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The Music of the Czecho-Slovak Races. IV (Continued) Author(s): Rosa Newmarch Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 59, No. 910 (Dec. 1, 1918), pp. 541-545 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/909187 Accessed: 20-06-2016 15:37 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times This content downloaded from 155.69.24.171 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 15:37:28 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1918. 541 suggestion that some special provision was needed In his book entitled 'A bird's-eye view of Czech for singing in training camps, and the outcome was Music' (Strucny frehled dejin Leske hudby), a little ' Pocket Sing-Song Book' (Novello), containing Dr. Jaromir Bovecky has done great service in tracing a large number of national, folk, and popular songs. the influence of the Bohemians on music in general. When the list was nearly complete, he said, 'Don't Doubtless there remains still more to be done, for we you think they would like a few hymns?' And a are not yet quite free from the traditional belief that short selection of old favourites was added. When all that glitters in music is necessarily German. tunes came under discussion he referred to the It may be at once conceded that Bohemia's enormous power of early association, and remarked contribution to the music of the I8th, and early about 'Sun of my Soul,' that there are several 19th, centuries does not take the form of a beautiful modern settings for this hymn, but in a tight series of monumental works. During that period, not corner it would always be the bairns' tune that would one of the exiled composers was strong enough to come back to him, and he hummed very softly: write music in which the cut of the melodies, the elasticity of the rhythms, the whole idiom and inspiration should proclaim its national origin. ?eJ Compromise is the only path open to an oppressed He continued humming in reminiscent manner the race, and the language of music, as well as the spoken next two lines, and then concluded with full voice word, is generally constrained to follow it. But and words: contained in the modest creative works of the Czechs cres. before Smetana's time is much melody of a freshness and simplicity that has helped to leaven the music of other lands. The amount of melodic material WCeWe lose lose cur our -- selvesselves inin heavenheaven a -- bove.bove. borrowed consciously or unconsciously from the Slavonic fountain - head by the Viennese and other THE MUSIC OF THE CZECHO-SLOVAK composers can never be exactly computed, but it is possible to acknowledge the source generously without RACES. trying to measure it in a pint pot. BY ROSA NEWMARCH. Europe is also indebted to Bohemia for a never- failing supply of music-teachers and talented (Continuedfromn November number, page 497..) executants, although often unaware of their Slavonic IV. origin. While Germany was sending out teachers to Once again we must glance back to that fatal year, England, Russia, and other lands, she was accepting 1620, when the battle of the White Mountain sealed them from Bohemia; but usually under conditions the doom of Bohemian independence for three which led to their changing their names and becoming centuries to come. In other countries at that period Germanized. The pedagogic activities of the Czechs modern music was beginning to emerge from the old during the latter part of the 18th century were polyphonic school. But just when Monteverde had remarkable. If we compare the musical conditions shown in his 'Arianna' how to express intensity of of Russia with those of Bohemia at this period, we emotion in dramatic music by the poignant uses of shall find in the first instance great love of music, discords, and the outlook of the art was bright with much brilliant amateur talent, and scarcely any native new hopes and undreamed of possibilities, Bohemia, teachers; while among the Czechs there was an equal so richly endowed with musical intelligence, lost her devotion to the art, much trained talent, and a place among the nations and was reduced to the phenomenal teaching capacity. status of a German province. It is not my intention to give in this article a long Ferdinand II., a conscientious bigot, proceeded from list of Czech names, with such biographical details religious persecution to the systematic stifling of all as may be found in most musical encyclopaedias, but civil liberty and intellectual aspiration. Towns were merely to mention a few teachers and instrumentalists deprived of their charters, law courts of their powers in order to strengthen the claims I have put forward of jurisdiction, universities and schools of their on behalf of Bohemia's right to be regarded as a national character. power in the evolution of modern music. The Hapsburgs were henceforth to rule Bohemia The close of the I7th century saw the birth, at from Vienna; the German language everywhere Nymburk, in Bohemia, of Bohuslav iernohovsky replaced the Slavonic idiom, and the Jesuits became (Czernohovsky), whose church music was extolled by the capable, but unsympathetic, teachers of the all his contemporaries. Of Cernohovsky's creative gift spiritual decendants of Hus. Prague was left to fall it is now difficult to judge, for nearly all his manuscript into decay. With steadily decreasing opposition works were destroyed in a fire which took place at the Germans filled the highest positions in the land. A Minorite Convent at Prague in I753. The musician, proportion - overlarge - of the old Bohemian who was a monk of this order, migrated early in life to aristocracy Germanized themselves and followed the Italy, where he became choirmaster at the Santo at Court to Vienna. In many cases they took their Padua, and afterwards organist at Assisi. He was private musicians with them, while the patriotic spirits considered one of the foremost contrapuntists of his and staunch resisters languished and starved, dropped day. At Assisi, Tartini went to him for instruction. into oblivion, or reluctantly passed out of their country In middle life he made his way back to Prague and to seek a livelihood elsewhere. Then followed a time was appointed musical director at the famous when the history of Bohemian art and literature became Tyn Church, and afterwards organist of St. Jacob's indeed the history of the Muses in exile ; when it would in that city. At this time Gluck, who was eighteen nave been as vain to look to Prague for a Comenius years of age, came to Prague to study under the great or a Smetana, as to Jerusalem for a Spinoza or a master; in order to enjoy this privilege he underwent Mendelssohn, so pathetically complete was the banish- many privations, earning a precarious living by singing ment of the Bohemian spirit. in choirs and playing the violin at rustic festivals. The search now begins for Czech talent scattered Cernohovsky died in I742. throughout Europe under names that, chameleon-like, The Bendas furnish an example of a whole family took the etymological colour of the land in which absorbed into the ranks of German musicians. The the exile chanced to have his abode. father, George Benda (I709-86), who combined the This content downloaded from 155.69.24.171 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 15:37:28 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 542 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1918. occupations of weaver and local musician, had four the changes of style and pianistic methods that sons who all did well in the musical profession, and, have succeeded each other since Dussek's day. in two instances, passed on their talent to their Vaclav Jan Tomalek (1775-1850), a composer of children. Frantisek Benda, the eldest, founded a chamber and symphonic music, once the autocrat of school of violin-playing, and succeeded Graun as musical life in Prague, says of Dussek's playing : concertmeister to Frederick the Great, ending his days at Potsdam. The second and fourth sons were 'His fingers were like a company of ten singers, endowed with equal executive powers, excellent violinists; but the third, George (i722-95), and able to produce with the utmost perfection was something more. Sent by the Duke of Gotha to whatever their director could require.' study in Italy, he turned his attention to composition, and in his duodrama 'Ariadne auf Naxos' he is The same authority tells us that Dussek introduced universally credited with the invention of melodrama. the innovation of placing his pianoforte sideways on The success of his works in this form reached as far the platform, a custom which other virtuosi were quick as Paris and Hamburg, where something like a to follow, 'though they may have no very interesting popular and national opera had long been in existence. profile to exhibit.' Wenzel Pichl (I741-1805), born near Tabor, accom- Jan Ladislav Dussek must not be confounded with panied the Archduke Ferdinand to Milan as Court his namesake Franz Dushek (Dussek), a native of composer.

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