, he often improvises dances (the graceful and melodic Louisina Polka, 1840, has been preserved); plays the piano diligently. In 1843, Bedrich writes proud words in his diary: "With God's help and mercy, I will become Liszt in technique, Mozart in composition." The decision is ripe: he must devote himself entirely to music.
A seventeen-year-old boy moves to Prague, lives half-starving - his father is dissatisfied with his son, refuses to help him. But Bedrich found himself a worthy leader - the famous teacher Josef Proksh, to whom he entrusted his fate. Four years of studies (1844-1847) were very fruitful. The formation of Smetana as a musician was also facilitated by the fact that in Prague he managed to listen to Liszt (1840), Berlioz (1846), Clara Schumann (1847).
By 1848, the years of study were over. What is their outcome?
Even in his youth, Smetana was fond of the music of ballroom and folk dances - he wrote waltzes, quadrilles, gallops, polkas. He was, it would seem, in line with the traditions of fashionable salon authors. The influence of Chopin, with his ingenious ability to poetically translate dance images, also affected. In addition, the young Czech musician aspired.
He also wrote romantic plays - a kind of "landscapes of moods", falling under the influence of Schumann, partly Mendelssohn. However, Smetana has a strong classic “sourdough”. He admires Mozart, and in his first major compositions (piano sonatas, orchestral overtures) relies on Beethoven. Still, Chopin is closest to him. And as a pianist, he often plays his works, being, according to Hans Bülow, one of the best "Chopinists" of his time. And later, in 1879, Smetana pointed out: “To Chopin, to his works, I owe the success that my concerts enjoyed, and from the moment I learned and understood his compositions, my creative tasks in the future were clear to me.”
So, at the age of twenty-four, Smetana had already completely mastered both composing and pianistic techniques. He only needed to find an application for his powers, and for this it was better to know himself.
By that time Smetana had opened music school, which gave him the opportunity to somehow exist. He was on the verge of marriage (took place in 1849) - you need to think about how to provide for your future family. In 1847, Smetana undertook a concert tour around the country, which, however, did not materially justify itself. True, in Prague itself he is known and appreciated as a pianist and teacher. But Smetana the composer is almost completely unknown. In desperation, he turns to Liszt for help in writing, sadly asking: “Who can an artist trust if not the same artist as he himself is? The rich - these aristocrats - look at the poor without regret: let him die of hunger! ..». Smetana attached his "Six characteristic pieces" for piano to the letter.
A noble propagandist of everything advanced in art, generous with help, Liszt immediately answered the young musician hitherto unknown to him: “I consider your plays to be the best, deeply felt and finely developed among all that I have managed to get acquainted with in recent times.” Liszt contributed to the fact that these plays were printed (they were published in 1851 and marked op. 1). From now on, his moral support accompanied all the creative undertakings of Smetana. “The sheet,” he said, “introduced me to the artistic world.” But more will pass long years until Smetana manages to achieve recognition in this world. The impetus was revolutionary events 1848.
The revolution gave wings to the patriotic Czech composer, gave him strength, helped him to realize those ideological and artistic tasks that were persistently put forward by modern reality. Witness and direct participant in the violent unrest that swept Prague, Smetana in a short time wrote a number of significant works: “Two Revolutionary Marches” for piano, “March of the Student Legion”, “March of the National Guard”, “Song of Freedom” for choir and piano, “Jubilant overture" D-dur (The overture was performed under the direction of F. Shkroup in April 1849. "This is my first orchestral composition," Smetana pointed out in 1883; then he revised it.).
With these works, pathos is established in Smetana's music, which will soon become typical for his interpretation of freedom-loving patriotic images. The marches and hymns of the French Revolution had a noticeable influence on its formation. late XVIII century, as well as Beethoven's heroics. There is an effect, albeit timidly, of the influence of Czech hymn song, born of the Hussite movement. The national warehouse of sublime pathos, however, will clearly manifest itself only in the mature period of Smetana's work.
His next major work was the Solemn Symphony in E major, written in 1853 and first performed two years later under the direction of the author. (This was his first performance as a conductor). But when transmitting larger-scale ideas, the composer has not yet been able to reveal the full originality of his creative individuality. The third movement turned out to be more original - a scherzo in the spirit of polka; it was later often performed as an independent orchestral piece. Smetana himself soon realized the inferiority of his symphony and no longer turned to this genre. His younger colleague - Dvorak became the creator of the national Czech symphony.
These were the intense years creative pursuits. They taught Smetana a lot. All the more he was burdened by the narrow sphere of pedagogy. In addition, personal happiness was overshadowed: he had already become the father of four children, but three of them died in infancy. The composer captured his sorrowful thoughts caused by their death in the g-moll piano trio, whose music is characterized by rebellious impetuosity, drama and at the same time soft, nationally colored elegiacity.
Life in Prague got sick of Smetana. He could no longer remain in it when the darkness of reaction deepened even more in the Czech Republic. On the advice of friends, Smetana leaves for Sweden. Before leaving, he finally made the acquaintance of Liszt personally; then, in 1857 and 1859, he visited him in Weimar, in 1865 - in Budapest, and Liszt, in turn, when he came to Prague in the 60-70s, always visited Smetana. Thus, the friendship between the great Hungarian musician and the brilliant Czech composer grew stronger. They were brought together not only by artistic ideals: the peoples of Hungary and the Czech Republic had a common enemy - the hated Austrian monarchy of the Habsburgs.
For five years (1856-1861) Smetana was in a foreign land, living mainly in the seaside Swedish city of Gothenburg. Here he developed a vigorous activity: he organized a symphony orchestra, with which he performed as a conductor, successfully gave concerts as a pianist (in Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Holland), and had many students. And in a creative sense, this period was fruitful: if 1848 caused a decisive change in the worldview of Smetana, strengthening progressive features in it, then the years spent abroad contributed to the strengthening of his national ideals and, at the same time, to the growth of skill. It can be said that it was during these years, yearning for his homeland, that Smetana finally realized his vocation as a national Czech artist.
His compositional work developed in two directions.
On the one hand, the experiments started earlier on the creation of piano pieces, covered with the poetry of Czech dances, continued. So, back in 1849, the cycle "Wedding Scenes" was written, which many years later Smetana himself described as conceived in a "true Czech style." The experiments were continued in another piano cycle - "Memories of the Czech Republic, written in the form of a polka" (1859). Here the national foundations of Smetana's music were laid, but mainly in the lyrical and everyday interpretation.
On the other hand, three symphonic poems were important for his artistic evolution: Richard III (1858, based on Shakespeare's tragedy), Wallenstein's Camp (1859, based on Schiller's drama), Jarl Hakon (1861, based on the tragedy of the Danish poet - the romance of Helenschläger). They improved the sublime pathos of Smetana's work, associated with the embodiment of heroic and dramatic images.
First of all, the themes of these works are noteworthy: Smetana was fascinated by the idea of \u200b\u200bthe struggle against the usurpers of power, clearly expressed in literary writings, which formed the basis of his poems (by the way, the plot and images of the tragedy of the Dane Elenschleger echo Shakespeare's "Macbeth"), however, they also contain juicy scenes from folk life, especially in Schiller's Wallenstein's Camp, which, according to the composer , could sound relevant in the years of cruel oppression of his homeland.
The musical concept of Smetana's new compositions was also innovative: he turned to the genre of "symphonic poems", developed shortly before by Liszt. These are the first steps of the Czech master in mastering the expressive possibilities that opened up to him in the field of program symphony. Moreover, Smetana was not a blind imitator of Liszt's concepts - he forged his own methods of composition, his own logic of juxtaposition and development of musical images, which he later consolidated with remarkable perfection in the symphonic cycle "My Motherland".
And in other respects, the "Gothenburg" poems were important approaches to solving new creative tasks that Smetana set for himself. The lofty pathos and drama of their music anticipates the style of the operas Dalibor and Libuše, and the cheerful, bursting with merriment scenes from Wallenstein's Camp, painted with Czech flavor, seem to give a prototype of the overture to The Bartered Bride. Thus, the two most important aspects of Smetana's work indicated above - folk-household and pathetic - came together, enriching each other.
From now on, he is already prepared for the accomplishment of new, even more responsible ideological and artistic tasks. But they can only be carried out at home. He also wanted to return to Prague because heavy memories are connected with Gothenburg: a new terrible misfortune fell upon Smetana - in 1859 his beloved wife fell mortally ill here and soon died ...
In the spring of 1861, Smetana returned to Prague in order not to leave the capital of the Czech Republic until the end of his days.
He is thirty seven years old. He is full of creativity. The previous years tempered his will, enriched his life and artistic experience, and strengthened his self-confidence. He knows what he has to stand up for, what to achieve. Such an artist was called by fate itself to lead the musical life of Prague and, moreover, to renew the entire structure of the musical culture of the Czech Republic.
This was facilitated by the revival of the socio-political and cultural situation in the country. The days of "Bach's reaction" are over. The voices of representatives of the progressive Czech artistic intelligentsia are growing stronger. In 1862, the so-called "Provisional Theater" was opened, built on folk remedies, where are placed musical performances. Soon, the "Crafty Talk" - "Art Club" began its activities, uniting passionate patriots - writers, artists, musicians. At the same time, a choral association is being organized - "The Verb of Prague", which inscribed on its banner the famous words: "Song to the heart, heart to the homeland."
Smetana is the soul of all these organizations. He directs the musical section of the "Art Club" (writers are headed by Neruda, artists - by Manes), arranges concerts here - chamber and symphony, works with the "Verb" choir, and with his work contributes to the flourishing of the "Provisional Theater" (a few years later and as a conductor ).
In an effort to arouse a sense of Czech national pride in his music, Smetana often appeared in print. “Our people,” he wrote, “has long been famous as a musical people, and the task of the artist, inspired by love for the motherland, is to strengthen this glory.”
And in another article written about the subscription organized by him symphony concerts(This was an innovation for the people of Prague!), Smetana stated: “Masterpieces of musical literature are included in the programs, but special attention is paid to Slavic composers. Why have not the works of Russian, Polish, South Slavic authors been performed so far? Even the names of our domestic composers were rarely met ... ". Smetana's words did not differ from his deeds: in 1865 he conducted Glinka's orchestral works, in 1866 he staged Ivan Susanin at the Provisional Theatre, and in 1867 Ruslan and Lyudmila (for which he invited Balakirev to Prague), in 1878 - Moniuszko's opera "Pebble", etc.
At the same time, the 60s mark the period of the highest flowering of his work. Almost simultaneously, he had the idea of four operas, and as soon as he finished one, he proceeded to compose the next. In parallel, choirs were created for the "Verb" ( The first choir for a Czech text was created in 1860 ("Czech Song"). Smetana's major choral works are Rolnicka (1868), which sings the praises of the labor of a peasant, and the widely developed, colorful Song by the Sea (1877). Among other compositions, the hymnal song "Dowry" (1880) and the joyful, jubilant "Our Song" (1883), sustained in the rhythm of polka, stand out.), piano pieces, major symphonic works were considered.
The Brandenburgers in the Czech Republic is the title of Smetana's first opera, completed in 1863. It resurrects the events of the distant past, dating back to the 13th century. Nevertheless, its content is acutely relevant. Brandenburgers are German feudal lords (from the Margraviate of Brandenburg), who plundered the Slavic lands, trampled on the rights and dignity of the Czechs. So it was in the past, but it remained so during the life of Smetana - after all, his best contemporaries fought against the Germanization of the Czech Republic! Exciting drama in the depiction of the personal destinies of the characters was combined in the opera with a show of the life of ordinary people - the Prague poor seized by the rebellious spirit, which was a bold innovation in musical theater. It is not surprising that this work was met with hostility by representatives of public reaction.
The opera was submitted to a competition announced by the directorate of the Provisional Theatre. Three years had to fight for her production on stage. Smetana finally received the award and was invited to the theater as the chief conductor. In 1866, the premiere of The Brandenburgers took place, which was a huge success - the author was repeatedly called after each act. Success accompanied the following performances (during the season alone, "The Brandenburgers" took place fourteen times!).
This premiere had not yet ended, when the production of a new work by Smetana began to be prepared - the comic opera The Bartered Bride, which glorified him everywhere. The first sketches for it were sketched out as early as 1862, the next year Smetana performed the overture in one of his concerts. The work was arguable, but the composer reworked individual numbers several times: as his friends said, he was so intensively “Czechized”, that is, he was more and more deeply imbued with the Czech folk spirit, that he could no longer be satisfied with what he had previously achieved. Smetana continued to improve his opera even after its production in the spring of 1866 (five months after the premiere of The Brandenburgers!): in the next four years, he gave two more editions of The Bartered Bride, expanding and deepening the content of his immortal work.
But the enemies of Smetana did not doze off. They were just waiting for an opportunity to openly attack him. Such a case presented itself when in 1868 Smetana's third opera, Dalibor, was staged (work on it began as early as 1865). The plot, as in Brandenburgers, is taken from the history of the Czech Republic: this time it is the end of the 15th century. In an ancient legend about the noble knight Dalibor, Smetana emphasized the idea of a liberation struggle.
The innovative idea determined unusual means of expression. Opponents of Smetana branded him as an ardent Wagnerian who allegedly renounced national-Czech ideals. “I don’t have anything from Wagner,” Smetana objected bitterly. “Even Liszt will confirm this.” Nevertheless, the persecution intensified, the attacks became more and more violent. As a result, the opera only ran six times and was withdrawn from the repertoire.
(In 1870, "Dalibor" was given three times, in 1871 - two, in 1879 - three; only since 1886, after the death of Smetana, interest in this opera was revived. Gustav Mahler highly appreciated it, and when he was invited to lead conductor of the Vienna Opera, demanded that "Dalibor" be staged, the premiere of the opera took place in 1897. Two years later, she sounded under the direction of E. Napravnik at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater.)
That was a strong blow for Smetana: he could not reconcile himself with such an unfair attitude towards his beloved offspring and even got angry with his friends when, lavishing praises on the Bartered Bride, they forgot about Dalibor.
But adamant and courageous in his quest, Smetana continues to work on the fourth opera - "Libuse" (the original sketches date back to 1861, the libretto was completed in 1866). This is an epic story based on a legendary story about a wise ruler of ancient Bohemia. Her deeds are sung by many Czech poets and musicians; their brightest dreams about the future of their homeland were associated with Libuse's call for national unity and the moral stamina of the oppressed people. So, Erben put into her mouth a prophecy full of deep meaning:
I see the glow, I fight battles,
A sharp blade will pierce your chest,
You will know the troubles and the darkness of desolation,
But do not lose heart, my Czech people!
By 1872 Smetana had completed his opera. But he refused to stage it. The fact is that a great national celebration was being prepared. Back in 1868, the laying of the foundation of the National Theater took place, which was supposed to replace the cramped premises of the Provisional Theatre. "The people - for themselves" - under such a proud motto, funds were collected for the construction of a new building. Smetana decided to time the premiere of "Libuše" to coincide with this national celebration. Only in 1881 the doors of the new theater opened. Smetana then could no longer hear his opera: he was deaf.
The worst of all the misfortunes that struck Smetana - deafness suddenly overtook him in 1874. To the limit, intense work, persecution of enemies, who with a frenzy took up arms against Smetana, gave rise to an acute disease of the auditory nerves and a tragic catastrophe. His life turned out to be warped, but his steadfast spirit was not broken. I had to give up performing activities, move away from social work, but the creative forces did not run out - the composer continued to create wonderful creations.
In the year of the disaster, Smetana completed his fifth opera, The Two Widows, which was a great success; it uses a comic plot from modern manor life.
At the same time, the monumental symphonic cycle “My Motherland” was being composed. The first two poems - "Vyshegrad" and "Vltava" - were completed in the most difficult months, when doctors recognized Smetana's illness as incurable. In 1875 "Sharka" and "From Bohemian Fields and Woods" followed; in 1878-1879 - Tabor and Blanik. In 1882, the conductor Adolf Cech performed the entire cycle for the first time, and outside the Czech Republic - already in the 90s - it was promoted by Richard Strauss.
Work continued in the opera genre. Popularity almost equal to that of The Bartered Bride was gained by the lyrical-everyday opera The Kiss (1875-1876), in the center of which is the chaste image of a simple Vendulka girl; the opera The Secret (1877-1878), which also sang of fidelity in love, was warmly received; less successful because of the weak libretto was the last stage work of Smetana - "Devil's Wall" (1882).
So, over the course of eight years, the deaf composer created four operas, a symphonic cycle of six poems and a number of other works - piano, chamber, choral. What a will he must have had to be so productive! His strength, however, began to fail - sometimes nightmare visions appeared to him; At times he seemed to be losing his mind. The craving for creativity overcame everything. Fantasy was inexhaustible, and an amazing inner ear helped to select the necessary means of expression. And another thing is surprising: despite the progressive nervous disease, Smetana continued to create music in a youthful way, fresh, truthful, optimistic. Having lost his hearing, he lost the possibility of direct communication with people, but he did not fence himself off from them, did not withdraw into himself, retaining the joyful acceptance of life so inherent in him, faith in it. The source of such inexhaustible optimism lies in the consciousness of inseparable proximity to the interests and destinies of the native people.
This inspired Smetana to create the magnificent Czech Dances piano cycle (1877-1879). The composer demanded from the publisher that each play - and there are fourteen in all - be provided with a title: polka, furiant, skochna, "Ulan", "Oats", "Bear", etc. Any Czech from childhood is familiar with these names, said Sour cream; he published his cycle in order "to let everyone know what kind of dances we Czechs have."
How typical this remark is for a composer who selflessly loved his people and always, in all his compositions, wrote about them, expressing feelings not narrowly personal, but general, close and understandable to everyone. Only in a few works Smetana allowed himself to talk about his personal drama. Then he resorted to the chamber-instrumental genre. Such is his piano trio, mentioned above, and also related to last period creativity two string quartets (1876 and 1883)
The first of them is more significant - in the key of e-moll, which has a subtitle: "From my life." In four parts of the cycle recreated important episodes biographies of Smetana. First (the main part of the first part) sounds, as the composer explains, “the call of fate, calling for battle”; further - "an inexpressible craving for the unknown"; finally, "that fatal whistle of the highest tones, which in 1874 heralded my deafness ...". In the second part - "in the spirit of the polka" - joyful memories of youth, peasant dances, balls are captured ... In the third - love, personal happiness. The fourth part is the most dramatic. Smetana explains its content in this way: “Awareness of the great power that lies in our national music ... achievements along this path ... the joy of creativity, cruelly interrupted by a tragic catastrophe - hearing loss ... glimpses of hope ... memories of the beginning of my creative way... aching feeling of melancholy...». Consequently, even in this, the most subjective work of Smetana, personal thoughts are intertwined with thoughts about fate. domestic art. These thoughts did not leave him until the last days of his life. And he was destined to go through both days of joy and days of great grief.
In 1880, the whole country solemnly celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Smetana's musical activity (we remind you that in 1830, as a six-year-old child, he publicly performed as a pianist). For the first time in Prague, his "Evening Songs" were performed - five romances for voice and piano. At the end of the festive concert, Smetana performed his polka and Chopin's B major nocturne on the piano. Following Prague national hero honored the city of Litomysl, where he was born.
The following year, 1881, Czech patriots experienced great grief - the newly rebuilt building of the Prague National Theater burned down, where the premiere of Libuše had recently sounded. Fundraising is organized for its restoration. Smetana is invited to conduct his own compositions, he also performs in the provinces as a pianist. Tired, mortally ill, he sacrifices himself for a common cause: the proceeds from these concerts helped complete the construction of the National Theater, which reopened its first season with the Libuse opera in November 1883.
But Smetana's days are already numbered. His health deteriorated sharply, his mind became clouded. On April 23, 1884, he died in a hospital for the mentally ill. Liszt wrote to friends: “I am shocked by the death of Smetana. He was a genius!
M. Druskin
Compositions:
Operas (total 8)
Brandenburgers in Bohemia, libretto by Sabina (1863, premiere - 1866)
The Bartered Bride, libretto by Sabina (1866)
Dalibor, libretto by Wenzig (1867-1868)
"Libuse", libretto by Wenzig (1872, premiere - 1881)
"Two Widows", libretto by Züngl (1874)
The Kiss, libretto by Krasnogorskaya (1876)
"The Secret", libretto by Krasnogorskaya (1878)
"Devil's Wall", libretto by Krasnogorskaya (1882)
Viola, libretto by Krasnogorskaya, based on Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (only Act I completed, 1884)
Symphonic works
"Jubilant Overture" D-dur (1848)
"Solemn Symphony" E-dur (1853)
"Richard III", symphonic poem (1858)
"Camp Wallenstein", symphonic poem (1859)
"Jarl Gakon", symphonic poem (1861)
"Solemn March" to Shakespeare's Celebrations (1864)
"Solemn Overture" C-dur (1868)
"My Motherland", a cycle of 6 symphonic poems: "Vysehrad" (1874), "Vltava" (1874), "Sharka" (1875), "From Czech fields and forests" (1875), "Tabor" (1878), "Blanik" (1879)
"Venkovanka", polka for orchestra (1879)
"Prague Carnival", introduction and polonaise (1883)
Piano works
Bagatelles and Impromptu (1844)
8 preludes (1845)
Polka and Allegro (1846)
Rhapsody in g minor (1847)
Czech Melodies (1847)
6 Character Pieces (1848)
March of the Student Legion (1848)
March of the People's Guard (1848)
"Letters of Memories" (1851)
3 salon polkas (1855)
3 poetic polkas (1855)
"Sketches" (1858)
"Scene from Shakespeare's Macbeth" (1859)
"Memories of the Czech Republic in the form of a polka" (1859)
"On sea shore", study (1862)
"Dreams" (1875)
Czech dances in 2 notebooks (1877, 1879)
Chamber instrumental works
Trio for piano, violin and cello g-moll (1855)
First string quartet "From my life" e-moll (1876)
"Native land" for violin and piano (1878)
Second String Quartet (1883)
vocal music
"Czech Song" for mixed choir and orchestra (1860)
"Renegade" for two-part choir (1860)
"Three Horsemen" for male choir (1866)
"Rolnicka" for male choir (1868)
"Solemn Song" for male choir (1870)
"Song by the Sea" for male choir (1877)
3 women's choirs (1878)
"Evening Songs" for voice and piano (1879)
"Dowry" for male choir (1880)
"Prayer" for male choir (1880)
"Two Slogans" for male choir (1882)
"Our Song" for male choir (1883)
Bedrich Smetana(1824-1884) - Czech composer, pianist and conductor, founder of the Czech National School of Composers.
Smetana was born into the family of a brewer in Litomyšl Castle. Early showing musical ability He began learning to play the piano and violin. At the age of eight, he began to compose, but his father wanted him to become an economist. Nevertheless, after graduating from the Pilsen Lyceum, Smetana went to Prague, where he improved his piano skills. During these years, the young musician was financially supported by Franz Liszt, who highly appreciated his talent.
In the summer of 1874, the fifty-year-old Bedrich Smetana began to experience a constant noise in his head and the annoying sound of out-of-tune octaves. The prescribed treatment did not help, the disease continued to progress.
“My ears are blocked and my head is spinning at times,” Smetana wrote in his diary on July 28, 1874.
On the night of October 19-20, 1874, a catastrophe occurred: the composer finally lost his hearing. Not a single, even the strongest, sound from the outside world penetrated his consciousness. Only a piercing chord in a very high register sounded in my ears without ceasing.
Regarding the terrible disease, the composer decided to consult with the luminaries of European medicine. On April 18, 1875, he and the young composer Vaclav Novotny went first to Würzburg, where the then-famous specialist in ear diseases, Dr. Tralsch, lived. From there they moved to Munich, and then to Vienna to Professor Politzrem.
The conclusion of the illustrious doctors was unanimous: the hearing aid was in perfect order, a disease of nervous origin. And despite the absolute deafness that fell upon him, in which he spent the last ten years of his life, Smetana created his best works: operas, symphonic cycles, string quartets ...
But the suffering of Smetana was not limited to deafness. In 1879, while working on the symphonic cycle My Homeland, he wrote in his diary: “I am afraid of madness. My heart is so heavy that I sit for hours and cannot think of anything but my misfortune.
In the last years of her life, Smetana begins to be disturbed by visual hallucinations. “No one can imagine how agonizing this perpetual noise in my head is,” he wrote. “When I compose, it turns into a hell of a roar, into a howling roar, and at the same time there are a lot of these roaring monsters with gaping jaws. They approach me, they threaten me, I cannot drive them away and I have to quit my job.”
To get rid of hallucinations, the composer buried himself in pillows and lay like that for several hours a day. Sometimes he would leave the house, hoping that outdoor nightmares would leave him. When he returned to the desk, he was horrified to find that he did not remember anything. He lost his thoughts and looked at his musical lines as if they were something new, completely unfamiliar to him. Sometimes it took a lot of effort to remember what he had been working on just an hour ago.
Over time, hallucinations appear more and more often. Doctors categorically forbade Smetana to compose. Moreover, he was forbidden to get acquainted with other people's works, was forbidden to read books and magazines. Disobedience threatened with loss of reason. Yes, Smetana himself felt that the mind sometimes betrayed him. But as soon as some relief came, the composer, secretly from his relatives and friends, set to work.
In mid-1883, he began work on the score of the opera Viola based on Shakespeare's play. However, this is hampered by clear signs of mental disorder. He imagines that some people are walking past his window, nodding and blinking, who did not exist in nature, but whom he saw quite clearly.
From the beginning of 1884, he completely fell into dementia, which was occasionally interspersed with short-term remissions. And soon he completely stopped recognizing friends and family members. Left alone with himself, he only mumbled something indistinctly under his breath.
At times he had fits of excitement. And then he broke windows, broke furniture in his room, and even threatened with a domestic revolver. After these spiritual outbursts, he needed constant supervision. And on April 22, after a particularly severe and violent seizure, the family decided to place him in a Parisian mental hospital, where he could receive both qualified help and constant care.
Bedrich Smetana(Bedrich Smetana) (03/2/1824, Litomysl - 05/12/1884, Prague) - Czech composer, pianist, conductor and public figure. The son of a brewer, an amateur musician. Smetana early showed outstanding musical abilities: already at the age of 4 he played the violin, at the age of 5 he participated in the performance of quartets haydn. From the age of 8, Smetana tried to write music. His first teacher was Jan Khmelik, later he studied music with the cantor F. Ikavets. Smetana spent his youthful years in Pilsen, where he studied at the gymnasium. The cultural atmosphere of the city, which at that time was one of the centers of the educational patriotic "awakening" movement, contributed to the development of the young composer's progressive views. Already in the early piano works of the composer, his connection with folk art, one can feel the desire to poeticize Czech folk dances, to withdraw them from the genre of everyday music. He served as a model mazurkas Chopin .
Bedrich Smetana continued his musical education in Prague, where he studied piano and music theory with a student of F. Kozhelukh - J. Proksh, a well-known teacher and composer at that time. In addition, Smetana worked with Franz Liszt, who later helped him organize his own music school, where Smetana gave piano lessons until 1856. In Prague, the composer was associated with revolutionary youth and was a member of the progressive society "Consent". During the revolutionary events of 1848-1849, Smetana wrote the "March of the Student Legion of the Prague University", "March of the National Guard", "Song of Freedom", etc. In 1849, Smetana completed the first major orchestral work, "The Solemn Overture".
In 1848, Bedřich Smetana married Kateryna Kolář, who became his faithful friend and assistant. In 1856, Smetana moved to Gothenburg (Sweden), where he gave piano lessons, was a conductor of the Philharmonic Society, and performed as a pianist. Living far from his homeland, Smetana continued to be interested in Czech culture. He creates symphonic poems "Richard III" (after Shakespeare, 1858), "Camp Wallenstein" (after Schiller, 1859), "Jarl Gakon" (according to A. Elenschleger, 1861). The interest that the "awakeners" showed in Shakespeare could not but be reflected in the work of the young composer; Schiller's drama was for him at the same time an episode from Czech history; the work of the Dane A. Elenschleger attracted his attention with tyrannical motives. These symphonic poems do not yet reveal the individual style of Smetana the symphonist, but they are united by a high ideological content. The years spent away from his homeland were very difficult for Smetana: before leaving for Gothenburg, he lost his little daughter (his experiences were reflected in the piano trio in G minor), and in 1859, on the way to Prague, in Dresden, his wife died. In 1861 Smetana returned to the Czech Republic.
Bedrich Smetana decided to turn to the opera genre at a time when the operas of F. Shkroupa, J. Macourka and 3. Skugersky, staged on the stage of the Provisional Theater in Prague, no longer satisfied the Czech public. Smetana's first operatic work, The Brandenburgers in the Czech Republic (post. 1866), based on the story of the same name by J. K. Tyl and his History of the City of Prague, became an event in Czech theatrical art. Plot from national history, high patriotism, folk song traditions were appreciated by contemporaries. “Smetana is called upon by her labors to lay the foundation of a building that will eventually be called the Czech Opera,” wrote F. Pivoda, a critic and public figure.
In 1866, Smetana completed the score of The Bartered Bride (posted in 1866, Prague), in which the Czech flavor is even more noticeable. This opera established the national opera traditions, it became one of the most famous Czech operas and walked all the stages of the world. Smetana's next opera, Dalibor (post. 1868), was the first Czech musical tragedy; the opera "Libuse" (1872, post. 1881) began the epic genre of Czech opera classics.
Bedrich Smetana did not leave concert activity. In 1861 he traveled to Germany and the Netherlands, performing works by Chopin, Schuman, Liszt and their own. Smetana continued and musically social activities. In 1863 he led the famous men's choir "Verb of Prague". The composer took part in the activities of the "Handy Talk" - a society that united Czech musicians, artists and writers, and was the chairman of its musical section. He paid no less attention to music-critical activities, appearing with articles in the Prague press. In 1866-1874, Smetana was the chief conductor of the Provisional Theatre. This period was the beginning of the rise of the Czech musical theater. Smetana promoted Russian music in the Czech Republic: he performed works Glinka And Dargomyzhsky devoting their work to music-critical articles.
In the early 1870s, Smetana developed the first symptoms of the disease, which in October 1874 led to complete deafness. Smetana could no longer work in the theater, left Prague and settled in the village of Jabkice. Here, despite his deafness, he again returned to his favorite operatic genre. Of the last works of Smetana, the greatest success fell to the opera The Kiss (post. 1876) and the symphonic cycle My Homeland (1874-79), from which Smetana no longer heard a single sound. The cycle "My Motherland", consisting of six poems - "Visegrad", "Vltava", "Sharka", "From the Czech forests and fields", "Tabor", "Blanik" - is one of the best works Czech symphonic classics.
Bedřich Smetana was the first Czech composer whose work fully manifested the democratic traditions of national Czech art. His name is associated with the creation of Czech opera classics. His operas, especially The Bartered Bride, are performed in many countries. Smetana is also very popular in our country, where his operas, instrumental and vocal works are performed.
M. Yu. Mirkin.
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana is the first recognized classic of Czech music, the founder of the Czech school of composition, who made a significant contribution to the development of all genres of Czech classical music - opera, symphonic, instrumental and choral music. The work of this composer reflected the progressive aspirations of the Czech people, who were striving to gain national independence.
Bedrich Smetana was born on March 2, 1824 in the small town of Litomysl, in the family of the brewer Frantisek Smetana, who was in the service of a local landowner. Being a patriot of his people, the father tried to instill this feeling in his children. Despite the strictest prohibition of the authorities, Smetana's family spoke their native language, the boy was taught Czech literacy. In addition, the young Bedřich was greatly influenced by the stories of his father's friend, the artist Antonin Maček, about the heroic past of the Czech people, their struggle against the oppressors.
The ideological formation of the young composer was largely facilitated by friendship in the gymnasium years with Karl Gavlicek, who later became outstanding writer and public figure of the Czech Republic, and the lessons of Vaclav Divok, who sought to instill in his students a love for the Czech national culture. In the mind of Bedrich, the idea of serving his people became more and more strengthened.
Smetana's outstanding musical abilities manifested themselves quite early. The composer's father, a passionate music lover, often played together with friends in home concerts, so the boy from early childhood was familiar with the works of the world's best classics and Czech folklore. At the age of four, Bedrich taught himself to play first the violin and then the piano. His first debut took place in 1830: a six-year-old boy performed in a concert, playing on the piano the overture to the opera The Mute from Portici.
At the age of eight, Smetana wrote his first piece of music. During the years of study at the gymnasium, he created a large number of piano pieces, the themes for which were various impressions of the young composer, usually embodied in cheerful polkas (“Louisina Polka”, “Memories of a New Place”, etc.).
In 1840, Bedřich moved to Pilsen, where he continued his studies. The three years spent in the family of his uncle, Professor Josef Smetana, turned out to be not only educational for the young man (he learned a lot about the Hussite movement and its heroes), the stories of his uncle contributed to the growth of patriotic consciousness.
The Pilsen period of life became for Smetana the time of the formation of artistic views. Without disregarding such phenomena of virtuoso pianism as Moscheles, Hummel and Thalberg, Bedrich devoted all his strength to the study of the work of Beethoven, Berlioz, Schumann and Chopin, who had a significant impact on the development of the young composer's talent.
The first serious works of Bedrich Smetana, especially his piano music, were created under the influence of Schumann and Chopin, later compositions - under the influence of the democratic spirit of Beethoven's music, and the appeal to programming is nothing more than following the creative principles of Berlioz.
The closest to Schumann's work in spirit and history of creation is a series of plays written in 1844 and published under the title Bagatelles and Impromptu. At this time, love entered the life of Bedřich in the person of an old friend Kateryna Kolar, who five years later, in 1849, became the wife of a young composer. Even in the titles of Smetana's plays ("Love", "Desire", etc.), something Schumann slips through. The reason for such a passion for the work of an outstanding composer, many call the general emotional state (falling in love); Indeed, in the music of Schumann, Smetana felt experiences close to himself.
No less attractive for the young patriot was the nationally original music of Chopin. Following this brilliant composer, Bedrich tried to find special artistic means of reflecting the life of his people. For Chopin, polonaises and mazurkas became such a nationally original form in music, for Smetana - polkas.
Of great importance for the formation of Smetana as a composer and performer was his acquaintance in 1846 and friendship with the famous Hungarian Franz Liszt, whose deeply national work inspired the young musician to write works about his beloved Czech Republic.
In 1843, after graduating from the Pilsen Gymnasium, Bedrich went to Prague to enter the conservatory. Having successfully passed all the tests, the young man began his studies in the class of a talented music teacher Joseph Proksh. The latter managed to captivate his talented student by collecting and studying Czech folk music, which later found expression in his work.
The difficult financial situation forced Smetana to become a music teacher in the family of Count Thun. The young man used the small advantages that his work gave him: thus, traveling with the count's family around the country in the summer months, Bedrich managed to accumulate rich material for further creative activity.
At the same time, he tried to realize his idea of creating a musical educational institution in Prague, in which teaching would be conducted not in the then popular German language, but in his native Czech. The undertakings of the young talent were supported by F. Liszt: he helped to publish Smetana's Six Characteristic Pieces abroad, the funds from the publication of which were transferred to the fund of the Prague Music School.
Czech researchers often refer to the 1840s as the era of the Czech Renaissance. In those years, the artistic environment of Prague, represented by such leading figures as the historian Frantisek Palacky, the poet Jan Kollar, the historian and philologist Pavel Josef Safarik, was quite fertile for the young talented composer.
In addition, the vivid impressions of those years (the Prague uprising of 1848, in which Smetana was directly involved, and the persecution of the rebels) contributed to intensive creative activity. During this period, Bedrich wrote revolutionary songs and marches (Song of Freedom to the verses of Kollar, March of the National Guard, Joyous Overture, etc.).
Neither the brutal political reaction that followed the defeat of the Prague uprising, nor the constant persecution that advanced public figures were subjected to, could shake the democratic convictions of the patriotic composer, who from childhood dreamed of the national independence of the Czech Republic. These moods found expression in a series of piano pieces, presented mainly in the form of folk dances (“Wedding Scenes” (1843), “Three Poetic Poles”, “Three Parlor Poles” (both - 1851), and in concert activities (some posters, announcing the concerts of Smetana, were written in Czech).
The tense political situation created certain difficulties for creative activity. In 1856, Smetana was forced to leave for Sweden, where he lived until 1861. Having settled with his family in the city of Gothenburg, Bedrich set to work enthusiastically, but he had to deal not only with writing, but also with performing and teaching activities.
Continuing to maintain friendly relations with Liszt, the young Czech composer repeatedly visited his house in Weimar. Passion for Liszt's work, especially the idea of program symphonism, was reflected in the music of Smetana: during the years of Swedish exile, he wrote three heroic-dramatic symphonic poems: "Richard III" (after Shakespeare's tragedy), "Wallenstein's Camp" (according to Schiller) and "Gakon Jarl" (based on the work of the Dane Elenschleger), as well as piano pieces "Memories of the Czech Republic in the form of poles" (1859 - 1860).
Of particular note is the composition Wallenstein's Camp, written at the suggestion of the Czech tragedian Kollar as an introduction to Schiller's drama Wallenstein. Smetana managed to connect the content of the drama with the national liberation struggle in the Czech Republic. In this symphonic poem, not only solemn march tunes are heard, but also the melodies of Czech folk dances. Thus, Wallenstein's Camp is more a picture of the life of the Czech people than a reproduction of Schiller's plot.
By the beginning of the 1860s, tragic changes had taken place in Smetana's personal life: his daughter and wife died in a foreign land, he died in Prague close friend youth Havlicek, who took an active part in the liberation struggle of the Czech people. Feelings of longing and loneliness forced the composer to think more and more about returning to his homeland.
At this time, significant socio-political changes took place in the Czech Republic: the defeat of the government of the hated Austrian governor allowed many prominent representatives of the Czech people, including Smetana, to return to their homeland and begin active work.
Bedrich Smetana tried to cover all areas of Czech musical culture: he acted as a teacher, conductor, pianist, musical and public figure, leading the struggle for the revival and prosperity of Czech national art. At the end of 1861, the composer's long-standing dream came true: the first Czech music school was opened in Prague.
By that time, there were about 200 choral societies in the Czech Republic, and for several years the head of one of them, the Verb of Prague, was most talented son Czech people - Bedrich Smetana. His choral works (dramatic poem about Jan Hus "Three Horsemen", "Czech Song", which is a kind of patriotic anthem, etc.) reflect the life and aspirations of compatriots.
In 1863, Smetana became the head of the musical section of the new art partnership "Skilled Conversation". Numerous concerts held under the direction and with the direct participation of this talented musician, marked the beginning of a wide concert life in the Czech Republic.
The composer's struggle for the creation of the Czech national theater resulted in a truly nationwide movement. In those years, all Prague theaters were under the yoke of Austrian censorship, performances in the Czech language were banned, but Bedřich managed to break the resistance of the Austrian authorities, and in 1862 the Provisional Theater was opened, on the stage of which the first operas of the composer were staged.
Smetana not only directed the new theatre, but also served as its permanent conductor for eight years. On his initiative, fundraising began for the construction of the National Theater building. It is noteworthy that on the day the building was laid, May 16, 1868, Smetanov’s works “The Solemn Overture” and the choir “Rolnitske” (“Agricultural Song”) sounded, with which the composer wanted to emphasize the people's democratic nature of what was happening.
The 1860s became a period of creative flourishing for Bedřich Smetana. In 1863 the first opera Brandenburgers in Bohemia was written, followed by The Bartered Bride and Dalibor (1867).
The Brandenburgers in the Czech Republic was the first Czech classical opera with historical and heroic content. In the events of the XIII century (during the reign of Rudolf Habsburg, whose descendants oppressed the Czechs until 19th century) the brilliant composer managed to reflect all the most topical topics of our time. With particular expressiveness, the theme of the struggle of the Czech people against the despotic power of the Habsburg monarchy is revealed in the musical work.
The love-dramatic line of the opera, which seems to be the main one, is in fact not such, since the composer focuses on mass folk scenes built on the melodic turns of Czech national hymns and folk songs. Courageous, somewhat harsh music gives the whole opera a heroic sound, which is manifested with particular force in the final scene of the expulsion of the Brandenburgers from Prague: the song of the choir “The day will come after long night sounds like a call to action.
The first production of The Brandenburgers in Prague, which took place in 1866, became a real event in the Czech national art, marking the beginning of the Czech opera classics.
Soon on the stage of the Provisional Theater was staged comic opera"The Bartered Bride", which brought the composer world fame. The plot, borrowed from the life of the Czech village, is based on the story of the marriage of the farm laborer Enik to the girl Mazhenka.
The opera consists of three acts: in the first of them, the main characters are introduced - Yenik, the son of a wealthy peasant Mikha, who left home from wicked stepmother and entered the laborers, and Mazhenka, daughter simple peasants. Young people love each other, but the girl's parents - Gata and Krushina - oppose their marriage. The greedy village matchmaker Ketzal intervenes in the matter, promising to find a rich groom for Mazhenka.
The second act begins with the appearance at the feast stepbrother Enika, Vasek, whom the matchmaker reads as grooms Mazhenka. Taking advantage of the fact that the young man does not yet know his bride, the girl tells him about the evil and grumpy Mazhenka and convinces him to refuse such a bride.
At the same time, Quetzal, persuading Yenik to forget Mazhenka, describes all the advantages of marrying a rich girl and promises to find such a Yenik. The young man concludes an agreement with the matchmaker on the sale of the bride, according to which the latter undertakes to pay Yenik 300 ducats in the event of the marriage of Mazhenka and son Mikha. The peasants present in the tavern are watching what is happening with amazement.
At the beginning of the third act, the gullible, somewhat stupid Vashek grieves over his marriage to an evil and quarrelsome woman, but the appearance of a traveling circus troupe cheers him up. An impromptu performance, or rather, a young artist named Esmeralda taking part in it, produces on an unlucky groom great impression. The girl persuades Vashek to take part in the evening performance, to act as a bear.
The debut as an actor ends in failure: Vashek opens up to his parents, who are in the crowd of spectators, and Mazhenka's parents refuse such a groom. At this time, Yenik appears, who is greeted with joy by Father Micha. Gata and Krushina agree to the marriage of Mazhenka and Yenik. Everyone is happy, only the fooled matchmaker Ketzal has to pay Yenik 300 ducats, according to the agreement.
Separate arias, duets, ensembles, choirs and dances give the opera a light cheerful tone, continuity and swiftness of action, give it significance. The dynamism of development is determined even in the overture, thematically connected with the opera and preparing listeners for the perception of the action. The compositional feature of The Bartered Bride is the presence of two dramatic lines that organically complement each other - lyrical and comedic.
Despite the fact that Smetana almost never uses authentic folk songs and dances (the furiant in the second act is an exception), in his simple, sincere, expressive melodies, characteristics Czech musical folklore: intonations and a peculiar modal structure of Czech folk songs, dance rhythms.
To give the work a bright national flavor, the composer used the rhythms of polka, smooth, comically important sousedski (slow waltz) and brisk skochna (Czech gallop), thanks to which well-aimed musical characteristics characters and revealed various dramatic situations. The Bartered Bride is rightfully considered one of the best Czech classical operas.
In May 1868, on the day of laying the foundation of the National Theatre, the premiere of the heroic-tragic opera Dalibor took place. new genre. The libretto of this work was written to the text of the outstanding Prague playwright and public figure Josef Wenzig, who at that time headed the Association of Progressive Czechs "Skillful Conversation".
Based on the plot folk legend about the knight Dalibor told about brave man, who was imprisoned in a fortress for sympathy and patronage of the rebellious peasants. The image of Dalibor became for Smetana the personification of a national hero, whose thoughts and aspirations are inseparable from the fate of the people fighting for their freedom. Dalibor's leitmotif, which is present throughout the play, is reminiscent of heroic folk songs-marches.
Particularly noteworthy is the image of the beloved brave knight, the selfless girl Milada, who sacrificed her life to save her beloved. Trying to give a deeper characterization of the heroine, Smetana uses a leitmotif. Thus, the principle of the leitmotif, along with the vocal beginning, acquires a leading role in the work of a talented composer.
Despite the negative attitude of the authorities, Smetana continued to work actively: on his initiative, the Czech Vocal School and the Philharmonic Society were opened, he continued to perform as a pianist, performing in concerts not only own compositions, but also classical works, as well as works by young Czech composers (Dvořák, Tomasek, etc.).
The heyday of Smetana's composing work came in the 1870s. However, working in various musical genres, he still remained faithful to the opera. Back in the late 60s of the 19th century, Bedřich conceived the idea of writing the opera “Libuše”, dedicated to the legendary founder of Prague, the wise and just ruler Libuše, who predicted for her people a long path full of suffering and torment, crowned with victory. As in other heroic works, here the composer tried to bring the content of ancient legends closer to the topical problem of the struggle of the people against the tyrannical power of the oppressors.
Smetana defined the genre of this work as "a solemn picture in three parts". The musical and dramatic action of the opera, which is based on impressive choral scenes, is somewhat static. This is exactly what the composer was striving for, creating not so much an opera as a majestic story about the Czech people and homeland. In the first two parts of the opera - "The Court of Libuše" and "The Wedding of Libuše" - paintings of Czech antiquity appear before the viewer, the third and final part of the opera - "Libuše's Prophecy", accompanied by an epilogue, is the culmination of the whole work.
The fighting Hussite song "Who are you, God's warriors", which received wide symphonic development in the opera, is the most impressive fragment of the work. Continuing until the end of the opera, this song completes the epilogue - a kind of apotheosis of the triumph and immortality of the people.
The opera "Libuse" was ready already in 1872, but since it was written for the opening of the National Theatre, the premiere performance took place only on June 11, 1881 on the stage of the building of the National Opera House rebuilt after the fire.
Immediately after the completion of the opera, Smetana began work on a cycle of symphonic poems "My Motherland", united common idea. After writing Vysehrad and Vltava, the composer composed four more symphonic poems, which were completed by 1879. However, the performance of the entire six-poem cycle took place only in 1881.
The years during which this work was created turned out to be the most difficult for the composer. In 1874, as a result of an unexpectedly developed nervous disease, Smetana lost his hearing, which forced him to leave the theater and conducting activities.
But even these events could not break his creative energy, the composer continued to compose. Along with the cycle "My Motherland", several comedy-domestic operas were written. The last opera, which Smetana conducted himself, was "Two Widows" on a plot from the life of the small estate nobility. The audience enthusiastically greeted the production of this work: as a token of recognition, the composer was presented with a silver conductor's baton and flowers.
Two subsequent operas, The Kiss (1876) and The Secret (1878), were written to a libretto by the Czech writer Eliska Krasnogorska. The plot of the first of them was borrowed from the life of the villagers, the second told about the Czech provincials; naive fantastic plots were interspersed here with juicy genre scenes full of bright folk humor.
At the same time, Bedrich Smetana, who lived far from Prague, was working on a chamber work - the quartet "From My Life", in which the composer's ideological and artistic aspirations were expressed. In the lyrically upbeat music of the quartet, filled with bright joy and rebellious spirit, Smetana rather poetically reveals the programmatic content of the work. In expressive melodies, scherzo polkas and finales, the composer embodies pictures of folk life and life, in addition, in the music of the quartet, Bedřich's great love of life and his faith in his people find expression.
In the late 1870s, under the impression of life in the village, a small piano piece called "Czech Dances". Using genuinely folk song and dance melodies (“Onion”, “Bear”, “Ulan”, etc.), Smetana created a fervent, cheerful and life-affirming work.
In the 80s XIX years centuries, despite the growing illness, Smetana continued his creative work, but the works of these years are far from equal: along with such bright musical masterpieces as "Evening Songs", violin duets from "My Motherland", the orchestral polka "Venkovanka", unsuccessful - the second the quartet and the opera "Devil's Wall", which are characterized by a certain fragmentation of the form and the complexity of the harmonic sound.
The indifference with which the audience greeted the second quartet and the "Devil's Wall" did not frighten Bedrich, he continued to compose music. So, in 1883, the symphonic suite "Prague Carnival" was written, after which the composer began work on the opera "Viola" based on the plot of Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night", but the disease made itself felt.
In November 1883, Smetana visited Prague for the last time, where he attended the opening of the National Theater, restored after a treacherous fire. It was a kind of farewell of the famous composer with music, theater and his beloved city. On May 12, 1884, Bedrich Smetana, a glorious son of the Czech people who left a noticeable mark on their culture, died in a Prague hospital for the nervously ill.
From the book I know the world. Gems author Orlova N.sour cream gasoline According to the terminology that was adopted among Soviet military personnel in Afghanistan ... "sour cream" is gasoline ...)
