Prague Carnival for orchestra
Smetana, Bedřich
17,00 €
Preface
Bedřich Smetana
Pražský karneval (Prague Carnival) (1883)
(b. Litomyšl, Bohemia, 2 March 1824 – d. Prague, 12 May1884)
Introduzione. Allegro (p. 1) – Polonaise, introduzione (p. 7) – Andante (p. 11) – Più allegro (p. 14) –
Allegro giubiloso (p. 15) – Andante (p. 20) – Fine. Animato (p. 32) – Largo – Moderato (p. 34) – Allegro molto (p. 37)
Preface (by Christoph Schlüren, Mai 2016)
After completing his orchestral magnum opus, the initially four-part cycle Ma vlást, or My Fatherland (the fifth and sixth tone-poems Tábor and Blaník were added in 1878-79), Bedřich Smetana’s next significant orchestral work was meant to be Prague Carnival. At first he intended to orchestrate his recently completed piano pieces Czech Dances, but on 23 December 1879 he wrote to Ludevít Procházka that he wanted to “compose for orchestra something similar to my Czech Dances.” On 25 February 1880 he was already more specific:
“I’d like to write an orchestral symphonic poem for Herr Pohle
[a Hamburg publisher] with the title ‘Bohemian Carnival’ or ‘Prague Carnival,’ in which not only […] Czech dances but also little scenes and figures appear, e.g. from my operas as maskers. I think the idea’s not bad and the manner and form quite novel, and it would kindle interest and perhaps even prove to be profitable.”
Work proceeded slowly, and the plan now arose to write a Second String Quartet in D minor as the crowning summit of his late years, committed to paper by a completely deaf composer. On 13 July he wrote to Josef Srb, “I’ve started the pencil sketch for the string quartet, but in the meantime I’d like to gather some ideas for the grand symphonic poem Bohemian (or Prague?) Carnival and a chorus for the Hlahol [choral society].”
As it turned out, Prague Carnival, or rather what little of it Smetana managed to complete, contains a forty-eight-bar passage of 14 March 1858 from his sketchbook – indeed, the very first thing he had entered in it. He had also marked six waltz motifs for immediate use, but never succeeded in employing them. His increasing illness and debility, partly caused by the unbearable ringing in his ears, took their toll.
Read full preface / Komplettes Vorwort lesen > HERE
Score Data
| Edition | Repertoire Explorer |
|---|---|
| Genre | Orchestra |
| Size | 210 x 297 mm |
| Printing | Reprint |
| Pages | 44 |
