Preface
Czech music - throughout more than 1000 years old history - can be considered to have been beneficial in both the European and worldwide context, several times co-determined or even determined a newly arriving era in musical art[1] [2], especially of Classicism, as well as by original attitudes in Baroque, Romantic, and modern classical music. Since early times of artificial music, Czech musicians and composers have been often influenced by genuine folk music, and the emphasis of its application into their works has brought those pricinples of specific national elements into European musical tradition too[3], above all in the so-called "Golden Era" of Czech music in the period between the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
Ousets
In 863, when Greek missionaries Constantine and Methodius brought Christianity to the Great Moravian Empire, the second state in the territory (after Samo's Empire), they also introduced the liturgy sung in Old Church Slavonic to this country. After the fall of this state, and taking a leadership role in the country by Přemyslid dynasty and The Duchy of Bohemia at the break of 9th and 10th century, Latin liturgy and chants became determinants for next development of artificial music, however, the Old Church Slavonic songs survived in popular performance and also in some religious centres, e.g.in Sázava monastery[4], initiated by St.Procopius (Sv.Prokop). The monastery was an important center of Old Church Slavonic liturgy and literature up until 1097[4].
Early music
The musical tradition of Czechia arose from the church hymns, whose first evidence is suggested at the break of the 10th and 11th centuries[6]. The first significant pieces of Czech music include two chorales, which in their time performed the function of anthems: Hospodine pomiluj ny (Lord, Have Mercy on Us) from around 1050, but the authorship of this anthem is ascribed by some historians to Saint Vojtěch, known worldwide as St.Adalbert of Prague, Czech nobleman from Slavník family, first bishop of Prague, missionary, and martyr living between 956 and 997[7]), unmistakeably the oldest and most faithfully preserved popular spiritual song to have survived to the present, and the church hymn Svatý Václave (Saint Wenceslas Chorale), the song dedicated to the main patron saint of Czechia St.Wenceslas (Václav) from around 1250[8], however its roots can be found already in the 12th century. This hymn still belongs to the most popular religious songs to this day, usually sung at the end of the Holy Mass on major Christian and national holidays. In 1918, in the beginning of the Czechoslovak state, the song was discussed as one of the possible choices for the national anthem.
The record of the song "Hospodine pomiluj ny (Lord, Have Mercy on Us), created probably between the end of the 10th century and 1050, in the chronicle of Jan from Holešov from 1397; the record of the church hymn "Svatý Václave" (St.Wenceslas Chorale) created in the 12th century; St.Adalbert of Prague (Vojtěch) on stained glass window of the St.Vitus cathedral in Prague.
In the 13th century, the Kingdom of Bohemia was playing a major role in European politics. In the writings of the first chroniclers, above all Kosma, there are frequent mentions of secular folk songs and professional musicians in the country. At this time, King Wenceslas II organised the first major musical event that was to draw the attention of all of Europe. He held a musical competition in Prague, inviting the most famous European musicians and the king also took part personally, as a minstrel[9].
In 1309, with the first Czech king from Luxembourg dynasty, John of Bohemia, came to Prague French composer Guillaume de Machaut as the the King’s Secretary. This journey helped spread to Bohemia the influence of contemporary musical innovations of Ars antiqua and Ars nova. When Charles IV was crowned the King of Bohemia and also the King of the Romans and later the Holy Roman Emperor, Prague became one of Europe’s political and cultural centres. Charles was one of the most educated medieval rulers, and naturally, music resounded at the emperor’s court, as a distinguished accompaniment to unique art and architecture. In 1348, Charles IV founded a university in Prague, where a department of musicology operated from the very start[10]. By his reign, first documented personalities appear in Czech music, e.g. theologian and composer Záviš of Zápy, hymnographer and founder of his own school of poetry Domaslav (also called Domoslav) and Jan of Jenštejn, the Archbishop of Prague, also poet, writer and composer.
Important insight into the beginnings of Czech music brings Jistebnice hymn book from 1430, which contains representative collection of liturgical, martial and spiritual songs, created until that time, including Christmas carols. The Czech carol "Di est leticie" was known in the Middle Ages all over Europe, another one, Narodil se Kristus Pán (Virgo partit filium) from 14th century is regularly sung even today, being the most popular Czech Christmas song of all times (in English version "Be joyful, Earth and starry sky").
They are also several records of Czech non-religious, above all love songs from the 14th century of courtly type Dřěvo se listem odievá (Trees Are Putting on Leaves) or Jižť mne všě radost ostává (All My Joy is Waning)[11]. As an example of the record of medieval notation can serve Gradual of Arnošt of Pardubice from 1363.
A famous period of spiritual songs was the time of Hussite movement in the beginning and first half of 15th century. Jan Hus, the spiritual leader of reformation, is named as the composer of a number of songs in the Jistebnice hymn book, such as Jezu Kriste, ščedrý kněže (Jesus Christ, the open-hearted Priest), Navštiv nás, Kriste žádúcí (Visit Us, Christ, We Pray). This hymnal contains liturgical songs and a collection of martial and spiritual songs, including Christmas carols. The only confirmed author from that time is the priest Jan Čapek from Tábor, composing songs and hymns. To him is attributed the authorship of famous Hussite battle hymn Ktož sú Boží bojovníci (Ye Who Are Warriors Of God).
The oldest record of the most popular Czech Christmas song "Narodil se Kristus Pán" (Virgo partit filium), and Jistebnice hymn book, a Czech hand-written hymnbook from around 1430.
Renaissance
Because of political and social instability in the country caused by Hussite wars, music of the Renaissance came to Czechia later, however already many years before, Charles IV himself maintained correspondence with some figures of the early Italian Renaissance, among others also with the poet Petrarch. During renaissance period, the role of instrumental elements in music became more significant, above all organ, number of used voices increased and music was gradually becoming polyphonic. In many locations, records mention the construction of new instruments, of which the most famous was built at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, finished in 1567. Also the lute was developed for both solo performance and accompanying singers[12]. Music has become natural part of life in broader strata of society.
In the 16th century, more than in the 15th, a larger role was taken by popular secular Czech folk songs, such as Čížku, ptáčku zeleného peří (Siskin, bird of the green feathers), Proč kalina v struze stojí (Why does the rose grow in the ditch) or Stojí lipka v širém poli (The linden stands in the open field). They were used mostly as strains in spiritual songs, and sometimes in form they also became "cantus firmus" contrapuntal compositions[13].
To the most important musicians of Czech renaissance belongs the writer, hymnographer, composer, and music theorist Jan Blahoslav, emphasizing the need for the musical rhythm to correspond with the chronometric system of prosody of the verses. He was also the chief editor of Šamotulský kancionál (Šamotuly hymnbook), which comprised 735 spiritual hymns. Other important figures of the Czech Renaissance music were Jan Trojan Turnovský, Šimon Bar Madelka, Ondřej Chrysoponus Jevíčský, and Pavel Spongopaeus Jistebnický.
Significant personality of late Renaissance times style was Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice, Czech nobleman, diplomat, composer, musician, writer and soldier. Among his works that survive are a six-part motet Qui confidunt in Domino, popular five-part mass Cantus Firmus Dolorosi Martyr and documented composition with a Czech text Dejž tobě Pán Bůh štěstí (May the Lord Give You Good Fortune).
Music theorist, composer and hymnographer Jan Blahoslav; the record of the composition by Šimon Bar (Jona) Madelka; Kryštof Harant from Polžice and Bezdružice.
Baroque era
The rich arsenal of Czech Baroque music is represented by personalities who became specific ornaments of European culture, with many composers, among whom stand out Adam Václav Michna of Otradovice in the early Baroque, and Jan Dismas Zelenka in its crowning epoch.
From the beginning of Baroque era, musical schools have been flourishing, managed predominantly by religious orders, mostly by Jesuits, founding extensive university complex of Klementinum college in Prague, organized many musical events[14] and educated a lot of musicians, despite the horrors of the Thirty Years' War, when the Czech lands lost half of their population. Also the nobility supported musical education and founded their own local ensembles, which have become popular from the latter of 17th century. Especially remarkable were musical ensembles in Kroměříž and Olomouc. Secular music also grew in popularity in the monasteries, as numerous documents surviving from the Cistercian monastery in North-Bohemian Osek can attest. At the turn of Renaissance and Baroque, opera appears as a new musical form and comes to Bohemia, but becomes popular at the start of the 18th century[15].
A composer, organist, poet and choirmaster Adam Michna z Otradovic, living in South Bohemian town Jindřichův Hradec, is considered the most identifiable, leading personality of early Czech baroque. He initiated the development of Czech art in that era and became a significant inspiration for Czech artists of future generations. His works content pieces, which cannot deny Renaissance echoes. His music acts with remarkable vivacity, comprising both humour and tragic of daily life. However not all of his works were preserved and known today, there are over 230 of his compositions in three Czech and two Latin collections. He composed vocal as well as vocal-instrumental music to his own lyrics. His poetry remains very vivid with intense influence of senses.[16]. The majority of his creative effort was dedicated to sacred music, above all masses and litanies. The best known are his three hymn cycles, Česká mariánská muzika (Czech Marian music), Svatoroční muzika (Holy year music) and Loutna česká (Czech Lute), a collection of spiritual compositions for two sopranos accompanied by two or three violas and bass. Some of Michna's songs are still commonly sung today, mainly his Christmas song Chtic, aby spal (Wanting Him to Sleep) and liturgical Vesel se, nebes královno (Rejoice, the Queen of Heaven).
The crowning Baroque era is represented by Jan Dismas Zelennka, composer from small town Louňovice pod Blaníkem, living the majority of his life in Dresden, where he also died almost forgotten, however, his compositional abilities were praised even during his lifetime by contemporaries such as Johann Sebastian Bach (being sometimes considered "a catholic counterpoint of Bach") or Telemann. After his death, the scores remained closed in the private property of the Saxon king in Dresden for very long time, that's why he became no.1 of Czech Baroque composers with a huge delay. The beginning of rediscovery of his work is accredited to Bedřich Smetana, who rewrote some scores from the archives, but only after 250 years after Zelenka's death has begun new era of his complete renaissance. More than three quarters of his main works have been premiered, performed and recorded for the first time, mostly by ensembles from Czechia, but also from Germany, Switzerland and Netherlands. Zelenka's music is notably daring with outstanding harmonic invention and mastery of counterpoint[17]. In his melodic inventiveness, especially in rhythm, are recognizable features of Czech traditional (genuine folk) music, which make him stand out from his Italian and German contemporaries. His creative attitude and style is considered innovative and outrunning his times[18], what seems to be also another reason for misunderstaning and lack of appreciation of Zelenka's music at his time. Zelenka's works includes over 200 opuses, mostly sacred music, including 20 masses, requiems, oratorios, Magnificats and a Te Deum, litanies, many psalms, hymns and antiphons. The most important of these are 6 masses Missae ultimae, composed in the last years of his life, the oratorios and litanies. The compositions that represent the peak of his secular work and at the same time the era of the high Baroque include monumental oratorio Sub olea pacis et palma virtutis and his instrumental compositions.
Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský achieved - unlike so many of his Czech contemporaries - fame in his lifetime. In his finest works he was able to combine the Czech love for instrumental virtuosity and folk-influenced melodic ideas with accomplished contrapuntal skills. Among those that did are the excellent fugue Laudetur Jesus Christus[19], a grandiose vocal fugue with organ accompaniment, which is cited by the Baroque Music Library as an excellent example of its kind, Regina coeli, a concert cantata, and several pieces for organ and toccatas. An entire school of composers are connected with his name.
Adam Michna, Chevalier from Otradovice; memorial of Jan Dismas Zelenka by Marie Uchytilová at the site of the composer's birthplace in Louňovice pod Blaníkem, Central Bohemia, Czechia; Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský.
Besides already mentioned leading personalities, other important Czech composers of Baroque music were Václav Karel Holan Rovenský, the author a huge collection of hymns, sacred and festive songs called Cappella Regia Musicalis (772 pieces), published in Czech language in 1693, trumpet virtuoso Pavel Josef Vejvanovský, characterised by charming folk idioms and virtuosic brass writing, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, violin virtuoso and a creator of experimental works with utilization of special tunings for the instrument, and elements of collage and polytonality or Jan Ignác František Vojta, active predominantly in the 17th century; František Ignác Antonín Tůma, whose compositions were noted for their solidity of texture as well as for their chromaticism, Jan Josef Ignác Brentner, fused a direct melodic component, reminiscent of contemporary Moravian practices, with highly ornamented instrumental accompaniment typical for Bohemian musicians, Josef Seger, the author of excellent organ pieces and fugues incl. fugue based on the most popular Czech Christmas carol "Narodil se Kristus Pán" (Christ the Lord is Born)[20], or vocal specialist Josef Antonín Plánický, active in 18th century[21]. To composers, foreshadowing by compositional techniques the income of classicist style belong František Václav Míča and the author of many masses and sinfonias Jan Zach.
Classicism
The new style, influenced originally by ideals of Classical antiquity, with straight, fixed and clear rules and the emphasizing of melody, was accessible to more people and came to be known as European Classicism. From the middle of 18th century, in the period of official and practical cancellation of Lands of Bohemian crown within Austrian empire, the era of decline of the nation and germanization of Czechia, people found consolation in music. Czech basic schools curriculum contained music as a substantial part of education and Czech lands were becamoming some “Europe’s conservatory” as the English musical theorist and historian Charles Burney of that time described Czechia in his musical book of travels [22]. Because many teachers or heads of church choirs in the countryside did write in simplier way for wider society, a new type of music, whoose roots can be found deep in the Baroque era caught up quickly and started to develop.
The high standards of music education helped substantially to emerging of many personalities in Czech music of classicist era and their important contribution to the origin and progress of classicist music. Because of provincial character of the Czech lands in the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, many Czech musicians had to leave their country in the interest of his musical career and joined European centres of cultural life in Italy, France, Germany and Austria, also joining the royal courts, becoming prominent composers, instrumentalists, teachers and also founders of important musical schools. This kind of fate is typical for the vast majority of Czech musicians of those times, accompanied usually by changing their original names into the language of the area of their acting. Massive exodus of Czech musicians abroad had consequencies in cultural life of the country, lasting until Czech National Revival, when some specific national musical movement started to develop. The absence of domestic sources of inspiration in that historical period are felt even today in the lack of popularity and lesser knowledge of importance of Czech composers of classicist era working out of their homeland, however they influenced later well-known composers, eg. Haydn, Mozart, etc.
Among all Czech contributive musical personalities excelled Jan Václav Antonín Stamic, the father of famous Mannheim school, substantially innovating structure of symphonic works and sonata form, where his main innovation is the four-movement structure of symphony, sonata form used in symphonic first movements, and occasionally in finales and even slow movements as well, Jiří Antonín Benda in bringing the musical form of melodrama to life, Jan Křtitel Vaňhal, the author of over 70 symphonies and almost 100 sacred works being considered highly influential to Mozart, making use of many features, which appeared later in large scale of Austrian composer's works, and being considered highly influential to symphonies, prefiguring works of Beethoven[23], Josef Mysliveček, a pioneer in the composition of music for wind ensemble, inovator of operatic works [called "Il (divino) Boemo" - A (Divine) Czech] and oldier friend and inspirator of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, contributed substantially to the formation of late period of classicism with significant compositional models in the genres of symphony, Italian opera, and violin concerto[24], and Antonín Rejcha by his innovative methods of composition, which he applied in a variety of works such as fugues and string quartets, leaving their mark on the works of Beethoven and Schubert[25] and techniques such as bitonality and polyrhythm, derived often from folk music, directly anticipates that of composers of modern era far in advance[26].
Composers Jan Václav Antonín Stamic (also known as Johann Stamitz), Josef Mysliveček, Jan Křtitel Vaňhal (also known as Johann Baptist Wanhal) a Antonín Rejcha (also known as Antoine Reicha)
Among many significant personalities of the Czech classicism belong composers František Xaver Brixi, František Xaver Dušek, Jiří Ignác Linek, Antonín Vranický, and his brother Pavel Vranický.
Romantic era
An important representative of Czech music abroad in the second half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century was Jan Ladislav Dusík (Dussek), a composer and piano virtuoso, is considered a predecessor of the Romantic composers for piano, especially Chopin, Schumann and Mendelssohn.
Some of his more forward-looking piano works have traits often associated with Romanticism.[27]. He was instrumental in extending the size of the pianoforte. He composed large scale of piano sonatas and concertos, and also the highly unusual chamber sonata with percussion, an extremely rare example of pre-20th-century chamber music that includes percussion.
Jan Ladislav Dusík (Dussek), Václav Jan Tomášek, and Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek.
Romantic era in works of Czech composers started also with composer and pianist Václav Jan Tomášek who is considered the founder of Czech Romanticism, and works of Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek by his melodically inventive early Romantic idioms in his music, e.g. "impromptu", which term was used for the first time in relation to his piano pieces and subsequently used by Schubert, Chopin and numerous other composers. His typically Czech pastoral singing was later followed by Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák.
In the next stages of Romanticism begun the period, which brought Czech music an international fame. As with many nations, what is known as national music developed in this era, a phenomenon related to the national revival in Czechia of the nineteenth century. Its spiritual father and practical initiator in music is composer Bedřich Smetana. He is considered to be the founder of Czech national music, and national music school; he elevated Czech music to an international level from the very start, being the pioneer of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. Smetana and his friend Liszt, who pointed out his genius, created a new form in music – the symphonic poem.
Bedřich Smetana; facsimile of the second movement (Vltava - St.John's Streams) of Smetana's symphonic poem My Country; composer's birthplace in Litomyšl (East Bohemia), Czechia.
To his major works belong symphonic poem Má vlast (My Country), reflecting the landscapes, legends, and history of Czechia, encapsulating Smetana’s profound love and devotion to his homeland[28], and operas with dominating themes from Czech legends, history and traditions, above all Libuše and Prodaná nevěsta (The Bartered Bride), chamber music, and an extensive collection of solo piano works, including many folk dances, especially polkas. Smetana had been a virtuoso performer on the piano, and those compositions, augmented by the more mature piano pieces of his difficult last years, constitute an important body of piano literature.
The most famous Czech composer and one of the leading world composers of all time was Antonín Dvořák. Dvořák’s own compositional style, usually denoted as "Classical-Romantic synthesis", is considered the fullest recreation of a national idiom with that of the symphonic tradition and in spiritual music, absorbing folk influences and finding effective ways of using them.
His world fame started in Great Britain, where he conducted his spiritual music and Symphony No.7, and received an honorary doctorate at Cambridge university. Dvořák was also substantially influential for the growth of American classical music, being the director of Conservatory in New York between 1892-5, where he composed the most famous work Symphony No.9 "From The New World", in which he also showed the way how to work with genuine American music in classical rank[29]. This symphony belongs among the most favourite compositions of this kind in the world. Neil Armstrong took a recording of the New World Symphony to the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission, the first Moon landing, in 1969, and left it there as some representative document of the culture of human civilization. To Dvořák’s most important works belong also Symphonies No.7 & 8, funeral mass Requiem, considered to be one of the best compositions of that kind ever, oratorial work Stabat Mater, Concerto for violoncello, two collections of Slavonic Dances, a spiritual hymn Te Deum, masses, string quartets and Rusalka, the most famous operatic work. In general, Dvořák left an extensive work of oratorical, song, chamber, operatic, and symphonic music[30], and also educated composers Josef Suk and Vítězslav Novák.
Antonín Leopold Dvořák; manuscript of Requiem op.89, with the composer's signature and the beginning of the 3rd part "Dies Irae"; villa "America" - the museum of Antonín Dvořák in Prague
Other famous late romantic composers were Zdeněk Fibich, the author of symphonic poems and scenic melodramas, and in Czechia born symphonist and one of leading conductors of his generation Gustav Mahler. Also some of leading composers of Czech Modernism, Josef Suk, Vítězslav Novák, and Leoš Janáček, had their roots or beginnings in Romantic era.
The period between second half of 19th century and first half of 20th century, can be considered the golden age of Czech music, represented mainly by so-called "The Great Four" of personalities of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák and also modernists Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů, but with inconsiderable role of several other, lesser known, but for the development of modern and contemporary music important composers.
Modern era
Modernism started at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by works of a music theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher Leoš Janáček, composer of an original, inimitable modern musical style, inspired by Czech (above all of Moravian and Silesian region) and other Slavic folk music and musical characteristics of folk speech, which is a major sign of his rendition of opera singing. He presented a previously unheard world of music, sometimes even almost from otherworldly spheres[31], which major example is his Glagolitic Mass. Janáček's music employs a vastly expanded view of tonality, using unorthodox chord spacings, structures, and modality. To his other distinctive works belong Sinfonietta, rich arsenal of operatic works, in which excel the operas Jenůfa, Káťa Kabanová, and The Cunning Little Vixen[32], rhapsody Taras Bulba, string quartets, many orchestral and other chamber works.
Josef Suk, the pupil and son-in-law of Antonín Dvořák was influenced first by Late romanticism, but in later pieces he uses more extended harmonies to create a personal and complex style, based on chromatic polyphony with a direction towards the freedom of atonal music. This concentration on dissonance created music which always showed a tension due to the absence of any musical relaxation. To his best works belong Asrael Symphony, written in response to the deaths of his wife and Dvořák[33], Fairy Tale Suite, the cycle of piano works Things Lived and Dreamed, and the trilogy of symphonic poems A Summer's Tale, The Ripening, and Epilog. Suk won a silver medal at the Art competitions at the Olympic Games 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with his work Into a New Life.
Bohuslav Martinů, a prolific modern symphonist and opera composer, moving in many distinctive directions with neoclassicism, expressionism and jazz music in veins. Martinů created over 400 musical work during his life, from which 6 symphonies, Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, & Timpani, instrumental-vocal Field Mass, Gilgamesh oratorial work, Concerto for violoncello and orchestra, the extensive collection of piano concertos and mny chamber music have to be mentioned. From operatic works stand out Juliette, Hry o Marii (Plays About Mary) & Řecké pašije (The Greek Passion). He continued to look to his Bohemian and Moravian roots for musical ideas. His best-known work from these works is the ballet Špalíček, which incorporates Czech folk tunes and nursery rhymes, as well as chamber cantata Otvírání studánek (The Opening of the Wells)[34].
Leoš Janáček (photos on the cover of collection of his works, called "The Many Passions of Leoš Janáček"; Bohuslav Martinů at the piano working on his second symphony, New York, around 1942; Josef Suk
In the first half of 20th century started his career one of the creators of microtonal systems and one of major world composers of microtonal music Alois Hába[35], a composer and musical theoretician. His most significant innovative contribution to European music is his reworking of the tonality quarter, six, twelve, and five tone systems, which come from the Moravian folk tradition.
Very interesting personality was Vítězslava Kaprálová, probably the most famous Czech female composer and conductor. Although she died very young at the age of 25, she left behind a remarkable catalogue of works, which includes her highly regarded art songs and music for piano solo, and a string quartet, music for cello, music for violin and piano, an orchestral cantata, two piano concertos, two orchestral suites, Military sinfonietta, and a concertino for clarinet, violin, and orchestra. She was already highly valued during her lifetime.
To the most important personalities in high modern era belongs an original keys creator[36], symphonist Miloslav Kabeláč, whose music represents a distinctive and pure statement, the extraordinary effect of which is given by original and clear structural principles; in accordance with its generally ethical and humanistic focus. The most important compositions include Symphony No.8, the passacaglia Mystérium času (Mystery of Time), the composition for large orchestra Hamlet improvisations, and 8 inventions for percussions. Kabeláč was also a great promoter and composer of electroacoustic music in Czechia. The composer of modern sacred works for organ, and vocal-instrumental works on liturgical texts Petr Eben should be mentioned.
Alois Hába, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Miloslav Kabeláč, and Petr Eben
Traditional music
In the Czech traditional music should be noted genuine folk music and dances from Chodsko, border region in West Bohemia, where typical bagpipes are used in ensembles together with violins, double bass, and clarinet, South Bohemian folk music, and Moravian traditional music, which is known for the dulcimer, playing in ensembles that also include double bass, clarinet and violins. The traditional music of Moravia displays regional influences, especially in South Moravia, Valachia, and Lachia (the borderland of northern Moravia and Czech Silesia). Moravian traditional music excells as a popular source of inspiration for many Czech composers. Urban folk music, especially that of Prague, found its roots in the working class of industrial agglomerations in the 19th century. The accordion is a popular instrument here, but the trumpet is also often present in its performance in ensembles.
Bagpiper from Chodsko region; Moravian dulcimer ensemble; Jaroslav Vejvoda, the author of famous polka "Škoda lásky"; polka dancers at Czech National Polka Festival in Ennis, Texas, USA.
Among many others, the most famous dance from Czechia, widespread in the world is the Bohemian polka, originated in the beginning of 19th century in Central Bohemia in Kostelec nad Labem[37]. It is a dance to songs and instrumental pieces in two-quarter bar.
Important figure in the history of polka is a Czech composer and bandmaster Jaromír Vejvoda, the author of world famous polka Škoda lásky (originally Modřany polka). The song, which was gradually adapted several times (the current version dates from 1929) has become perhaps the most played world hit. It was included in the repertoire of, for example, the Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman orchestras, and sung by Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. This song is known all over the world under various names, in English as The Beer Barrel Polka (or Roll Out The Barrel). During World War II, Roll Out The Barrel became the most popular battle song, especially among the American army and its Western European allies. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe and later the American president, reportedly stated after the war: "Jaromír Vejvoda is the author of the song that helped us win the war."
Musical events
Already in 13th century, Czech King Wenceslas II organised the first major musical event in the country, that was to draw the attention of all of Europe. He held a musical competition in Prague, inviting the most famous European musicians and the king also took part personally, as a minstrel. The most famous music festival in the country of today is Prague Spring International Music Festival of classical music, founded 1946, a permanent showcase for outstanding performing artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles of the world.
Note: An overview of personalities, bands and ensembles of Czech jazz, rock, pop genres & postmodern music is a part of another treatise.
Vladimír Hirsch, 2014
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27. Dusík (1984), p. XXIII
28. Opera Plus: Bedřich Smetana
29. Beveridge, David R.: Antonín Dvořák: His Life, His Music, His Legacy
30. Burghauser, Jarmil: Antonin Dvorak : Life And Work
31. Steinberg, Michael: Choral masterworks: a listener's guide. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. p.
193 (2008)
32. Osborne, Charles: The Dictionary of the Opera. Simon & Schuster. p. 87 (1983)
33. Duchen, Jessica: Observations / Suk's Angel of Death is not for the faint-hearted. The Independent 2010
34. Bohuslav Martinů 1890-1959 : Life and Work. Divadelni Ustav, Praha, 1990, p.7-8
35. Suzette Mary Battan: Alois Hába / New Harmonies, Eastman School of Music, Rochester, 1980
36. Hirsch, Vladimír: Music of Czechia; 2014
37. Kadlec M.: The emergence of the polka in Kostelec
