No American could imagine a scenario where every single person in our country knows a specific composer and his works. We all come from too many different backgrounds as citizens. There is American classical music, but do you think more than 10% of the population knows Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" or Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man?"
When I hear those American-composed pieces, they move me in a way that I consider almost nationalistic because they so perfectly capture an "American" sound and feeling. I wish I could share that pride with every other American when the music plays.
There is a shared culture that everyone knows based on being Czech here in the Czech Republic. You can assume that when a Czech hears the opening bars of Bedrich Smetana's "Vyshrad" tone poem from his symphonic creation "Ma Vlast" (or "My Country" in English) whenever a Czech train station announcement is played overhead on the train station loudspeaker, they all instantly recognize the opening bars of the music.
One of my blog followers told me that Czech Airlines plays "Ma Vlast" every time they land a plane in Prague coming from out-of-country.
When the Prague Half Marathon began last year, and President Vaclav Klaus set the runners off, the athletes ran from the starting line accompanied by the second tone poem of Smetana's "Ma Vlast" entitled "Vltava." I can see why. "Ma Vlast" is a gorgeous, stirring piece of music. I don't even feel the nationalistic pride that a Czech would but I can imagine how it must make their chests swell.
I recommend a specific album called "Smetana Orchestral Works" recorded by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra in Municipal Hall in Prague in 2001 if you are new to Bedrich Smetana's music. It was recommended to me by the music library staff at Prague Municipal Library. "Ma Vlast" is included, along with another piece of music that is played often in the Czech Republic called "Wallenstein's Camp." Click on my title to get your "Czech music soul" stirring and see the album. Where else is Smetana's music used within the Czech Republic in ways that touch citizens?
Do you have favorite pieces of classical music that represent your homeland or that you associate with a specific geographical place?
4 comments:
Wow, you sound so joyful. What a wonderful idea to see the world when your children leave instead of staying inside a dark room lamenting over the past. This is what I did for the most part figuratively when my oldest went off to college three years ago. I still had two at home but Molly leaving made me so sad. But I can see how the empty nest doesn't have to be sad. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Michelle! I am joyful. My children are doing great out on their own and that makes me happy. A terrific book that really helped me dive into the next phase of life with enthusiasm, not sorrow, is Stephanie Morgan's "SHED: When Organizing Isn't Enough." I read it to help me downsize my possessions but it's really about managing a transition with grace. All of my posts related to this are under the label "SHED."
I just heard Smetana for the first time last night at the University of Illinois (my son is in the orchestra). Good stuff. I had never heard of him before!
I loved going to my daughter's concerts. Enjoy them while they last. So glad you were able to hear and enjoy a composer new to me as well.
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