2025-26 Program Book - Other - Page 43
The Moldau (1874)
BEDŘICH SMETANA
(March 2, 1824 - May 12, 1884)
Smetana began writing nationalistic music in his
twenties, inspired by the 1848 Prague uprising. In
1866, his first two operas, The Brandenburgers in
Bohemia and The Bartered Bride, were premiered
at Prague’s new Provisional Theatre, the latter
work achieving great popularity. In that same year,
Smetana became the theatre’s principal conductor,
but the years of his conductorship were marked by
controversy that eventually affected his health. By
the end of 1874, Smetana had become completely
deaf and resigned from his theatre duties, beginning
a period of renewed, sustained composition that
continued until his death.
Vltava (The Moldau) is a symphonic poem, part of Má vlast (My Homeland), a set
of six pieces composed between 1874 and 1879. Each work depicts some aspect
of the countryside, history, or legends of Bohemia. They had their own separate
premieres between 1875 and 1880, and the complete set was presented on
November 5, 1882, in Prague. Smetana dedicated Má vlast to the city of Prague;
after its first performance, it was acclaimed as the true representation of Czech
national style.
Individually, Vltava was premiered on April 4, 1875. In it, Smetana depicts the
sounds and sights along the river Moldau that runs through Prague towards its
junction with the Elbe. In his own words:
The composition describes the course of the Vltava, starting from the two small
springs, the Cold and Warm Vltava, to the unification of both streams into a
single current, flowing through woods and meadows [including a hunting
scene], through landscapes where a peasant wedding is celebrated, and
a round dance of the mermaids in the moonlight. Above, the nearby rocks,
castles, palaces, and ruins loom proudly. The Vltava swirls into the St John’s
Rapids, then it widens and flows toward Prague, past the Vyšehrad castle, and
majestically vanishes into the distance, ending at the Elbe.
The Moldau is Smetana’s best-known and most internationally popular orchestral
composition. His reputation as the founding father of Czech music has endured,
especially in his native country.
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